Mystery plant identified

I thought I was being so clever amending my soil after the broccoli was finished with my own wonderful compost. It was hot all winter and really looked perfect for digging in. (It is working great!) I transplanted the eggplant in a square then added okra seeds in a cross and the middle. Apparently none came up but these beautiful plants did.
At first they looked like okra until they had tendrils. They were so healthy I left them and got okra that was already in 6 packs and added cages and a triangle trellis to support the vines . My next guess was cucumbers as the leaves early on were not too big or dissimilar to the ones I have out back but as they bloomed and began to set fruit the mystery is solved--cantaloupe! we ate a lot of it last fall and threw the seeds into the compost along with their rinds. What a wonderful present for us as we really like it. this is the only way we have grown it too--mystery surprise. Guess I should screen the compost but then look what I would have missed out on.

WB Garden Tour 2012 gives peek behind the fences

What an absolutely fabulous time we had looking at other people's gardens. We started at the community gardens that has around 80 plots and they have creatively used every inch of space there to grow a great variety of vegetables and flowers. We toured about a dozen sites in all ranging from full sun to deep shade and our gardeners found ways to create a restful oa sis and beauty in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Wish I had taken more pictures but I was too busy looking.
Many people added fences, birdbaths, critters, and all kinds of items to the gardens to create more interesting areas. Every kind of path was in use from crushed stone to mulch to pavers and grass paths. Most had punches of color and all shades of green. One of our gardeners has an intensive square foot garden that is amazingly full. Benches and chairs were everywhere so the gardeners could stop and relax to enjoy the areas they created.  I want to go back for a 2nd look as I am sure I missed as much as I saw.

WB Garden Tour 5/19/2012

The Wells Branch Garden Guild invites the community (and your friends) to join in a tour of gardens in the area. The garden tour will begin at the Wells Branch Community Gardens around 9 am. We will spend 20-30 minutes at each garden on the tour and finish up at the WB Homestead in the park to see the results of our plantings in April and maybe sit in the shade a bit and discuss the gardens. The gardens include vegetable and flower, shade and sun, drought treatments, community and demonstration gardens.

• A.       9 am WB Community Gardens at Town Hill and Single Trace
• B.       9:35 Don Harrell - 14533 Donald Drive
• C.       9:50 Eleanor Brooks - 14535 Donald Drive
• D.      10:10 Heather Johnson--15209 Mallard Green Lane
• E.       10:35  Laurie Childers--2436 Rick Whinery
• F.        11 am Dianne Koehler--14909 Alpha Collier Dr
• G.      11:25 Rachel Lebansky--14904 Yellowleaf Trail
• H.      11:50  Steve  Weikal- Karen Nunely--2333 Klattenhoff Drive
• I.         12:15  Wells Branch Homestead 2106 Klattenhoff Drive

Garden tour map

Sunflowers planted by birds are stunningly large

Last fall I threw out some sunflower seeds from the pantry for the birds as they smelled bad. What a surprise for us this spring to have several come up in the garden and top out at more than 9' tall. I know now what Van Gogh was inspired by in the sunflower fields!