The sun is beating down in South Philadelphia. One of the best parts of summer in my neighborhood is Bob’s urban garden.
It’s hot enough to make fish soup in the koi pond!
I wonder what kind of plant this is?
This picture is from earlier in the summer.
Things are quieting down in Bob’s garden about now and the last of the summer flowers are starting to fade. The cacti are getting themselves ready for the winter and the turtles have gone to the bottom of the koi pond to wait out the cold weather. The banana tree didn’t throw off any fruit this summer but its long, broad leaves still made me feel like I was in the tropics. Here are some pictures of Bob’s garden in the fall.
For more pictures of Bob’s garden over the years, press here.
I wrote about my neighbor Bob’s urban garden last summer when the growing season was at its height and the plants were multiplying like crazy. Now, however, it is autumn and the frost is almost on the pumpkin metaphorically speaking.
The flowers in Bob’s garden are winding down the show.
Not as colorful as it was last July?
And yet, there are bananas growing on a tree outside my South Philadelphia home. Who would have imagined such a thing? And in late October!
One thing I love about my neighborhood is that it seems to be a magnet for creative people. This house is one example: where there’s no yard for a garden, just plant one up the front of your house! They’re called Green Walls or Vertical Gardens, . and I have seen them all over the world, but never in Philadelphia.
If you’re interested in reading more about vertical gardens, click here.
Bob’s urban garden is up and running! He added a few banana trees, a palm, and lots of flowers and vines. A new crop of turtles have have moved into the Koi pond, but they are frustratingly camera shy.
Bob kept Koi fish in the pond all winter-even when there was snow on the ground. A heater kept them from freezing, but they weren’t very lively. This spring he added a lot of minnows and for a couple of weeks, they all swam around happily. But there wasn’t enough oxygen for the big guys, so they are now swimming in the great hereafter. The little guys have taken over and will be big guys this time next year.
The lotus blossom sprang up unexpectedly one day. I got curious about lotus blossoms and found this interesting link. Enjoy the slide show.
Ornamento 
