Like, or no?

When I was just out of college, a coworker of mine who was not from Chicago but had gone to school there for a few years noticed that I, like other Chicagoans he knew, often tacked the phrase "or no?" onto the end of questions. For example: "Did you watch the Bears' game yesterday, or no?"

I never noticed this myself of course, but after he pointed it out I realized that pretty much everybody in my family (who all still live in the Chicago area) do this. Today, I'm using the same approach for a quick look at things I like in the garden right now, or no. Starting with the Black Pearl peppers: like!

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Pennisetum 'Vertigo': Like!

What a great (and tall) grass!


Castor bean:

Like! (I see a pattern emerging: dark leaves I like!)


Powdery mildew that plagues Verbena bonariensis here: No!

Strange that not every single plant has this -- just about 75% of them.


Bamboo rhizomes:

That's a tough call. No, I don't like the work they make me do controlling them every year, but I do like how many of them I see. It means that this grove should be filling out really nicely next year! So I'm going to say "like".


Fluffy seed heads:

Normally I'd say "like!", but this is a weed that I missed pulling, so it looks like I'll have it all around the garden again next year. No!


The black bloom of Salvia discolor:

Super big, super loud LIKE!


What about some Ruellia (Mexican Petunia)?

Well, it's not really flowering much -- which is the only reason to grow this -- but since I planted this zone 8 wonder three years ago and it's made it through our past two winters unprotected, I have to give it a "like"! (We're supposedly zone 6 in St. Louis.)


Potted plants still on my driveway: NO!

My number one goal next year is to have the right number of plants in the spring and to get the driveway clear by June 1. (Okay, maybe June 30th.)


Hyacinth bean vine:

Normally a big LIKE, as it's one of my favorite vines, but since it didn't make it all the way up to the deck railing this year, I'm disappointed. Deer removed most of the leaves early on, and the plant took a while to rebound. Sigh. There's always next year!


Finally, late season tomatoes:

This is an easy "like"! The fruit are small but tasty, and there are more than we can eat right now.

Obviously I didn't catalog everything in the garden, but I have to say that there is more to like than no right now.

Edit: I forgot to include this obvious like:

Salvias and bees: like, like, like!


Are you liking your own garden right now, or no?

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