This week, I planted a lemon tree and hauled a bunch of eight-foot-tall bamboo poles home on the subway for a garden lighting project. My evening primroses are still gracing the terrace nightly, the corn I’m growing to screen my air-conditioner is getting taller by the day, and the grape vines I planted last week have leafed out. That, and a whole lot more! All the pictures and details after the jump.

Looking good, corn shoots! I planted them from seed 4th of July weekend. Right now you may be scratching your head and thinking you’ve never seen corn in a container before. Uncommon yes, but fast-growing and makes a cheap and effective screen. I grew it on the Upper West Side to provide a little privacy between my roof and my next door neighbor’s — worked like a charm. I tried to grow some clematis here to shield the unsightly air-conditioner from view, but, alas, it wasn’t growing fast enough. Corn to the rescue!
Against all odds, my late-planted peas keep growing. If the heat this week doesn’t kill them, I’ll be utterly amazed. I put in some bamboo trellises for them, and as you can see, the pea tendrils are gearing up for the climb.

When the grapevines arrived last week, they were leafless, and you may recall, a little scary. I was so thrilled this week to watch leaf buds develop and unfurl. Here’s one of the leaves in baby form:

I’m just so excited every time I don’t kill a new plant.

These poles aren’t all that exciting yet. Next week, you’ll get another photo of them when they’re hoisting globe lights above the terrace. For now, I’m really just showing you them to brag. I hauled these babies over my shoulder all the way from 28th street. I’m quite proud to have maneuvered my way down the busy sidewalk and into the subway without clobbering any of my fellow travelers.

This little lemon tree arrived in the mail last night. As you can see, it suffered a break in transit. Nothing too bad, though. I potted it this morning, and plunked it indoors till the heat wave is over.

Growing up, our house was an Amazonian jungle of houseplants, so I’m usually a little wary of bringing too many pots indoors, but I’m kind of digging this guy on the console table…