A DIFFERENT YEAR IN THE GARDEN

Well - this year it will certainly be a different year in the garden.  May and June so far have proven to be not the best we have ever seen, that is for sure.  Looking at the garden I would say we are 5-6 weeks behind.
This lovely big bowl of salad greens is this years first pickings.  And, my very first ever grown strawberry!  There are a few strawberry plants in the garden that are coming along, but it looks like next years crop should be better.
In this raised bed we planted beets, lettuce, cabbage and green beans.  As you can see there is also Calendula and Rhudebecia growing.  Each year this raised bed get less light due to the ever growing fir trees in our neighborhood - so I think we will just leave the flowers be.

Here is a second raised bed:

We planted zucchini, strawberries, collar greens and swiss chard.  Hope the heat arrives soon for our poor zucchini's.
Here in the third raised bed there is cauliflower, lambs quarter, and a few carrots - not sure how they will do.  These last three years have not been too successful in the garden.  I no longer plant any of the winter squashes - our summers are not warm enough lately.  We also cut back on tomato plants - we just did five this year.
The flowers continue to do well at least:
These Oriental Poppies seem to thrive - and they self seed which I do not mind at all. (behind these poppies lies homegrown mint....help!  It is turning into a jungle!)
Pink Poppies always give a good show:
This African Daisy overwintered in our little green house:
This plant is called Soap-wort - I wonder if you can actually make soap from it?  It does give a nice ground cover:
As well as this small Geranium species - which self seeds as well:
Soon the Lavender will be in full bloom, as well as the Rhudebekia, Echchinaca, Black Eyed Susans.  We can't wait for summer to arrive!

Ina Gawne
author
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6 comments on “A DIFFERENT YEAR IN THE GARDEN”

  1. Oh Ina, your garden is inspiring! I love the way you mix the pots, flowers, and raised beds. I too live in a cooler climate and understand your situation. I think all we can do is plant the crops that thrive in cooler weather and enjoy them. That bowl of salad greens looks amazing!
    Thanks for sharing,
    Karen

  2. Your garden is looking beautiful & a lot of your veggies will grow bigger, you know!
    We had a lot of rain the last weeks but now, it is better weather over here & warmer too! 🙂 I love your raised beds a lot & all of your flowers are just beauties! I never have seen Pink Poppies before: ooh! 🙂

  3. Hi Ina, your garden looks lovely. I hope it produces a bounty for you this summer. 🙂 I love your flowers, so pretty. We are utilitarian in our garden this year...herbs and veggies, and a few Five O'Clocks (or Four O'Clocks...down here, they don't bloom until Eight O'Clock).

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June 16, 2012
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