GARDEN TOUR


WhooooHoooo!  We have heat !  How long have we waited?  Can you tell I am a wee bit excited?  And yes the garden got planted last weekend despite cold rainy days. But now we have actual sunshine with the added bonus of heat.  We honestly were beginning to wonder if it would happen at all.  (By the way, this is a longer than normal post...I was indeed excited)
Then we fired up the BBQ and had our first BBQ Burgers of the Season:

So on this happy note, Welcome to my Garden.  Thought I would give you a mini tour of the garden to date as well as some lessons learned.
I love Lavender.  In previous years, this plant was actually pretty small.  Last year was not too bad, better than the year before.  I visited a Lavender farm, and learned, once the Lavender is finished flowering, give it a good cutting back.  Actually, I was pretty ruthless with the shears.  Wow.  This is the best year yet.  Can't wait for it to bloom, maybe another week or so with warm weather?
Now here is the first raised vegetable we put in a few years ago.
I had just watered, so it is hard to tell, but I learned from the nursery, if you plant squash of any kind, mound up the soil into a hill, to prevent the leaves from getting mold.  In this bed we planted Curry Squash, Butternut Squash, Cauliflower, Broccoli and in between Carrots.  I think.  Maybe green beans.  I always think I will remember, and seldom do.  Sigh.  This aging thing creeps up on you, you know?
To the left is veggie bed number two.  The only raised bed where we did not line the bottom with heavy duty landscaping fabric.  Big mistake when your garden is surrounded by Fir and Cedar trees.  The roots go forever, taking up any nutrients in the soil.  I heavily dosed this bed with Lime, Compost, and Aged Steer manure....hope it works, we will see.
See those tree branches in raised bed number three?  They keep this guy away, to do his business elsewhere...
And he is vehemently complaining!  Actually, he is mowing down on some cat mint...See the darker green plant at the bottom of the lighter green Feverfew?  He loves it.  And I don't mind if he chews it right down, because it, like all mints will live forever - and grow everywhere too.  I have even found it growing in gravel.
Now onto Veggie bed number four:
Growing on the left is Beets.  Oh how I love Beets.  Every year I plant Beets, and they do next to nothing.  People in my area grow wonderful Beets.  I have failed each year miserably.  These seedlings will soon need thinning out, but what I did learn is plant them early, when the weather is still very cool.  Do not over fertilize - just use compost.  Fingers are crossed, I think we may well have Beets this year.
Now onto a little flower bed created last year:
In the center of this bed is a beautiful blue Delphinium with beautiful Rhudebekia growing throughout.  I learned to save the dead heads of Rhudebekia flowers, place them on a platter in a warm place to dry. (top of my fridge)  Come spring time just rub off the seed heads scattering them to the winds - they grow like crazy, I love these plants so do not mind in the least.
This is the first flower bed we put in:
Lesson learned...do not plant too many Bachelor Buttons - the wind blows and soon you are over run with them.  I have probably dug out fifty plants from this bed alone!  However, come July/Aug. this flower bed will be a profusion of color - reds, pinks, purple, blues, and some orange.  I will try to remember to update the pictures so you can see before and after.
With every garden we have had I like to plant perennials that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and dragonflies.  Some of these include:   Cosmos, Rhudebekia, varieties of Daisy's, Budlea Bush, Wallflowers, Echinacia plants, to name a few.  What I have discovered, is each year my garden seems to have more and more Ladybugs!  Always a welcome bug to my gardens.  So is it possible that these plants also attract Ladybugs?  I think so.
Then after a lovely day in the garden, with delicious BBQ Burgers for dinner, it was most definitely time for Home made Iced Tea:
Tucker on the other hand, was thinking it was clearly time for a nap:

Finally, these spring time Columbine Flowers adorned our table tonight:
A truly beautiful flower, that will self seed when the wind blows, bringing beautiful color to your gardens.  They always remind me of Hans Christian Andersen's story of Thumbelina.   As a child hearing this story, I was convinced that Thumbelina crawled into these flowers each night where she had a cozy, warm bed to sleep in till the wee hours of the morning.  To this day, they are still one of my favorite flowers.
What a great day it has been in the garden...truly a day to put a smile on my face, and appreciation in my heart.  Do you have lots happening in your gardens right now?

Ina Gawne
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12 comments on “GARDEN TOUR”

    1. Tom, you are truly hilarious! You never fail to make me smile or laugh! You even made my husband chuckle! Want to come for dinner some time?

    1. Thanks Erin! Lavender I have learned can be tricky! If too hot will wilt, yet does not like to be over watered. Yet at the same time not super dry? It seems to be a plant that needs moisture, but not too much...a fine balance. 🙂

  1. Wow, Ina, everything looks fabulous! I'd love to stop by and have a burger and some iced tea with you while admiring your garden and kitty. I have a black and white cat, too. Her name is Marble. 🙂 BTW, I especially love that blue pot!
    Shirley

  2. What a beautiful tour of your garden, Ina!
    Those burgers, plants & your home made ice tea look great & your garden ivites me to wine & dine with you & your cat!
    hahahahahha,..;! 🙂

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June 5, 2011
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