FINISHING TOUCHES

Just needs the lattice each side of the arch, a couple of climbing plants, and it will be done.

The lattice has been installed, and coated with water seal, on both sides of the arch entrance into the vegetable garden. I have purchased two clematis, one for each side. These Clematis only grow 8-10 feet, so should not be too difficult to keep under control.

Now I wait for the two beautiful clematis to cover the lattice.

AT LONG LAST IT IS FINISHED.

Today after a lot of back breaking work by MrC, the vegetable garden was completed. Yahoo, now I can watch the plants grow, and keep any weeds which dare to show their heads, under control.

The very beginning
MrC scraping off all the sod ready to level the area for the garden.

Fence posts and lower rails in place.
We are lucky to have a friend, who just happens to own a landscaping business. So I have scored a load of good compost and a load of topsoil which will go into the raised beds.

The raised beds have been filled with the compost and topsoil and the fence and gate finished.

Here is Keewee's Vegetable Garden. Isn't it grand?

Today we hauled barrow loads of pea gravel to spread between the raised beds. (The pea gravel was spread over many layers of newspapers for weed control) Actually my honey, MrC did most of the heavy work of moving the gravel while I raked it into place.
MrC is at this moment, lying on the heating pad to ease the soreness in his back muscles. I sure do appreciate all the hard work he did to get this garden built for me.

KEEWEE'S TULIP DAYS

Even though our Spring has been rather long and dreary, the sight of all the color in the garden from the flowering Tulips, has done much to relieve the dismal days.

Mrs John Scheepers.

Rosalie.

Negrita.

A group of Elite.

ACHING BACK PAYS OFF

Last Autumn I planted 150 new bulbs, and have felt I have been holding my breath all through the winter into spring to see the blooms. I sure am not disapointed.

Greenland

This one is an odd shape. I am hoping it will improve as it opens up.

Zurel

Magier

Scarlet Pimpernel.

All that kneeling down to get all the bulbs in the ground, did result in an aching back, but as you can see, it was all worth the effort.

HERE you can see the Double Tulips I have blooming

THE SECOND RAISED BED

IS NOW READY FOR PLANTS.

A friend of ours stopped by last night as I was shoveling top soil and compost into our first raised bed. He asked if I could use two raised bed frames he had at his home. I told him I sure would like to have them, and MrC was happy too, as that meant there would be two less beds he has to build. The original plan was to use some of the slab wood we had in a pile which was really for firewood and would have been quite a lot of work for my honey, so I am glad to save his poor old aching back some *grin*
After dinner tonight, with the help of my honey, the second of the beds is in place, full of rich dirt, and ready to receive plants and seeds. The tires in the back ground will probably be home to strawberries and herbs.
We also screwed four of the top rails onto the fence posts to which the fencing wire will be attached, but another run to the hardware store for a few more rails, has to be done before the fence can be finished.

THURSDAY EVENING

This evening I planted a few more tomatoes, four lettuce, and swiss chard in the first raised bed.

In the second bed are tomatoes, swiss chard and two bell peppers, under their mini green houses.

ALMOST A VEGETABLE GARDEN

We have progressed from this....

To this

To this

And finally the first raised bed is in. I had seven 8 inch tomato plants sitting on my kitchen table, waiting for the first raised bed to be constructed. Last night, MrC made this one, and when I arrived home from work earlier this afternoon, I proceeded to get the bed ready for the tomato plants. I plan on laying down several thick layers of newspapers, covered in straw or some such material, between the raised beds. Take notice of the brightly colored tomato cages. There will be nothing boring about my new vegetable garden.

As we do not have the fence surrounding the garden finished, I have used a plastic paint drop sheet to protect the newly planted tomatoes from rabbits or deer. hopefully we will have the garden fenced within the next week.