NOW IF ONLY.

On March 14th I told you about the new vegetable garden I was planning. With the help of my honey, MrC and a friend's backhoe we have made a start on making my dream come true.

MrC scraping away the sod to expose the lovely rich soil underneath.

Even though the soil is rich, I plan on having some raised beds as well creating a few beds directly in the cleared area. The white box you see in the foreground is made from two large commercial file drawers we were given. The two drawers have been securely bolted together and should last a few years before they rust out.

There is still quite a lot of work to be done before the garden is as I want it. It has to be leveled some more, the loose sod raked up and discarded, fenced to keep the critters out, landscape cloth put around the garden beds as they are installed and probably either bark or straw over the cloth between the rows to keep the weeds down and my feet from getting muddy.
We have quite a few old car tires which will make nice planters for herbs, flowers, or whatever else takes my fancy. These need to have the top rims cut out, placed in the garden area and filled with the wonderful compost/topsoil mix our landscaper friend brought over for us to use. (a whole dump truck full)

Here is a closeup of the first of two, about 18 inches tall, boxes to be constructed, then there are two more about 15 inches tall to be bolted together. With the high cost of cedar or other products which we could use for the raised beds, the choice to utilize what we have on hand makes sense. The more expensive materials can come later on. I am kind of a "waste not want not" kinda person, so using what we have on hand will leave me more money for plants, seeds and fencing material. I also want a couple of trellises for beans and cucumbers to grow on.

Now if only, the rain would let up,I could get out there to start on my project.

Worth waiting for!

I had been waiting to see what THESE buds were going to produce, and here is the result. In my opinion, these are some of the most beautiful daffodils I have ever seen.

MARCH 21st 2008

Cineraria

Daffodils



















Euphorbia (above)
Hellebore (left)

These daffodils have very interesting pointed buds, which start out pointing straight up, then, as the buds start to unfold they start to bend over.

This morning I planted four new shade loving plants in my favorite pot by the front door.

Plectranthus, Nemesia, Fuchsia, Lamium.

Lots of Tulips in bud.

Many of these tulips were planted last fall, so I am anxious to see the blooms.

SPRING FEVER HAS A HOLD OF ME!

Somewhere in this mess, lies my future vegetable garden. I am having one of our friends come over with his bulldozer to level a site about 12x12 feet, or larger, for a series of raised beds. That is, when we get rid of the junk, and split and stack the pile of firewood. I am still at the planning stage, so I am not entirely sure what shape, size and how many beds there will be.

I just has to swing by the garden center on my way home from the grocery store, to see what new plants are arriving. Yes, I sure do have "spring fever" I could have come home with a car full of new plants, but settled on this Lily Of The Valley which I have in a put in a pot by the front door. This little plant has the sweetest fragrance which brings back a memory, of a garden full Lily Of The Valley growing at my Grandmother's home.

Every day there are daffodils opening their petals showing off the lovely orange and yellow trumpets, and red anemones making a splash of color on the dull days.

Last year, a friend gave me many large Hellebore, and beside some of them were baby plants, which I put into pots until they are large enough to be transplanted into the garden. I am pleasantly surprised to find many more small plants than I anticipated. I enjoy seeing the flowers of the Hellebore during the gloomy winter days when not much else, except a few primroses are blooming.

This is the second season for the Hyacinths and they sure are large and fragrant. I think I will be finding room for more of these beauties in different colors. I may plant some by the front door so visitors can enjoy the fragrance and colors.

These primroses seem to hardly ever stop blooming. Right now they are a little tatty looking due to the slugs having feasted on them. Time to get the slug bait out and get rid of some of the destructive pests. However, I do like to use a bait which will not harm other wildlife.

This is a good sign. The roses are leafing out and looking very healthy. I did cut them way back last fall as they were starting to get too large, and I am not as interested in Roses as I used to be so I was not too concerned if my drastic pruning harmed them. Apparently they did not seem to mind the pruning.

The weather is still not warm enough to spend too much time in the garden, but that time will be here soon and I can implement all my plans for some landscaping and my new vegetable garden. Well, at least I will do as much as I can. The one drawback of aging is, I have to rest more often. It does not seem that many years ago, that I would spend from sunup to dusk in the garden with just a break for a spot of lunch or a cool drink. I still get the same thrill out of planting and watching things grow. My grandparents on both sides of the family were avid gardeners, so I guess some of it has rubbed off on me.