Finally Coming in From the Garden

Another summer in the garden starts .... and it starts late, thanks to massive disorganization on my part, major life changes at home, and generally too much to do in too little time....just like everyone else reading this.

Took two days to get all the seedlings potted, waterplants moved out of the greenhouse, hanging plants hung, and seeds spread.

This year I have calendula - the flower petals go in my comfrey salve (but can be eaten fresh too).

Lime Basil is added to the basil collection this year...

Along with the Boxwood Basil and Greek Basil..

And the Magic Michael Basil with the fuzzy fragrant purple tops.

Nessie was suppose to have her own water garden this year - that's not going to happen, so instead she's guarding pots of sage, rosemary and jalapeno peppers. I use the jalapeno peppers to make non-toxic insect spray for the vegetable plants later in the summer.

The larger pots of sage and rosemary are thriving, but the sage I wintered over (the red pot)got very spindlely last month and had to be cut back - it lasted all winter, and produced enough leaves to keep me in sage rinse from October to March. Now that its outside I've cut it way down, and new sprouts are already coming out.

Right next to the Magic Michael Basil are the tomatos, two plants to a large pot with several pots. And in spite of my plans, I ended up planting two rows of tomatos and peppers out in the yard gardens - along with a large area of ground covering gourds (noticed today the gourds are up - dipper, nest egg, and apple gourds).

Remember when I bought these last fall? Finally got them together, and as of this week planted. They were meant to go inside over the winter, and this next year will do just that. But the trial run this summer is outdoors, and includes tomatoes planted upside down..

Top trays have green peppers, rosemary, and blue sage. Since this was taken, the top trays have been mulched with straw to keep moisture close to the roots.

These were the recommended plants, but I'm wondering exactly how the watering will accomodate the water-thirsty tomatos and peppers as well as the sage and rosemary that prefer drier soil.

My ancient oregano plant is popping back out - wasn't really sure it would make it again this year.

This is my fourth year lavender - it winters over in the greenhouse and usually blooms a second time in February.

More sage, more oregano, more rosemary.... I use large amounts of each of these in homemade Italian Seasoning, sage rinse, and comfrey/rosemary salve (rosemary is an antibiotic).

At the very top of the Swing Garden, next to the spiral evergreens, is the Monarda Jacob Cline, probably the Monarda variety with the biggest blooms. This plant will be approximately three feet tall, covered with large red flowers and the butterflies that love them.

While I was straightening out the Swing Garden, Boss showed up and decided I had it under control. He actually lives three houses and a field down, with Miss Joyce the Librarian, but has adopted our house as his summer home.

Nothing fazes Boss - not even our noisy barking dogs.

Another Day in Paradise...More or Less

Morning glories are my favorite flower, but even I have to admit they spread like crazy and last summer completely took over the potato patch. So this year I've been pulling most of them up. I've left one bank near the garage door. Then, this stubborn little bloom poked it's head out of the basil pot. No idea how it came about, since I always plant blue and purple, but, hey there it is.

Just haven't got the heart to pull it. Hope it doesn't strangle the basil.

The water plants are in full bloom including the deep purple iris.

This shot is from late last week -these container tomatoes have grown at least another foot since then. Oddly though there aren't many blossoms (meaning there won't be many tomatoes). I noticed the same with the sugar snap peas. I've also noticed this year the broccoli going directly to flower and seed, without forming heads, and I've had to pinch off the basil twice already to keep it from going to seed. This is all running a month ahead of where it should be.

While talking with another gardener this weekend I discovered she and others had the same problems - literally a sped-up gardening season. Every year the plants have popped a little earlier, and the crops get skimpier as the plants go straight to seed. If this keeps up, our main vegetable growing season may be February to June, using cold frames in the first two months,then replanting in September for a December harvest.

The yuccas bloom when it gets hot and this year instead of blooming one stalk and then having it die down, they've grown one or two extra stalks, with a second set of blossoms on each stalk.

This year's swing garden is a little sad. I had a project in mind for a in-ground pond for Nessie to swim in, but it's not happening, so she's bobbing out of gravel, with potted plants and the gnome to keep her company. This year there's more projects than energy and time.

But the swing garden does have the fragrant smell of lavender (which is also early this year).

This year it'll just have to be enough.