Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Walk Through My Garden


It has been a busy week here on the farm. We've got seeds sprouting and flowers blooming in containers and a whole lotta of garlic. And as you can see from the above picture, there's still much work to be done.



We've expanded the smaller garden by the garage, because doesn't every family need sixteen heirloom tomato plants? Of course!


The Big Plot is for pole beans and lima beans and kidney beans and pinto beans and watermelons and pumpkins. I believe this is the summer when I will finally have to learn how to preserve food in jars or else become the crazy neighbor lady who leaves baskets of produce on your back steps in the middle of the night.



Right now we're eagerly awaiting the spring peas, which you can see here unfocused in the foreground. I'm worried that the summer-like days we're having are going to do my little peas in. Note to self: next year plant early spring crops much earlier!



While I'm waiting for the Big Plot to be finished and fenced, I'm growing some flowers in containers--dianthus, snapdragons, phlox and lobelia. I love dianthus to extreme. As pretty as roses, but a lot easier.

Once the Big Plot is done, I'll have eighteen feet along the fence for flowers. Will's claimed four of those feet, and has already planted bachelor's buttons, marigolds, sunflowers and four o'clocks. I'll be planting cosmos, stock, and coneflowers, and various herbs hither and yon.




More flowers in containers. Columbine and phlox.




This is my strawberry pot. I got it at a thrift shop for five bucks and bought the plants from White Flower Farms. Now I wish I had more.




Plants in waiting, including three hydrangeas, some zinnias we started from seeds, and zucchini.

Now: who will do the weeding? Any volunteers?

10 comments:

GretchenJoanna said...

SO exciting!! Just that lovely patch of dirt waiting to be dug up gives me energy...the columbines are really nice! Have fun, Frances...oh, yes, you do need all those tomato plants.

Leslie said...

I'll help weed! This is pure fabulousness! And yes, 16 heirloom tomato plants sound just about right. (That is what it would take for me to get one edible tomato. sigh.) I am so jealous! I look forward to future posts of fruition. Yum!

magsmcc said...

Well this is DESPERATELY impressive. I must just go lie down. Phew- who did all that digging??

Angela said...

So very impressed. And lots of garlic so no vampires either!
Easter blessings xx

Melissa E said...

Beautiful! We have 16 tomato plants too so don't feel bad cause you can never have too many tomatoes! You are still more than welcome to have a canning lesson this summer!

Pom Pom said...

So hobbit-y! You shall have fun with the garden hose from this point on. Watering is my favorite part of gardening. Thank you for giving us a look. It made me happy!

Tracy said...

Your vegie gardens look completely awesome. Inspiring. Pretty. I wish your backyard would visit my place. Of course, the reason i don't have a vegie garden is that I don't have time to maintain one right now.

Maybe one day.

Gumbo Lily said...

How wonderful to see your gardening beginnings. You have a whole lotta going on there! Love the flowers in pots.

Tomatoes....the more the merrier, and I say get lots of variety 'cause one never knows how they will produce. Remember how we luv us some Homegrown Tomatoes!

Wishing you happy diggin'.

victoria said...

The strawberry pot is wonderful and I can imagine it growing even more wonderful in the future.

The dB family said...

Oh, I am so behind in my blog reading. Your garden looks incredible! We haven't even been in our gardens to rototill yet. It has been such a cold wet spring here. Hopefully very soon!

Blessings!
Deborah