Bzzzz April 8th, 2010

Every spring since I started gardening, I reach the point at least once when I feel so overwhelmed by what has to be done that I seriously think about sitting down for a nice, long boo-hoo.

There just isn’t enough time to clean it all up! I don’t have enough energy for all of this! Everything is asleep and it’s difficult to imagine a garden springing up from the ravages of winter.

Thankfully, Mother Nature usually kicks in about this time and starts presenting small gifts. The hellebores climb out of the rotting leaves and from under the snow with profusions of blooms.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Kingston Cardinal’

The daffodils poke their heads up and begin to bloom.

The tulips aren’t far behind.

Garlic that I planted back in the fall is growing. And it’s safe to put out the lettuce starts.

And it all begins to look hopeful and (Dare I say it?) pretty after all.

Posted In: Garden Design, Gardening, Gardening Life

Tags: , , , ,

25 Comments

Bzzzz May 25th, 2009

My son, Benjamin, really knows how to get my blood boiling.

The other day we were sitting out on the back deck enjoying the warm sun and fresh air when he turned to me and said, “You know, your garden doesn’t look very good this year. Before there were lots more flowers and vegetables.”

To which I replied…

“What?!?!?! It’s only May! Not even Martha Stewart can make tomatoes produce in May.”

Wisteria blooms over the garden gate. By summer's end, the sweet autumn clematis will have reached up from the other side.

Wisteria blooms over the garden gate. By summer’s end, the sweet autumn clematis will have reached up from the other side.

Still, he did have a point. I have been a bit slow to get things rolling here this spring. My attentions have been torn between work, house, cooking, animal husbandry, writing and a great deal of time exercising on the spinning bike, classes and my home yoga practice.

Thankfully, many flowers, herbs and fruits return on their own. I’ve added bedding plants from the nursery. But I still have a stock tank pond and some more vegetables and flowers to attend to.

The herb garden includes flowers--columbine for spring color and celosia once June arrives and to the end of the growing season.

The herb garden includes flowers–columbine for spring color and celosia once June arrives and to the end of the growing season.

Most of that will have to wait until after the Garden Bloggers Spring Fling that comes up next weekend in Chicago. I will work in new bed digging and some woods clearing between other business trips I have planned this summer.

Jubilee strawberries produce all summer long. A single bed is enough to keep us in strawberry shortcake and to eat for breakfast with Greek yogurt.

Jubilee strawberries produce all summer long. A single bed is enough to keep us in strawberry shortcake and to eat for breakfast with Greek yogurt.

I am also making time to just sit still and appreciate what I’ve been given. I hope with all the busy-ness of gardening, you also have a beautiful place to sit and enjoy what you’ve created.

Wisteria also grows along the fence at the back of the garden. If you look closely, you can see a couple of asparagus stalks that have persisted even after tearing out the asparagus bed.

Wisteria also grows along the fence at the back of the garden. If you look closely, you can see a couple of asparagus stalks that have persisted even after tearing out the asparagus bed.

Posted In: Gardening, Gardening Life

Tags: , ,

13 Comments

« Previous PageNext Page »