Did someone shorten the days—like make them 18 hours rather than 24? Because it seems as if I have less time than ever and I’m wondering what I’m doing wrong. Work has been very busy lately, which has put a cap on the amount of time I can spend in the garden. But it is spring, after all, and some things just can’t wait.
The vegetable garden is mostly in. Now that he’s learned to use the chain saw, Harry is happily doing some small clearing along the edges of the driveway. He contributed three mimosa tree trunks that he dug in and I have strung with twine through eye hooks to serve as a trellis for the cucumbers. I think it’s rustic looking and rather like it. But a couple of weeks ago some workmen who were here asked me why I had planted those trees like that in my garden! Perhaps when the vines start to cover the twine it’ll be apparent that the trees are actually posts. Or maybe not. What do you think?
We widened the existing daylily border by the potager. The border is now home to some rampant columbines that threatened to take over the herb bed, supplemented with some alyssum, superbells and osteospermum. Over time I’ll add or relocate perennials to this border, but for now the annuals are providing some color.
In the front of the house, the hellebores are still blooming. They have seeded prolifically and I’ve been moving little baby hellebores to other shady parts of the yard.
Our strawberry patch has really taken off this year. Early this spring the patch was fairly crowded, as the daughters these ‘Jubilee’ strawberries had taken up residence. I dug and dug and gave away probably 50 or 75 of the plants. They’re probably still a little crowded, but they don’t seem to mind, as there is a bumper crop in progress. We eat strawberries constantly. As I write this the house is filled with the smell of strawberries. While I work today, the oven will slow cook the strawberries for ten hours on a very low heat. Later this evening, I’ll finish canning and processing them for strawberry jam.
I don’t have all the containers planted, but some are finished. The window boxes on the back deck are filled with pale yellow petunias, coleus ‘Inky Fingers,’ and asparagus fern. I know a lot of people dislike petunias—and they are terribly over-used—but I love the pale yellow color of these and appreciate how they bloom reliably all summer long. Daily deadheading is one of my favorite activities because I can just step outside the back door, snip, snip, snip and not even break a sweat. And what a difference it makes in the number of blooms!
And finally is this little closeup detail…just because I like it…
Hi! I'm Robin Ripley author of Wisdom for Home Preservers, published by Taunton Press. I am also co-author of Grocery Gardening. Bumblebee is about my life in rural Maryland, my garden and my love of food, my little dogs and pet chickens. You can follow me on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Thank you for visiting!
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Everything looks lovely Robin! I love that you included the wildlife in the photos. Petunias have never been very happy here but those are such a pretty, soft yellow I’m thinking I should try again…
.-= Leslie´s last blog ..GBBD May 2010 =-.
It does look lovely Robin~We saw similar branches used in all the kitchen gardens we got to visit in the UK~I loved the look and it’s a good use of resources. Blue and yellow is such a classic duo, but the red gives it a nice pop. gail
.-= Gail´s last blog ..My First Real English Garden =-.
I like the Mimosa posts. It will look better when the cucumbers start to fill in. The girl thinks the Papillions are really cute.
.-= Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
What is the yellow flower growing with the blue lobelia?
.-= Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening´s last blog ..CCG Is Runner-Up in 2010 Mouse & Trowel Awards =-.
Kathy, that’s a lantana.
Robin, glad you are back. Your garden looks amazing. What are your chickens up to?
Looks like a real nice garden to relax in.
I like the tree trellis in the potager garden, it’s very “Williamsburg,” and I think it fits in with the white picket fence very well.
These are just stunning. I also love your “tree” trellis for the cukes. And your strawberries! Oh, my. My poor little neglected plot — I’ll be lucky to ever recover it!
.-= Ann´s last blog ..Well, Okay, It’s Pentecost… =-.
Robin, it’s my first time at your blog and after the first post, I “bookmarked” it to favorites. I know I’m going to enjoy it! About your mimosia trellis…I had to smile when I saw it. It brought back a fond memory of my Dad that, to say the least, wasn’t fond of mimosia trees and he would say “you can’t kill a mimosia and you can’t let a cut off limb touch the ground or it will grow!” so, lol, you may have more growing in your vegetable garden than you think. I have no idea though if it really will sprout. It’s really neat looking all the same!
My strawberries have gone bonkers but I just can’t collect enough for canning. Do you have problems with the mimosa seeds?
.-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Saturday in the Garden =-.
There IS so much to be done this time of the year! From beds to plant, greens and strawberries to harvest (yours look great), it’s more than enough to keep us busy.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Trellis gardening and pole beans =-.
This is very beautiful Garden. I have also small Garden same as you. It is so lovely and there are many vegetables plants and flower plants. I feel relax in my Garden.
Do you have Papillons? I love those dogs! My mom has 4.
Your garden is beautiful and looks very relaxing!
.-= Hillary´s last blog ..A Jew or Not – Israel’s Hypocrisy =-.
[…] a month ago I shared a photo of my rustic mimosa tree trellis for the cucumbers. I fashioned the trellis from the trunks of mimosas from a few of the trees he […]
Lovely garden! The tree trellis is perfect and all of your flowers are perfect too. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your tour.
I love your cute little hellebores. I also planted some on my fence part and I am a really big fan of this cute little hellebores. The way they blooms always make me smile. I also harvested baskets of strawberries and I made some strawberry jam. It really tastes delicious. Yummy! I can’t wait for your next post. I really enjoy the tour.