A Garden Party

Although the garden is forever a work in progress, we finally felt like it was in shape to host an Open Garden Party. Although we forgot to take pictures until late in the evening, we loved visiting with neighbors and friends and sharing the stories and knowledge surrounding our garden's creation and celebrating Mom's birthday. Even the chickens came out to join us towards the end. Good food, good friends, and a delightful setting! Our food was themed around ingredients that we have growing in the garden, featuring carrot, beets, cucumber, mint, cilantro, corn, swiss chard, squash, garlic, mulberries, figs, and of course chicken eggs!

A Few Projects to Check Off the List!

Stone walkway extension

First, the site was leveled. Then dirt was added to the perimeter to build up soil to contain the sand. 2" pipe was connected to a drain to carry overflow water from the rain barrel to the stone channel and rainwater garden. A 1" pipe was also laid as a conduit for the irrigation hose. Then sand was added for setting the stone. The stone was meticulously placed. The sand was settled with water spray. Sand was swept into the joints to lock the stone into place. A second water spray to settle the sand in the joints. Then a second sweeping of sand. Rock stepping stones were placed to ease movement down the steeper slope to the new primrose jasmine arbor.

New supports were needed closer to the path to raise the primrose jasmine and ease movement down the path to the backyard. A few posts lashed together and tied back to the fence posts did the trick!

Persimmons Are Waking Up

We are excited to see that all 4 of the persimmons (as well as all five of the blackberries) that we ordered bare root and planted last fall, are waking from their winter slumber and leafing out!

The Great Wall is a column of green

New leaves and branches emerging

Preparing for Peas

It's amazing how fast everything is growing in the warm weather. The tomatoes are flowering, each squash leaf is like an umbrella for the soil, and the first pea flowers are turning to pods. Today we utilized poles from some invasive nandina that we just cut out of the front yard to build tepees for the vining pea plants. We planted some of the peas in the "3 Sisters" grouping practiced by the Native Americans: squash to shade the soil, and corn for the peas/beans to vine up. However, our corn isn't tall enough. The tepees are nice though, adding a great verticality to the garden.

From flower...

...To vegetable

The 3 sisters joined by tepees

Grab ahold young pea plant!

Surprise and Delight in the Wildflower Meadow

March 4, 2012
Blue baby-blue eyes & multi-colored spurred snapdragons lead the way

 

March 18, 2012
African daisies add their orange and yellows to the mix

April 1, 2012
Bluebonnet, Baby's Breath, California Poppy, Phlox, Scarlet Flax, Indian Paintbrush, and Verbena all add their beauty

 

April 8, 2012
While other wildflowers begin to fade, the Larkspur begins to bloom

April 16, 2012
The Larkspur dominate the meadow with their height and bold colors, along with the first Cornflower and a smattering of Corn Poppies

May 3, 2012
Warm yellows and reds are prevalent in the new flowers: Lemon Mint, Indian Blanket, Mexican Hat, and Plains Coreopsis

  

May 20, 2012
The lemon mint has taken the place of the larkspur as the tall, purple element in the meadow. Phlox, poppies, and indian paintbrush are still scattered throughout. Joining the late spring yellows are Black-Eyed Susan and Lance-leaved Coreopsis

Greens (and Yellows) from the Garden

Due to the late start we had with our winter garden, many of our plants are just now becoming really established. Today we got quite a yummy harvest of cool weather greens and a few up-and-coming summer additions.

left to right, top to bottom: Swiss chard, Bibb lettuce, Oakleaf Lettuce, Some early baby squash and squash blossoms, Cilantro, Arugula, Spinach, & Sorrel

A Spring Collage

Taking advantage of the cooler winter weather, we've been busy in the garden and neglecting to post here. We put together this collage of some recent sites around the yard.

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left to right, top to bottom: The first bluebonnet in the wildflower meadow; Pets enjoying the yard; A bunch of radishes just harvested from the garden below; Coral honeysuckle enjoys its new place in the yard; Peaking out from behind the flowering primrose jasmine; Some colorful eggs from our chickens; Squash in bloom; A St. Patrick's Day cat; The chickens out for some bugs; A fig starting to bud; A "face worm" - this is the worm's rear end; A native persimmon in bloom - can't wait until the fruit is ripe in late summer; A cardinal female visits the window; Red-veined sorrel; The many colors of spurred snapdragon in the meadow.