April SNOW showers bring...

What is all this?

C'mon, spring, stick with me here! 

 

 

Snowing, hailing, (would that be "snailing?")

 

The kids were hoping for snow boots and snowmen.

I was quite happy to see it all melted off by evening, thank you very much.

 

The flowers didn't seem any worse for the wear, at least.

 

  I had a hard time cutting some to bring in, at first.

They look so pretty where they are and will last for so much longer out there.

But after a visit with friends, where the children were allowed to pick tulips to their hearts delight, I realized that part of the joy of having these pretty flowers is being able to pick some to brighten up your home.

So we did.

It is such a cheerful spot of color on the counter; I don't regret it a bit.

Besides, once I got going, it was fun! I picked a few more to share with a neighbor.

And what do you know? There are still plenty in the flowerbed.

In fact, you can't even really tell they are gone.

 

There are plenty of these left out there, too.
In case you were wondering.

Sunday Walk: The Mother Lode!, Tulips, Owl Trees, & Other Distractions

What I love best about our Sunday walks is the sense of adventure and discovery.

You just never know what you will find around the next bend, even in the same old familiar neighborhood.

I bring the camera to capture these moments of wonder, and also because somehow taking a picture legitimizes the experience.

With photo evidence, we feel like real explorers!

(Rather than just a few people out for a walk.)

We discuss what would be worth a photograph.

And some things, we just remember with a smile.

 

So, let's get started, shall we?

 

As it turns out, our last walk was really just a prelude to the dandelion hunting experience.

The kids were walking along, enjoying the sites and the warm day, casually picking a dandelion here and there.

Then we came up over a rise and suddenly, there it was:

 

The Mother Lode!

This is just a sprinkling of the amazing crop of dandelions being grown on this property.

My oldest said, "I wish we could live in this house. LOOK at all these dandelions!!"

I limited them to what they could reach from the sidewalk.

It was still much more than they could carry.

 

[Dandelions are some of the few flowers from our yard that they can pick without asking. It would have taken them days to make full use of this lawn. Flower-picking heaven, in other words.]

Full hands, full pockets.

Big smiles.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, I was gazing dreamily at all the gorgeous tulips blooming right now.

 

Like these.

And these.

 

[Always room for one or two more.] 

 

A little further up the street, we came across:

 

(The Famous) Owl Tree

On one of my early morning walks, I followed the sound of an owl hooting to this very spot. I told the kids about it several times, and we had driven by the tree, but never walked by it.

No owls were spotted or heard on our walk, but after all, it was mid-day.

 

 

 I have decided that tulips are my reward for living in a colder climate.

 

 Nice use of red and orange.

Thank you for not including clashy pink in the mix.

 

 Just lovely.

 

Moving on now to "interesting."

 

Fritillaria, 'Crown Imperials', or "Stink Lilies"

I recently learned that these unusual-looking flowers put off a skunk-like odor.

Of course, we had to test it out, up close.

Neither of them could smell it.

Just downwind, I caught a hint of it.

Good job putting them at the end of the driveway!

 

In addition to picking and holding bunches of dandelions, we visited an old cemetery (again), discovered a hidden pathway, and almost got blown away by the wind. 

 

Here is definitive proof that you can never have too many spring bulbs planted.

It's just not possible.

You need more spring bulbs.

Yes you.

Trust me on this.

Who needs lawn anyway, when you can have daffodils?

[The muscari are just a bonus.]

 

* * * * *

 

The dandelions filled up 1 medium-sized vase, 1 small vase, 1 small cup, plus 1 even smaller cup.

(Varying stem lengths, you see.)

In case you were wondering... 

dandelion vase life is approximately 10 minutes.

Particularly if they have been carried none-too-gently over hill and dale, or crammed into a coat pocket for the past hour.

 

Nevertheless, this walk was a success.

For all the right reasons.



Raspberry Patch Stalking--I Mean Staking!

I've been on the lookout for raspberry staking on my morning walk lately.

My attempts last year involved much more twine than should ever have been needed for the size of patch it was. Plus, it didn't work all that well. Now that I've got the raspberries all spread out in a nice line, it would be good to have a staking system that actually works.

 

So here are two results of my raspberry patch stalking (stake stalking?):

 

Example 1

 

Very well established patch.

 Obviously, there's one of these structures at each end of the row.

I like how it has that lowest set of wires, since a few of my plants are very short.

A few closeups, for the sake of my husband, who will be building them (or at least supervising me while I attempt to build them.) It is quite likely that I didn't get the right angle and will have to take him over there to examine it for himself. It's okay. We know the owners.  

 

 Looks sturdy and long-lasting.

 

Example 2

Same idea here, just with the wooden slats used instead of wire.

Seems like the wire and 4x4's would hold up a lot better.

Plus, having to notch out the boards on the ends would be a pain.

 

I'm hoping we'll have time to get to it this week.

I know from experience that it is much easier to stake raspberries now, before their leaves have started coming out.

 



Perpetual Chore List, updated

 Our weather is supposed to warm up again this week, so I'm gearing up to get some more garden chores knocked off the list! Specifically, I want to focus on my various berry patch plans.

 

So, here's how I'm doing on the early spring list:

 

1. Prune raspberries and stake them. DONE!

2. Put in edging around raspberry bed and (3) add mulch.

4. Finish clearing out the garden. DONE!

5. Plant spring veggies DONE!

6. Fix paver path between deck and A/C unit.

7. Smooth out what's left of the unsightly dirt mound that resides next to the garden.

8. Plant something in that space!

9. Fill-in behind the top garden terrace.

 

Here's what's up next:

 

1. Put in edging around rasbperry bed and mulch.

2. Build and install raspberry support system.

3. Prepare soil (add acid-lover's amendment) in top terrace for blueberries!

4. Transplant garlic to bottom terrace.

5. Transplant blueberries from slope to terrace.

 

6. Purchase 1 more blueberry bush and strawberry plants from nursery. Also, thornless blackberry if available. 

7. Plant them!

8. Finish planting violas/pansies.

9-12. Work on projects left undone from before. 

Daffodils & Violas: April GBBD

Happy Garden Blogger's Bloom Day!

I planted a mini daffodil mix last fall, 100 bulbs in all, scattered throughout my flowerbeds.

Now I'm wishing I had gone for 200!

 

Front flowerbed

I'm happy to see the peonies are coming up.

I had my doubts that they would survive, so this was a welcome sight.

 

Back flowerbed.

The shrub in the background is a 'Topaz Jewel' rose.

Looks like the tulips are just about to bloom as well.

Violas, interplanted on the shady part of the slope with wild geranium.

I'm hoping they will bloom all summer back here (and maybe even reseed themselves).

 

A little burst of color next to the dogwood.

 

Hope these blooms can take a few more hard frosts!

It's supposed to get down to 25 tonight. Brrrr!



Sunday walk: Dandelion Pockets

It has been cold this week!

We were spoiled with a week in the 60's, then brought back to reality with a jolt by this week of snow, hail, and temperatures in the 40's.

 

We bundled up good and planned to make it short.

 

 crab spider (I think) waiting for a meal

 

 

 What would we do without pockets to put dandelions in?

 

 

Oh, then we found the violets along the fence: some purple, some pure white.

Plan B: one pocket for dandelions, one for violets

 

 Donkey Tail Spurge.

I have some dry spots this would do well in.

Now here comes the real challenge:

a treasure trove of pine cones!

 Do they get their own pocket or share with the flowers?

 

I'm thinking maybe it's time to make some treasure bags for our walks.

 

I guess we got used to the cold.

We decided to take a spin around the cattail park as well.

 

A pair of mallards in the runoff pond.

We looked for a nest, but didn't see one.

 



Of Pea Tepees and Baby Carrots

First things first: can you say "pea tepee" 5x fast?

I'll wait.

 

Welcome back.

Now get the nearest kid to say it.

Who won?

 

Gardening with kids is an adventure.

Sometimes it's an exciting, fun adventure, and sometimes it's an adventure in frustration.

Either way you get a little more for your time than you would flying solo: more meltdowns, more mud, and more interruptions; but also more delight, more laughter, and more creativity.

Not to mention a whole lot more carrots than you had planned on. 

 

Consider it gardening plus.

Around this neck of the woods, early April is the time to get spring veggies planted.

The weather was expected to cooperate, as were the children.

 

We had blue skies:

Exhibit A

[yes, big brother took this picture]

 

We had a list for the nursery:

onion sets

seed potatoes: Yukon Gold, and a few purples for the kiddos

spinach seeds

broccoli seeds

 

violas & pansies 

1 blueberry bush, if they had one this early

(only about 4 to choose from, but they said more coming soon)

acid-lovers soil x 4

 

 I had such good helpers. They wanted one or two of everything.

I could empathize.

I let them talk me into a couple extra seed packets: 'Chioggia' beets (stripey insides!) and magical purple beans that turn green when you cook them ('Royal Burgundy').

 

 

We had a close call at the nursery:

Big brother and sister ran around the corner (outside) while I was paying.

I asked them to come back where I could see them.

Big sister yelled, "He can't come back. He's going potty!"

Oh, no.

Say it isn't so.

Just as I was sputtering an apology to the chuckling clerk, (and wondering what plants I would have to purchase as a result) they both came running.

Fully clothed.

Big brother proudly told me he remembered where the bathroom was and had found it all by himself, "the sneaky way."

I remembered there really was a restroom accessible from the back of the building.

Phew! Disaster averted!

 

We had peas and onions planted!

The pea tepee, aka "the snack shack."

My husband was not so sure why we needed stepping stones underneath the trellis. We explained the the genius of the plan: a hideout with its own food supply.

What could be better?

He was still not completely on board.

But then again, at 6' 3", he clearly would have to be hiding out (and presumably snacking) elsewhere.

 

2 varieties of peas:

left side of the tepee: Little Marvel (shelling)

right side: Super Sugar Snap (edible pod)

 

We got the onions planted right close by.

No special varieties listed on the tags this year.

"Yellow" and "white."

 

We had a bunch of extra peas so we added another row along the very back, behind the onions.

I don't remember what variety they were. One of the two.

Guess we'll find out.

 

This little guy was a trooper.

He did very well for being locked up buckled into the stroller most of the time.

[Big sister was in her jammies for a very good reason, no doubt.]

 

Day 2: Potatoes

 

It was quite a bit cooler and we had other stuff going on all morning.

So that left baby's afternoon nap to get done as much as we could.

I've always worked better with a deadline.

 

These are in the middle terrace, directly behind/above the peas and onions.

 

I did the square-foot gardening method for potatoes.

As you can see, I started by digging a hole, placed the seed potatoes at the bottom, and covered with dirt. I will keep adding dirt as the potatoes grow.

 

3 holes far right: purple

all the rest: Yukon Gold

 

Two potato planting tips I just learned:

1. Cover the whole plant with dirt as it first starts to grow.

(I had been trying to leave some sticking out. This will make my life easier!)

2. Put the seed potatoes in an egg carton and place in a sunny window until the eyes sprout to give them a jump start in the garden.

(Next year, I'm on this!)

 

It was not all work with no play.

The kiddos found some scrap wood and made a fire pit.

Pretty soon they were making s'mores out of rocks, twigs, and pine needles, and pretending to roast penguins...?

This all led to some very interesting conversations at dinner as they tried to explain what we did all day to Daddy.

 

Day 3: beets, spinach, carrots, broccoli

 

This is where the planting got a little interesting: all those teeny-tiny seeds.

After I added some stepping stones next to the potatoes, we made space for half a row each of spinach and beets (going front to back in the terrace), and a full row of carrots.

We were just smoothing the dirt over the carrot seeds when the packet slipped out of my daughter's hands and spilled all into the spinach and beet row.

 

Good thing we are top-notch carrot thinners, after last year.

In fact, I hope it's not bragging to say, but we are carrot thinning experts.

It looks like we will be keeping our skills sharp once again!

 

He's 5. Need I say more?

 

Besides, what do you get when you thin carrots?

Baby carrots!

Perfectly edible, just right for little ones.

Almost like we'd planned it that way.

 

Finally, my friend gave us some broccoli starts that she had grown from seed.

I forgot to ask her if they had been hardened off and stuck them right into the garden, next to the carrots. Apparently they had been, because they have survived. We ended up with 5 plants.

 

Spinach: 'Tyee'

Beets: 'Chioggia' and 'Cylindra'

Carrots: front 1/3: 'Scarlet Nantes'

middle 1/3: 'Tendersweet'

back 1/3: 'Royal Chantenay'

Broccoli: ?

 

It has rained almost every day since we got the veggies planted.

Perfect timing.

I really love it when I don't have to water the garden!

Grow, veggies, grow!

Flowerbed Tour

Mostly this is of the back flowerbed, along the house:

 

April 2 & 3

I put this one in to help me remember where that patch of tulips is, so I can move them before next spring. I couldn't remember for sure when I planted the potentilla.

They are definitely crowding each other, but there's a big bare spot just to the right that would work nicely for the relocation. 

 

Looking toward deck. 

 

 Earliest mini daffodils blooming, tulips just coming up.

 

Some white mini's peeking out.

Love the 3 to a stem variety--will have to look up the name.

 

back slope (shady side) crocuses, plus a tulip coming up

I'm quite happy with how things are shaping up, in the back flowerbed particularly.

I plan to get a few annuals to fill in after the daffodils are gone, as well as a few more perennials to fill in between the shrubs for summer/fall color.