busy in the garden

April 26, 2012


Hello!  I haven't had time to do much of anything lately, unless it has involved digging dirt and planting seeds.  We have been working full time in the garden this past week and it's shaping up beautifully.  Love being surrounded by electric green and the smell of dirt!  (I once owned a candle whose fragrance was "dirt",  no one liked it but me.)  Speaking of dirt, we, along with the help of our two gardeners, spent two days double digging our veg beds and importing 8 cubic yards of wonder soil.  Even with years of nurturing the soil with compost, it was tired, time for a major soil re-haul.  Also, last year we uncovered a well in the middle of our lawn and had it filled in, but still over the years it had caused our vegetable garden to sink at one end.  We moved the soil around to level it, added new soil, removed some old beds, replaced some, what a enormous job.  We have another weeks worth of work ahead of us, then it will be maintenance for the rest of the season.


 We've had a few days of rain, just enough to wet things down pretty good.  
I took these pictures during the rain break.


I dug new water wells at the base of each rose.


Along our perennial walk I planted violet petunias and 2 foot tall cosmos behind them.



We planted 24 tomato plants this year.
Do you think that's enough for a family of two?
;-)


This would be a good time to take a wee break and admire the beautiful soil.

Almost nothing escaped my passion:

I refreshed-trimmed our herb plants and replaced the old icky woody ones.
Re-potted most pots, trimmed their roots and tidied them up.
Replaced all the soil and plants in my two 6 foot long window boxes.
.



I swoon when I walk by the orange blossoms.



The longest wisteria flower clusters are up to 3 feet long!
In the breeze they dance like lazy ballerinas.


The picture below shows that I have some major brick path cleaning ahead of me.





Oh my gosh, the roses....what can I say?
Sigh.


My husband spent a few days sprucing up the watering system.


Here's the list of plants we set out:

24 hybrid and heirloom tomatoes
6 Ichiban Eggplant
8 Marketmore Cucumbers
8 bell pepper plants

From seeds:
Cut and Come Again Mesclun mix
Parris Island Cos romaine
Crimson Crunch radish
French Breakfast radish
Yellow and Green Pattypan summer squash
American Flag leek
spring onions
Italian Silver Rib chard
Pot of Gold chard
Jewel Tone mixed beets
Long Island Mammoth dill
green basil

We still need to plant our pole beans, Blue Lake Stringless
and bush beans, Classic Slenderette, a French filet type.




Our granddog Dexter, on the right, is here for a sleepover.  
His best friend Toby lives across the street and came for a play date.  
Here you see them in a rare moment of calm.

As a side note to this blog, but certainly not a side note to our lives, our son had his 2 year sober birthday this week.  We are so very proud of him.  To celebrate, we met him and his adorable girlfriend in the city (that would be San Francisco) and spent the day touring the WWII submarine and WWII transporter docked at Fisherman's Wharf.  I share this because I know many of my readers have taken an interest in his struggle and success.  He is so flattered that so many of my blog readers are cheering for him.  Thank you from my heart.


Linking up to Planty Party.

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11 Comments

  1. It looks like Heaven on Earth, Kristen! I envy you - gardening is such satisfying work!

    Congrats to your son!

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  2. Replies
    1. Looks gorgeous--and will be even more so. LOTTA work.

      Delete
  3. It is all so beautiful, and comes at the cost of a lot of hard work! You've done an amazing job. Who wouldn't love visiting that yard.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your garden is lovely; I always enjoy seeing pictures and will eagerly await updates.

    Best wishes and congratulations to your son.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those roses are beautiful. You certainly do keep busy there, I bet it is a joy to walk through when all is coming up.

    What a fantastic milestone for your son! I know it couldn't have been easy for Mom either.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What an amazing garden you have here! I cannot wait to see these seeds grow into veggies. That's a fantastic milestone for your son! A celebration is very appropriate! Thanks for sharing :) woohoo!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your pictures always look like they belong in a magazine! It's always fun to see what you're up to! I just finished rejuvenating my rose garden - took out all the creeping thyme and will put in other more tidy ground cover and some moss roses. About the only blooms here are the lilacs which are early!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Kristen!
    Wow! Now that's a garden. How do you ever find the time to knit and garden too? Just stopped over for a visit. Everything looks great. Can't wait to see it later this summer. Bests,Kim

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have to agree with Gail it does look like Heaven on Earth. The Garden is just beautiful and am going to come over and take a look in person. I think you planted enough tomatoes for the two of you and possibly some to share with your Mom who can't plant any this year. I am not only very proud of my Grandson but also my daughter who both amaze me. Much Love, Mom

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for taking us along into your garden--I can almost smell the dirt myself! I can see that gardening is a grand passion for you. The roses and annuals and perennials are gorgeous, but the veggies (and oranges)! sigh. Love the doggie playdate :o) so cute. And last but not least, happy birthday to your son--two years sober is major.

    ReplyDelete

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