Flower Arrangement Challenge, April

Okay, this one is coming in just under the wire. I fretted about not really having any cutting garden plants in bloom, but then I noticed the wildflowers in the field and the Knock-Out roses. They make a sweet little bouquet with a sprig of Dusty Miller.

Building a Garden Fence, Part II

Today I realized something that struck a little fear in my heart. There is a distinct possibility that the story of the garden fence could ultimately come in something over 12 parts. The process is going so slowly--or so it seems--that I occasionally doubt it will ever be complete. I imagine rabbits running wildly about the countryside spreading the good news that some twit is growing all manner of vegetables and offering them up to the beasts of the field, their assumption fueled by the lack of any deterrent erected on my part. These visions have led me to make some drastic but necessary decisions. The plan for chickens will have to wait until next year. The tasks for completing the garden are too time-consuming to give the chickens the time and attention (not to mention the gorgeous digs) that they deserve. I'm disappointed, but that's tempered by the deep relief I feel from eliminating something monumental from my ridiculously long to-do list.

We are slowly building one fence panel at a time and hiking it up to the vegetable garden to set it in place. Once we erect a whole side, I will stain the wood before we devote our time to stretching chicken wire across the bottom section of the fence and attaching it. I built the last panel for the back tonight, which Turfman and I will affix sometime before the weekend. The center section will only receive a temporary piece of chicken wire, as it marks the spot where I will build my greenhouse (likely in the fall).

What, exactly, will this fence deter at present?

Of course, this is also the season for getting vegetables planted out, so when I'm not cutting lumber (or grading essays for my real job), I'm planting seedlings. Today 13 tomato plants moved into their permanent home. More would have moved in, but I ran out of bamboo canes. Put another thing on my shopping list.

'Cherokee Purple' and 'Principe Borghese'
tomatoes in their new bed

The carrot and beet seeds I sowed two weeks ago have now germinated, and the onion sets are sprouting. It will be a while before we enjoy those, but while we wait, we'll be able to feast on all the lettuce that is filling another planting bed. Radishes and peas won't be far behind.

5 varieties of lettuce jostle with sugar snaps
and radishes

I rarely complete projects at the pace I desire, and they often remind me that I have terribly unrealistic expectations. This one is no exception. Just bear with me. Hopefully I'll be able to show everyone a complete garden in under 10 additional posts, fingers crossed.

April Showers and Flowers

Last year I prophesied the end of our pond, just a few months after we had moved in. With no appreciable rain for months, the pond shrank to a little puddle in the middle of a massive field of mucky mud. The UPS driver attempted to reassure me, saying that he had seen times in early spring when the water was covering part of the driveway. I looked at him with my incredulous, slightly annoyed expression that I reserve for people who are clearly trying to fool me. If he made the drive up today, I might have to apologize to him.

The pond is officially full

The rain has slowed our progress in the vegetable garden, so I'd prefer to keep its present status from the public for now. Instead, I thought I would share what's happening with the generally non-edible bits of the garden. Hopefully the photos will hold everyone over until I can show real signs of progress on enclosing the veg patch.

The second Dutch Iris to appear

Clematis 'Bourbon' blooming like mad

A little chap taking a rest on the ornamental plum

Things are springing up all through the front beds

We're working feverishly to get the vegetable garden finished and enclosed, but I'm not ready to share photos of our progress just yet. 

Reaping What I've Sown

When we first moved to the new house (still unnamed, I might add), I made the grand proclamation that I would attempt to start a kind of wildflower meadow where our property meets the road. I also made plans to plant daffodil bulbs across the gentle undulations of that space. My goal was rather simple--I wanted people to drive by our property and feel their spirits lifted by the flowers I'd planted. That's the reason Turfman and I spent so many hours on our knees last fall with baskets full of bulbs.

The result is not something especially grand this year, but I didn't expect much. That "meadow" is part of a five-year plan, so it will become a little more substantial with each passing year. The daffodils are visible from the road, but they might not draw attention.

Daffodils merely dot the landscape this year

Someone had noticed, though. Last Saturday, as Turfman was returning from a morning of golf, he saw that two female cyclists had pulled over in our driveway. Worried that they were having trouble with their bikes, he stopped and asked if they needed any help. Imagine how pleased I was when he recounted that they had actually pulled over to admire the daffodils! He must have been pretty happy, too, because he proceeded to tell him that "The Boss" (that's me, apparently) has plans for a wildflower meadow. They assured him that they would return to see the meadow's progress. I felt buoyed by that vote of confidence. It was more than enough to motivate me for the next phase.

Surprisingly, though, I received another vote today. As I neared our driveway on my way home from the college, I noticed something shiny on our mailbox. I pulled into the drive, walked across the road, and found a letter in a bag attached to the top of the mailbox post.

The envelope was in a Ziploc bag

The cyclists had returned sometime today, leaving me a card thanking me for my garden. They even included a thoughtful gift, writing that "maybe you could use our seeds, too" when I sow the meadow seeds. I meant to brighten someone's day with the garden, and apparently I did. I just never expected that the goodwill would return to me in the form of such a lovely surprise. Hopefully their seeds will take hold and have a similar effect on others who pass.

Seeds of goodwill