Missing Blogger

Well here it is going into summer time and my usual devotion to blogging, facebooking and other online endeavors has taken a back seat to my current lover..... my yard and garden.

Something happens to me when the weather finally clears up and the plants begin to grow again.  Some might call it an obsession even.  Whatever name it goes by, I just can't get enough time in the outdoors and my favorite place to pass the time is in the backyard.

Over the dreary winter, I often sat and day dreamed about the garden and projects I might try this year.  Now it's been all action.  Between the veggies, the herb beds and my flowers I'm so busy tending to the yard that I'm sorry to say I've neglected all you wonderful blog readers.

So here I am with a little check in to let you know I haven't dropped off the earth.  I'm still here and still trying to live green!  I promise, devoted readers, that I will try to post a little more often throughout the summer.  I have some great recycle garden projects to tell you about and of course I'll have updates on the garden and what's growing on.  In the mean time, here's some photos from the yard and garden where I've been hard at work.  Enjoy!

New Tomato bed interplanted with garlic.  The bottles are recycled into a watering system that takes the water to the root zone and avoids any water getting onto the tomato foliage.  This is good because water on the foliage can bring blight.

Nasturtium after the rain.

Flowers in the vegetable garden?  Why not!  They bring beauty and bees into the space and most importantly they bring me joy when I'm weeding :0)

Yes!  We've got raspberries on our bush this year!

Last winter I lost a beautiful climbing clematis that was here.  Now I'm using the support that was left behind and growing a native honeysuckle that I found started growing on the hillside in my backyard.  When mature, this will have beautiful bright orange flowers that are a draw for hummingbirds and butterflies.

I expanded the area between the fire pit and the native bed behind it by about 3 feet this year so we could set a bench there and roast marshmallows this summer.  From here you can look out the other way and see the water and the city lights from Bellingham at night.

Another planting extension.  I added about 2.5 feet all the way around this bed.  Yep, I moved all of those rocks again.  Rock work is like doing a giant jigsaw puzzle.  Finding the right stone to fit is half the fun!

Not to be outdone by Ben's new dahlia bed, I built one too!  Mine is the rock wall with posts and his is the cedar one.  Both will be equally beautiful when those flowers bloom!

My planting around the "stairs to nowhere" has filled in very nicely this year. 

Along the back stairs.  This bed is nice and lush this year.  Those irises in the front were a beach combing find after a storm 3 or 4 years ago.  I soaked them in fresh water for a few days and planted them.  When they bloom they're gorgeous yellow iris

The new earth stairs I built are now planted.  I'm hoping to have blooms going up both sides of the stairs later this summer

Garden view from our front porch.  I'm thinking of naming her "shipwreck garden".  What do you think?

Can you name this flower?  I've got this pink running all around the house and keep adding it to the new gardens.  It gives a lovely overall effect and consistancy to the yard.  But, I don't know what this plant is called.  It grows from chunky tubers about 1/2" thick and forms clumps.  Anyone?

A friendly frequent garden visitor.

This rocky outcropping is a challenge in the garden, but I'm pleased that this year I do have pockets of pretties growing there.  I'm trying to fill any of the crannies with sedums and such.

Dill weed and pickling cukes went in along this string line.

This year I'm using this fine net to protect things from the hungry birds.  Looks like we'll be the only ones eating our strawberries this year!

Another day in the sun for Echo and another day of gardening for me.

I added this terraced herb bed last year.  It's filled in beautifully.  Here you can see the old log stairs that are now just decorative.  I love the way the moss has covered them.

I built an "island style" flag pole from wood, copper pipe, rebar and aluminum & moved the flag back to our driveway enterance.  Then I spent a day clearing blackberry vines out of here.  OUCH!  Seems like most days I'm pulling blackberry thorns out of my hands lately.

Another feathered friend.  This little goldfinch suprised me when he chose this seed feeder over the thistle tube that is hanging about 2 feet away.

Moving rocks again!  I find it a lot easier to take small loads in my little wagon than to try to take large ones in the wheelbarrow.

Here's a full view of my herb bed.  See how lush!  this is 3 working terraces with a 4th terrace (in the back) that I put trimmings in each spring.  Thinks like sticks and brush.  This offers the birds some nesting material.  It also is where I allow some nettles to grow for the butterflies and it springs up with new ferns and native flowers.

These beautiful flag irises I've divided each year and scattered them throughout the yard too.  Most of the summer they just have long green leaves almost like clumps of grass, but at this time of year they're blooming and beautiful!  This year I top dresssed with alfalfa meal and I have LOADS more flowers than previous years.  Also great because the slugs seem to leave them alone unlike my large irises.

There's so much more I could share, but that will keep for a future posting.  I'm off to do some more gardening.  Oh and by the way, I saw my first pea forming on the vine today.  :0)

Wednesday What's Growing On?

Well here we are starting into May and my garden is looking very green.  This week we had our typical spring showers one day followed by sunshine the next and my plants love that.  Everything is growing like crazy and you know what that means..... time to clean up! 

Once an over grown path, now a big burn pile

My yard has all kind of nooks and crannys and I've tried to make each one into a garden of sorts.  In the side yard behind the burn pile we have a couple large native beds with paths running around each one.  It's been about 2 years since I did any pruning in that area and I was starting to lose the paths.  No worries though.  This week I grabbed the pruners, donned a long sleeve shirt and got to it!  I cut back the native Saalal that had crept into the pathway. With a the path reclaimed, it was time to head into the beds and pulled out the native ground gowing blackberries that are always trying to take over.  They seem to grow about 2' per month in the spring! 

It's a dog's life :0)

With Ben's recent purchase of a push reel mower, I decided mowing our lawn wasn't so bad.  I had always had trouble starting the gas powered mower and hated the noise and fumes.  This new people powered mower was great to use.  It was quick, quiet and easy!  And Echo really appreciated a freshly mowed lawn!

Rhubarb ready for harvest

While I was in the backyard I noticed my crazy rhubarb was ready for a pruning too.  I don't know why I ever planted this in my flower bed, but it's going to have to stay there until fall transplanting time. I decided to cut it all back and see if I can find a good recipe to use it in today.  Rhubarb is my favorite plant in the earliest part of spring because I can see the growth every day.  Now that I've got other plants growing in around it I'll spend the rest of the summer battling to keep it harvested.  It's such a great producer!

Great germination rate for my own saved seeds!

Not too much work going on in my veggie patch this week.  I've already planted all my available beds and am just waiting for things to grow in.  As soon as the weather stays dry, Ben will be building me some more raised beds for my tomatos and other warm weather plantings.  I did notice a lot of sprouting action on my Romaine planting from a couple weeks ago.  That's extra exciting to me because these are seeds I saved from my garden last year. 

Such a sweet smelling flower

Everything else is growing in nicely in the vegetable garden.  Ben has decided to be a gardener too this year and has taken over on the potatoes so that's one less chore for me.  He also decided to have his own bed for planting utilizing the square foot gardening technique.  So far he's added some garlic sets.  I'm excited to see what else he'll be planting in his bed throughout the spring and early summer.

I do have a few pretties in bloom now.  In the rock garden the sweet woodruff is in full bloom.  It's so pretty with it's delicate white flowers blanketing the bank.  In the evenings this tiny flower sends out a huge fragrance too!

Lovely lilacs in white

Speaking of pretty flowers, the dahlia planting has been put on hold for another week.  We've done most of the work of making planting beds and adding ammended soil already.  Now we are just waiting on a run of dry weather.  They'll need to get in the ground soon, but we don't want the soil to be too soggy when we put the tubers in the ground.  The general rule of thumb is to plant them when your lilacs are in bloom, but we'll be fudging that by a couple of weeks just to be sure the soil is in the best condition.

So that's what's been growing on in my gardens this week.  How is your yard looking?  Anything new in bloom?

This weeks Sunday Planet Saver is.......

Green grass & no gas!

I'm tipping my hat to my sweetie, Ben for this weeks Planet Saver.

Here's why......

1.  The Grass is Greener: 
Ben loves to buy new tools, or toys as he lovingly refers to them.  This week he purchased this new toy, a push lawn mower.  Less maintenance for him, less pollutants for the planet.  Plus there's the added benefit of no gasoline to purchase so this one will pay for itself!

 

New soil with compost

2. Going and Growing Organic:
Since late winter this year Ben has been bringing home lovely 4 way soil with compost for our garden beds!  Now he's an organic gardener too!

3.  Fresh Air Fabulous:

He put his carpentry skills to work building and installing a beautiful screen door for our kitchen entrance.  Now we've got Eco air conditioning!

It's not Halloween, but still gotta wear a mask

4. Smart Soil:

Ben added vermiculite to the soil for our dahlias.  Yep, that's good for the planet because it conditions the soil and holds moisture.  That means less watering used for flowers.  And even though you need to wear a respirator when mixing it into the soil to keep from breathing the dust particles, it is actually a naturally occurring mineral.

5. Righteous Recycling:
Here you can see Ben working on a cedar round he's been hanging onto for several years.  And he is recycling it into a new bed to hold a dahlia planting.  

 

First a slice down the center with the chain saw.

Next he pulled out the axe and chops out the center pieces.  They won't go to waste though because Ben is chopping those for kindling for our woodstove.

Once the inner stump was removed, it formed a cute flower bed.  The lines of this bed mirror the lines of the rocky outcropping behind it. The big cedar rounds came from a neighbor who had to take the tree out when building his home due to the heart rot in the tree. And because it's only the good cedar used for the flower bed it's naturally rot resistant!

So there are my  top 5 reasons that this weeks Planet Saver is my wonderful partner and buddy.  Way to go Ben!

 

Recycling DIY: How to make a May Day basket

May 1st, aka May Day is a fine way to celebrate springtime, friendship and neighborly love.

Ever since I was a young girl, I've looked forward to the arrival of May Day and the chance to bring a little surprise and sunshine to an unsuspecting recipient.

Now as an adult I've moved on from the construction paper creations of my youth, but I still like to be creative with my May baskets.

Today I'm going to teach you how you too can turn an old can, some sticks, wire,  a bit of ribbon from your stash and some pretty spring flowers into a little basket of joy to leave on a lucky neighbors door.

For this project you will need the following:

• a hammer and nail
• needlenose pliers
• a thick piece of elastic (or several rubber bands)
• about 3 feet of medium gauge wire
• a can from your recycle bin
• pruners
• some sticks
• about 2 feet of ribbon, string or leather strip
• some pretty flowers and foliage
• and about 1 1/2 hours of free time

 Step 1:  Using the nail and hammer punch 2 holes in the side of the can near the upper rim.  Try to space them evenly apart

 Step 2:  Cut a piece of your wire about 18" long.  This will form your handle and needs to be long enough to hang over a doorknob.  Run wire through the holes you made in Step 1.  Allow the wire end to poke through about 3".  Using the needle nose pliers, wind the wire around itself tightly.  Cut off any wire ends.

Step 3:  Remove the paper label from your can and place it in the recycle bin.  If you dont remove this, some of the label will show through the gaps in your stick basket.  

Step 4:  Using the pruners, cut your sticks to varying heights at least as tall as your can.  Use sticks from different types of trees for a variegated effect which adds visual interest, or use all the same type for a cohesive more refined look.  It's up to you. 

Step 5:  With your thick elastic or several rubber bands on your can, add the sticks until the entire can is covered.  Vary the height of the sticks for interest.  I like the way this is starting to look.

Step 6:  Leave the elastic in place and run some wire around the can over the sticks.  Use your needle nose pliers and twist until this is tight and secure.  Now remove the elastic.  Check around the can for any loose spots and add twigs to fill those. If you like, add some vine around your handle to camouflage the wire handle.

Step 7:  To cover the wire from view, use your piece of ribbon and wrap around the can several times.  I used a bit of leftover leather strapping on mine for a natural effect.  You may want to use bright ribbon, raffia or even yarn cover your wire.

Step 8:  Fill  your May Day basket with beautiful blooms! Don't forget to add some texture with different types of foliage too. Or for a garden buddy you may want to fill with starts from your garden.  

Step 9:  Hang your basket on a neighbors doorknob.  You could add a little card if you like, but my idea of May Day is to try to be anonymous.  I'm a little to slow now days for the "ring and run" of my child hood.  Instead I just wait for an opportunity and hang these up while my friends or neighbors are out.