The State of the Garden

Garden, April 1st

I have been a little slow getting the garden going this year - normally, we have everything in the ground by the end of March, since we do most of the work during Benjamin's spring break. For one reason and another, we just didn't get around to buying tomatoes and so forth, apart from planting a few of the seeds that prefer cold weather to germinate. In the top photo you can see the sorrel that has been growing for about 3 years (the hardiest plant I have ever grown!), and the pea shoots and lettuce seedlings.

 

Garden, April 29th

Our delay didn't turn out to be much of an issue, since this year has been a lot cooler than last year, and if we had put tomatoes out, we might have regretted it later. The lilac bush bloomed about 2 weeks later this year than last, and everything else is similarly behind.

Tomato, pepper, cucumber and basil 4/29

The last week or so I have been working in the yard for an hour each morning while Malcolm takes his long nap. This morning I finished up planting the various herbs and flowers that go in pots in the deck. I also had to repot the new lime tree I bought last week to replace the one that died in the Christmas Day snow storm.

Lettuce and mesclun mix 4/29

We have seven assorted tomatoes - four in the garden, three in pots, two peppers - one jalapeno and one sweet cherry variety that we have never tried before, a cucumber - also new to me this year, two kinds of basil, collards (well, we will if the seeds ever sprout), sugar snap peas, two kinds of lettuce (in the garden and in a flat on the deck), carrots, mesclun, two kinds of eggplant and blueberries. In addition, we have bee balm, anise hyssop, oregano, peppermint, lemon balm, two kinds of sage, the lime (which doesn't look like it will have fruit this year) and a fig tree (also no fruit - too small still, I think).

 

The rhododendron and azaleas are blooming now, also later than last year, but full of blooms and beautiful.

And the red rose is loaded with blooms. I just love the scent, the color, and the feel of roses.

This has got to be the best time of year in Arkansas. The sun isn't scorching yet, the humidity might be a bit high, but since the heat isn't up, it is bearable, most of the nastiest bugs aren't out much yet, and everything is fresh and green.

Bloody sorrel, up close

And of course, this year I get to start sharing it with Malcolm. I think we have the makings of a fine gardener on our hands, as long as I can convince him not to eat the dirt!