Blooms on a Cloudy Day

Memorial Weekend Gardening Madness

I hired a garden helper this year, and he has offset some of the spring work of weeding and mulching.

The front garden looks lovely (above) with Carolina Baptisia, Golden Sumac, Japanese iris, and Persicaria blooming.





Peppers planted out!





It helped having so many cooks in the kitchen this weekend (above) with Paul and Jessica staying with us during their Wilderness First Responder certification training!



Tomatoes planted in the raised beds, as well as potted up for friends (above): Purple Cherry, Sungold cherry, San Marzano, Mortgage Lifter, Wisconsin 55, Martino's Roma, Chefs Orange, and Brandywine.

Robin hatchlings!

 

Planted peanuts today

Amphibious visitor

Greenhouse delight! And potatoes planted

Two types of organic potatoes (above) going in to our 4x8 foot raised bed today: Carola and German Butterball.


Still need to build that trapezoid window!

May 15 Treefort Garden

Our breathtakingly lovely, “messy” back yard

Nature loves the overgrown, the unmown, the naturally sown...

This old apple tree has been gradually falling down for a couple years. Last night’s storm knocked this flowering branch into our back alley way. The blooms smell so sweet, and as I approached I watched a tiny warbler gathering pollen from the flowers.

It's just impossible for me to keep our entire 3.5 acres "tended" to managed landscaping conventions. And why would I want to do this, anyway? The snags and fallen trees, the brush piles and multitude of shrubs growing here and there as they choose... all provide the habitat that nature intends for the birds, pollinators, snakes, frogs, and bats. 

http://content.yardmap.org/learn/wildlife-value-of-a-messy-garden/

Scarlet Tanagers at the feeder this morning!

What a delight to see this visitor...


I looked out and thought, at first, that cardinals were eating the oranges. No! Two Scarlet Tanagers visited us this morning! First time I have ever seen one up close; first time at our feeder. We caught photos of one of them joined by Baltimore Orioles.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Robins lay eggs, Espalier apple tree finally blooms

The espaliered apple tree bloomed on only one branch- the branch that was partially covered by a lifted glass panel from the cold frame in front of it.

Fresh asparagus

Roof vents, orchids outside, sprint to repair fence

Bloodroot flowering, robins return to nest, chipmunks in the greenhouse

Peas planted

I planted Little Marvel outside of the supports (4 rows) on 4/21/18. I planted one row of each of the others, from right to left, just inside the supports. In front, I planted radishes and lettuce.

Magnolia tree in full bloom

Rain tonight and so the petals may be down by tomorrow