The potatoes are thriving, I top them up with topsoil every week because I read somewhere that they produce more that way:

The other veg is coming along nicely. I harvested the last of the asparagus today. The strawberries are budding and I replanted the beans in the front garden. I transplanted some kale and lettuce seedlings today to this small square patch in front of the dryer vent (shouldn’t be too warm as we usually hang our clothes on the line). I also planted a bed of mixed lettuce greens, as well as cilantro and basil and four tomato plants:

I planted a Clematis Ascotiensis at the front, hoping it will climb and cover the new fence mom made:

Bloom Time: July - September

Flower Size: 5-6″

Height: 8-12′

Pruning group C (blooms only on the currents year’s growth. Cut back late February or March to two strong sets of leaf buds on each stem, normally within 12″ from ground level).

Another post-dated photo this week as I am away being pampered at a spa resort all weekend, my first ever trip away from my kids since my eldest was born over four years ago. Can you tell I’m excited???

I took this photo to record the size of this giant hosta, although you can’t really tell that it’s almost as high as my waist. It wasn’t until I uploaded the photo that I really noticed the lonely yellow poppy. I have these poppies ‘popping up’ all of the garden in the strangest places, even on my gravel driveway:

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

We’ve just returned from a two week road trip to Winnipeg, where spring seems to have barely begun. On the drive home, one of the first things I noticed one we hit Hope BC, was the smell of the vegetation. It was such a treat to the senses!

I was shocked to see all the changes in my garden. I had to cut the lawn twice today and filled two large bags of weeds. Many flowers are in full bloom and there’s a lot teasing me, almost ready to come out. My kitchen garden is lush and my potatoes are thriving but my other beans up at the front near the potatoes are sad. Some nasty little slimy little creature has munched all the leaves from the seedlings and I don’t think they are going to make it, so I’m going to have to throw some more seeds in and guard them well.

Here are a few pics taken today. The front yard:

An evergreen exploding with new growth:

Front garden closeup:

Side garden apple tree in front with yellow poppies:

And here is our moss basket. The moss went a little brown as apparently there was a short lived heat wave while we were away and the greenhouse at the nursery was too hot. Cailey’s favourite flower in this basket is the Blue Heliotrope as it ’smell likes candy’ .. now our whole back deck smells like candy, delicious:

Through the magic of post-dating, I am able to post while on vacation (well by now I might actually be home recovering). About a month ago the Rhodos started blooming. Here in a rural forested setting they seem to be much more at home than in our suburban garden in Langley.

I set about counting them and lost count at 21.

Here are a few of in full bloom:

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

No garden pics today. Instead I thought I would talk about tools.

We all have tools we can’t work without. My favourite, especially this time of year is the Dutch Hoe. The long handle and angled head makes slicing those nasty little weeds out of the ground an easy task. I find it easy to use, with the intended pushing motion however care must be taken not to get carried away and slice something unintended.

Another tool I should use but never do, is the gardening glove. I’m booked in for a manicure in a few weeks and I know that it’s going to be a huge waste of money as within a few days the nail polish will be chipped and the dirt will have embedded itself once again.

What is your favourite gardening tool and why?

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

She fixed my fence. Try that bears!

To my mum and all the other mums out there, have a happy day! Here’s a pretty poppy, the first one to bloom for you:

I’m sorry I can’t see you today Mum, but we’ll see you soon!

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

This week with the lack of free time and inappropriate weather, was still quite productive.

I planted all of my beans and finally sowed the seeds I meant to sow inside weeks ago. I’ll transplant and sow more directly into the garden over the next several weeks once I’ve figured out where to put it all.

I planted:

• Kale
• Buttercrunch lettuce
• Carrots
• Sunflowers
• Pumpkins (jack-o-lantern)
• Heuchera sanguinea Coral Bells
• Scarlet runners
• Blue Meconopsis Tibetan Poppy
• Sunchokes (rather worried about these as they’ve shriveled over the last week)

Already growing away and having survived the move I also have some lavender and Leptospermum scoparium Manuka / Tea Tree seedlings which I am amazed have survived the neglect:

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.

My parents are preparing to move up to the Coast, so we are looking after some of her garden things. Ever since we’ve had this bunny, suspicious things have been going on. This morning I went outside to find bunny had been recently fed and decorated:

Happy GTS and Happy 4th birthday to my daughter.  This week, we walked up to the local nursery and took part in a moss basket workshop.  I’m the type who buys my baskets every single year with the thought in mine that next year, I’d re-use the baskets … but I never do, so this is a step in the right direction.

Here is C. thinking seriously about plant placement:

The finished product (the nursery is going to look after it for a few weeks until it can come out of the greenhouse):

What’s blooming in your garden this week?

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday, visit As the Garden Grows for more information.