You Grow Girl™

Bleeding Heart

Well, it's the time of year when the plants develop at a lightening pace and something new happens in the garden just about every other minute. This year I have three gardens to deal with so it's a bit of a juggle.

SIDE GARDEN

My side garden is finally rocking. For the first time ever I feel really good about it. I don't see every minute flaw and I make less excuses when I show it to people. Even my snobby garden architect neighbour smiled at me on the street for the first time in the nine years I've lived here. It's like I've finally passed some kind of admission test to the urban upper/middle/professional class. I'm getting the secret nod of approval now. Personally I think it all comes down to the twig fence.

Yesterday a FWC (friend with car) took me to some build-it stores. I had a huge list of stuff to get but sadly couldn't find even half of what I required. I did manage to FINALLY find horticultural sand. I have been trying to find sand for years. It's a huge triumph! I bought a few herbs for the community plot and a purple smoke bush for the side garden. The back corner has always been kind of bare and boring and I finally realised that what it needed was some height and colour. It took me a while but I think I've finally figured it out.

The irises started blooming this week! They are larger, fuller and lusher than ever. It's hard to believe that what was once a few bare roots in a plastic bag (shipped from Davin's mom's place) have slowly, since 1999 turned into a little field of irises.

COMMUNITY PLOT

Today was supposed to be my big day to finally get the raised bed built, get all my transplants in and basically catch up. But the weather turned against me and it's been pouring all day. Hopefully tomorrow will be my day.

I have been trying to get wood for my raised bed for weeks now but it hasn't been easy. I won't go into the details, but let's just say getting four 1x8x8 lengths and one 2x2x8 length of cedar was a huge hassle that I won't soon forget. I couldn't even get any last night at the built-it store because the saws were out of order and I couldn't fit anything too long in the car. Davin and I had to stand out in the pouring rain for 30 minutes this afternoon waiting for the local lumber yard to deliver it to the garden. I had to explain five times that there was no address, that it was a garden behind an alley, and that I was standing in the rain right that minute waiting to flag the driver down.

THE DECK

Due to sheer proximity, the deck has received the most attention. It's just really easy to pop out there to do some work. We have been suffering from some very backwards weather this spring and I'm finally suffering the consequences of my haphazard planting schedule and general neglect for following the rules. I put some basil in weeks ago, way before the safe planting time. But I'm always too eager and since I can usually get away with it, I went ahead. Probably half of my basil was lost as a result. Basil just does not like cold, wet weather. But there's lots more where that came from, and since basil isn't a terribly expensive plant, I already have new seeds in and am planning to pick up some more plants at tomorrow's Herb Fair.

The biggest change to the deck so far this year has been the addition of new garden furniture. In summer 2001 Davin and I spent two solid days creating a beautiful mosaic table. We were proud of that table. But every winter we neglected to cover it. This spring the thing just fell apart. So finally having had it we went out and bought a matching set of wood chairs, love seat and table. It's classy. In addition I bought some lanterns, a mid-sized alpine trough from a garage sale for the middle of the table, and now I can sit out with my morning tea in style.

My vermicomposter is back in action. This time I was lazy and bought a bag of bedding in addition to my bag of crawly worms. I just love picking up a handful of squirming worms. They're fun.