Gardening in Spring 2015

Last spring, we had our Linden tree cut down in the front yard.  It had been damaged very badly by snow when it was leafed out.  So since then, we have had this stump in the yard.  We have talked about making a flower bed that included the stump and decided this was the spring to do it.  Rowen started by installing this cool edging, then digging out the sod.

 This was after the digging that Elizabeth and Emily both helped Rowen with.

 Then Rowen and Emily bought some dirt and spread it into the new flower bed.

 The flower bed was ready.  We consulted the Almanac and decided to plant on the day we had available that was one of the recommended planting days.  April 23 was the earliest we have planted, but we did it, and prayed that the seeds and plants would do well.

 We have two peonies and one lily, new to us, and we transplanted day lilies for around the edge.

 Everywhere else, we planted seeds:  wild flowers, four o'clocks, and gladiola bulbs.

 Someday, hopefully the whole bed will be as beautiful as this lily already is!

The same evening, we planted our garden.  These are rows of green beans and beyond them, the zucchini.

 Cucumbers will have the fencing to climb on.

 We have "always" put marigolds around the edges of the garden, but "according to the Almanac" petunias also keep pests away.  So we opted to try the new thing and plant petunias this year.

 Elizabeth, planting the cucumber seeds.

 Rowen, installing the fencing

Our milk jugs, or tomatoes--we are doing an experiment this year with small plants, in the jugs, and larger ones (Bonnie brand) to see what grows the best.  On the south side is radishes and on the west is lettuce.  They are already coming up, and we've seen one bean plant, so far...

Emily helped plant also, but she is our main photographer, so she doesn't get in many pictures herself!