Happy April!

Hi Everyone-

Happy April!
We've been busy, as always!

As you can see, we've finally installed some white shutters on the front of the house. I think they look pretty nice! We are going to build new planter wooden boxes to go beneath the windows as the wire and coconut planters look bedraggled and messy over time. I think wood will look a lot nicer too!

 The next big thing for the front yard is to finish arranging my garden stones along the newly installed path. You can see where my project left off there to the right. I have a rubber hammer to set the stones into place, but I just need a dry day to make that happen!

Now that it is April, it is finally safe to plant the Dahlia tubers I've been holding on to since December! We plan on tilling a large strip in the front yard for a makeshift 'fence'. These tall-growing Dahlias will function as a decorative fence until we can install the Picket we've been wanting. Notice my stealth orange Dahlia among all of the purple and white! It will break things up nicely, I think!

Here are a few shots of things growing in the yard--as of last week!

The Greenhouse is going bonkers!

And the Favas and Yellow Onions are growing fast!

Year 2 of growing Rhubarb and it does not disappoint!

These pictures of my emerging Carrots and Radishes aren't that exciting, but it is good for me to know what things look like from year to year!

Meanwhile:

Things are really taking off in the herb beds. The Tarragon, Lavender, and Cat Nip are really growing.

And there is a lot going on in our front beds too!

I'm already getting Lilacs! I didn't get these until Mid-May last year.

The birds like to hang out in this Ivy...or at least, that is what I think it is. It has blue berries and glossy leaves. Does anyone know its name?

I've been busy in the kitchen too! I made Mozzarella and dyed our chicken eggs for an Easter egg hunt! 

Spring Greening

Hello, Friends!

In the past week the flower beds and some of the plants have grown by leaps and bounds. I thought that I would take some photographs to document all of the growth we've had in this unusually warm February weather. The high for yesterday was 60 degrees (15.5 C)!

In addition to having plants shoot out of the dirt at break-neck speeds, we are installing a flagstone path for our front yard. With the help of our trusty roto-tiller and mounds of dirt, we hope to replace the concrete path which was smashed out well over a year ago with some lovely flagstone. I will be leaving deliberate gaps between the stones to drop seeds for creeping plants such as Corsican Mint or Mother-of-Thyme. Can't wait to have that project finally complete!

Here is a nice interior shot of the seeds germinating in peat pots inside of the greenhouse.

Sweet Peas and Calendula emerge!

 

And so do the Tri-Color Bush Beans!

We've also hand-tilled up the rear vegetable beds and planted heirloom garlic, nasturtiums and calendula around the borders.

Tiny pea seedlings emerge around the obelisk.

 

  

And our fig tree has new rings!

What is most exciting for me is the Rhubarb!

 

And the Sweet Peas!

I also discovered that this Voodoo Lily which was planted two years ago, decided to come up and say hello! I thought for certain it was killed in the severe ice storm we had in December, 2008.

 

This is the area in the front where we have roto-tilled and made preparations for the path to be installed.

We are lucky that it has not rained much.

 

The Husband is laying down mason line.

Meanwhile, look at how much the front flower beds have grown!

 

My Delphinium has returned..

 

As has the Aconite..

The Lilies...

 

And the ever-present Foxglove!

I think it is safe to say that Spring is officially in town!