Another Weekend, Another Project

Like an octopus spinning plates, we have many things going on! It seems like every two weeks we jump from one major project to the next. It is hard to believe that by the time March is over we will have successfully completed three major projects! 

 In the midst of all of the hub-bub, we got our first tulip!

 Other plants are coming up too! I am impressed with how much the front beds have grown and how large the Voodoo Lily has gotten!

 Our latest to-do is the installation of a twenty foot fence section which will separate our front yard from the back. This is for privacy of course, and added curb appeal. Also, it will be nice to have an enclosed backyard for the chickens to roam in the winter. We've finished framing the fence yesterday, and begun to hang the cedar boards. We anticipate this to be done soon!

Additionally, we are converting our mud room into a walk-in pantry. I re-purposed one of our bookshelves into a storage area for our canned goods and clean jars. I am amazed by how much food we have left from last year!

We are also planning on re-painting the mudroom these two colours from the Martha Stewart paint line. The brown is intended for the trim and is called 'Tilled Soil'. The grey is for our walls and ceiling and aptly titled 'Flagstone'. Martha has the best colours!

We are planting potatoes for the first time this year. Notice all of the chit (growth) from a few of them! Those Fingerlings do not slack off! We've been so busy that we haven't had a chance to place them in the garden. It will happen this week, I promise!

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!

Voodoo Lily

Last Fall, I planted 34 tulip bulbs in our front garden bed, as well as one Voodoo Lily (Draculus Vulgaris) Bulb.

While the tulips have made an appearance, I've seen no sign of the Voodoo Lily. Perhaps they need warmer weather to germinate?