How does your garden grow? Week of June 29th

Tomorrow I leave the town where I have made my home these past 26 years to drive all day (and about 720k straight south ) to a new community where I will make a new home that will see me, and DH through the last few years of our work lives and be our retirement home.

The movers packed our belongings on Friday, and I have just finished cleaning so it is neat as a pin for the new folks moving in.

Took my breaks in the garden. It was a hot and sunny day. There is a pause between the spring show and summer's exuberance. The iris are blooming, but the John Cabot and Celebration roses are budded, and only the Rosa Glauca ( grown from seed!) is blooming. Day lilies are budded, as are creeping sedum and Spirea. In a week or two the garden will be magenta and yellow. I was worried I would miss the peonies, but as you can see, I did not.

Thursday DH pointed out that cedar waxwings had nested in one of the Elms he had planted as striplings 18 years ago. They are the first birds to do so.

How are your gardens faring? Are you getting the rain you need? Any early fruit or veg success?

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11 years ago

Anonymous

My garden is a disaster this year! The birds stripped all my cherries before I could net them (they weren't even beginning to ripen!). So that is sad. Other than that, the extreme hot weather and little rain is making the rest of my fruit trees unhappy.

I should have lots of raspberries and gooseberries though. My veg gardens and flower gardens are topped up with weeds also. I need to get out there!

deb

Veteran

Oh, Carla, leaving something you worked so hard on is so hard to do. Even if it is for a very good reason. I see new gardens in your future.

The heat has hit here and some plants take it better than others. We have drought conditions so I have cut back the water, mostly in the front because I am revamping the whole area. The saving grace is that our brown lawn matches the neighbors.

Baby turkeys are back.
A new find, Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Snow'
A shady pot
Clematis still popping a few blooms out.
Miniature evergreens stuck in a pot last year until I decide what to do with them
Lilium 'Stargazer' created its own bouquet.
And to finish, the Black Cherry rose decided to bloom this year at the same at the while oleander and blue agapanthus. Just in time for the 4th of July.

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cjh

(website)

Lovely and your description conveys a nostalgic appreciation for the work and memories of this home you will leave. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos.

Good journey, and best wishes in your new home.

doubleh

Best wishes for your new home and new life! I have to admit though, if I were you, the new owners would have nothing but naked stems to look at. I would cut every beautiful bloom and take with me! Peonies are my absolute favorite, so very glad to hear you didn't miss out.

My garden update: my hydrangea hates me. But I got two edible cucumbers last week.

Carla

Oh, Ceit! So sorry about your cherries. It has been dry up here too, but it is still early in the season. The only fruit we get with any surety is wild blueberries.

Deb, I've had a lot of joy out of my garden, but I'm so excited about the longer growing season where I'm going! Though I viewed the house in March when there was snow on the ground, I understand there is an established garden, a water feature, and we have a chunk of the ravine that backs the property.

Cjh, thanks for the kind wishes. The community I'm leaving was very good to me and mine, but I have to regrets about the relocation.

good luck on the drive Carla. that's a long way to go. must be nice to have the packing behind you.

Your garden is lovely.

Our new buyers are not gardeners. I actually didn't really think I was but I realized I would be heart broken if they ruin it

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Karie

Best wishes for this new journey in your life. Your gardens are gorgeous, and Deb and A, so are yours. Unfortunately, I love gardening more than it loves me. Working in the garden makes me itch and triggers migraines. Wearing long sleeves, long pants, and a pollen mask (at least it's pink!) just isn't a lot of fun in the hot summer weather.

Marley

Oh Carla - there is something very bittersweet about looking at the pictures of your beautiful flowers! So lovely! It sounds as though this is a good move for you and your DH. Can't wait to see your "new" garden!
I just have a small strip of dirt in our backyard. The rest of our backyard is paved over - but, just to be clear, the entire backyard is about the size of an average guest bathroom! Ahhhh . . . the benefits of living in Southern CA! I still have some winter bloomings - pansies, Iceland Poppies, etc. Haven't done any summer planting yet - will probably do that the middle of July!

Claudia

I also am feeling bittersweet looking at your lovely pictures, Carla. I, too, am anticipating a far away move in the next year or two from my home and gardens of many years. Many of the plants are sentimental and have stories behind them, some are even from my grandmothers' gardens. I worry most about the birds that call the garden and the hemlocks stands home and the generations that have returned faithfully to build their nests here year and year out... and all the pollinators that I specifically planted for if the trees and perennials get removed (or chemically treated) by new owners.

Big hugs and best wishes in the new home. My father, who has passed on, often quoted that 'the only constant in life is change.' I am sure that you will make the new place beautiful and full of life and color as well.

gardenchick

This is such a great thread-- I'm completely inspired by these gardens, large and small!

Here's some photos from our backyard. We bought the house a year ago...the hydrangeas were in bloom then also and may have had something to do with the purchase! My husband built the raised bed and I started a little garden.

There are trees around the backyard, so we do not have a large area with full sun all day. I'd like to grow more food, but am taking this slowly and experimenting.

#1 Hydrangea patch in the backyard
#2 & 3 Raised bed. Big zucchini plants on the left with some blossoms, one tomato plant, carrots, some lettuces. We've already harvested 10 lettuces, then 6 more...now I'm waiting for the next batch to grow. I'm working on figuring out how frequently I need to plant lettuce so that we have a steady stream.
#4 Containers with potato plants and some tomatoes, plus rosemary
#5-8 Hydrangea patch on the side of the house.
#9-11 We planted this Santa Rosa plum tree this year. It will be a few years before we get fruit. Also there's a Meyer Lemon tree that I've had for a few years, I'm trying to decide whether to put it in the ground.
Thanks for looking and enjoy!

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