what’s blooming

Roses, roses, roses:









Iris:

weekend update

Got most everything planted yesterday. First deadheaded the perennials, put down grass seed and watered. Ripped out the last of the bolted arugula from the raised bed. Then I hauled the last two bags of mushroom compost over two the south-facing bed and dug those in. Behold my half-assed hardening-off technique: plop the tray with all the flowers and tomatoes and basil on the patio, in the shade under the sumac the day before, leave them out overnight and plant the next day.



First the Robesons went in the raised bed.



Planted:



With cages:



Then the Sungolds and the basil took a ride in the wheelbarrow over to the south-facing bed.





Planted, with drip hose:



With cages:



The basil teepees are more to keep the dog off them than for anything else:



Speaking of dogs, here's our neighbor’s idiot chocolate lab, who likes to pop his head over the wall when I'm gardening next to it and Cujo at me. We're not entirely sure what his name is, so Bram and I refer to him as Cletus.



Planted the flowers in the front door pot last. Why is Elspeth Quinceberry giving me the stink eye?

omg, the apricot tree

So, ever since we moved into the house in the spring of 2007, the apricot tree next to the driveway has always put on a lovely, showy bloom. Here’s a photo of it from that spring:



Our real estate agent opined that it looked like "a Baumann woodcut."
[click for larger Gustave Baumann goodness]

  


Also, every spring, there’s a cold snap that kills off any set fruit. We’ve gotten a few fruit here and there. Maybe 20, max. This year, however, the spring’s been really mild, and that tree is loaded with fruit. I’m a little worried.

raised bed

Scanning from left to right, the herbs: 3 new chives, 1 new thyme, resurgent sage (after being hacked back last month), fennel, and day lilies:



The un-planted part in the center that the dog likes to dig up + lay in:



The whole bed, showing the bolting arugula (protected by flat-folded tomato cages) at right:

2012 nursery trip

Took a few hours off on Monday and went to New Mexico Plant Co. with Stacy, Beverly, Teri and Aunt Marianne. This is the same place we went to last year. Remembered to bring my camera this time.

Heading in (left to right: Stacy, Marianne, Teri):



Panoramic view inside the greenhouses:
[click for larger]



Teri, with basil, parsley, and marigolds:



This is only part of Stacy’s haul:



I spent around $15 and got:

• 3 blue "petchoas"
  (which are some sort of petunia/calibrachoa hybrid, apparently)
• 2 white geraniums (pelargonium)
  (for the big pot by the front door)
• 3 basil starts
  (for south-facing bed, with the tomatoes)

Stacy and Bev ham it up:



Ladies’ lunch at San Marcos Cafe + Feed Store afterwards!