late May 2021

early May 2021

Tomato starts from The Vagabond Farmers at the Farmers’ Market. I’m hoping the tags are accurate this year.

October 2020

September 2020

June 2020

Zinnias sprouting in front door pot

weekend update

Saturday Bram wanted to make sure his car still started and he had some library books to return, so I tagged along to get out of the house and to go to Payne's. Got basil and marigolds for the raised bed in the backyard and a packet of Purple Prince zinnia seeds for the front door pot. Tomatoes are doing well. East bed in the backyard is looking good. Wonder if we'll get any flowers on the Philadelphus this year.

weekend update

Pictures look better when it's overcast. Big year for hollyhocks. The area between our and Bill's driveway is a hollyhock stockade, tall flowers around the edge, gravel in the middle.





Backyard panorama, now with party lights!


[click to embiggen]

So many hollyhocks!



Unearthed the one surviving winecups I planted last year! Plus 2 new agastache. Also note the bamboo cage to keep the dog out. It was originally 3 sticks, had to up it to 6, after she cut thru a few times. 😑 note the encroaching arugula (fine) and bindweed (ugh).



Daylilies



Dill and basil are doing fine, garlic still chugging along. I'm taking a gamble and not covering the tomatoes this year.

weekend update

Saturday  Planted the tomatoes, herbs and marigolds in the raised bed. The tender annuals had been sitting out all week, and were starting to look a little ragged. The Persian basil died, of course.

Nestled the dill and basil among the garlic. Hopefully they won't be disturbed too much when it's time to pull the garlic in June. Sungold on the left, Robeson on the right. One of the sage plants made a comeback! Everything planted, new mushroom compost, soaker hoses in place.







All mulched and cages up.


[Click to embiggen]

Sunday  Planted the coleus, impatiens, and sweet potato vine in the front door pot. One of the impatiens and one of the coleus are looking iffy. Note all the chamisa seedlings in the before shot. Also the pinecones left over from Christmas decorations.





Also also Bram "strimmed" (so British!) the backyard and hit the patio + side yard weeds with killer. I assembled the new! firepit and grill we got Saturday at Big Orange. Bram made this to taunt our friends on Twitter:

weekend update

Waterwise plants had been sitting outside for a few days this week to harden off. Planted everything on Saturday. I always assumed the catmint just flops open like that, but someone suggested that neighbor cat(s) may be laying in them, flattening them while having a party. I see it now. Stay away from my new plants, you tecato cats! From left to right: winecup, coneflower, Mojave sage.



Left to right: winecup, coneflower.



Left to right: winecup, salvia Gregii, Mojave sage. Note the existing big Mojave sage far left — I hope the new ones like it here as well.



Also note the yucca — gonna bloom this year!

2019 Garden Fair | weekend update

Garden Fair! Construction is finally done at the fairgrounds, so all the exhibition spaces were back. However it seemed like fewer people and vendors. I guess the past 2 years have taken a toll. Met up with Janet who, based on my stories of previous years' crowds, also thought it seemed sparse.)

But the Farministas were back! I got the usual Robeson and Sungold plants! Plus 2 dill starts! $18 (tomatoes $6 each (price hike!), herbs $3 each, no discount for multiples).

On my way out, I gave Janet directions to NM Plant Co (she was looking to get many many geraniums). Then I headed to Big Orange, got some new gardening gloves and 2 bags of mushroom compost. Swung by Plants of the Southwest, but didn't get anything. Need to get a new straw bale for tomato mulch.

Last stop was Waterwise, ended up with:

• 2 Salvia pachyphylla "Mulberry Flambe"
  
• 3 Callirhoe digitata Winecups
  
• 2 Echinacea purpurea "Pow Wow Wild Berry"
  
• 1 Salvia greggii "FlowerKisser™ Dark Shadows" (purple)

This year's cultivars all sound like nail polish colors, or maybe fruity cocktails. I plan to put them all in the front sidewalk bed.

Weeded the side yard, and some of the back yard by the shed. Then had to get ready to meet friends up at MoIFA for the big Girard exhibition preview. Drinks and buffet dinner afterwards at SFI.