adventures in my yard.
Tonight I took advantage of the superb weather to pick up my bicycle- While attempting to put the mounting for the damed U-lock on the frame was pretty frustrating and isn't quite done (I think it need strong manly man hands to finish tightening it. Which galls somewhat) putting on easily the klaxton twisty horn that makes a most satisfying aaaOOOgah noise more than made up for it.
A break for dinner, and then I headed into the rather jungle-ous back yard for the first real solid yard noodling of the year.
Much to my toe-curlingly-happy surprise, many things I planted last year not only survived, but are already HUGE thanks to the clement weather.
The hyssop is already twice the size it was at harvest time last fall- I think I'm going to have to do regular culls- and find many somethings to do with it. Anyone want some fresh organically grown hyssop for baths?
The sage also survived happily, and smells incredible already. The honeysuckle, that poor sad stick that I bought last year with two leaves on it is in the process of gleefully taking over all the trellis I put out for it. I'm crossing my fingers for flowers in a few months- if I remember correctly, they bloom in July. Honeysuckle is an ecstatic smell and I can't wait to make bees happy, too.
A very pleasant surprise was the Asian lilies I planted, which didn't do very well last summer- ALL of them have come back, and are very verdant, healthy and I'm sure will also be blooming in a month or so. I think I"ll do more- maybe some tiger lilies, my favourite.
I think I saw some of the cosmos poking it's head up- I'm not sure, but the distinctive feathery leaves are hard to miss. There's also both the lavenders which were also not too happy last year, but are more than making up for it. The leaves are immensely fragrant already- I was weeding around them, just breathing in their scent.
The two foxgloves I planted last year didn't make it- the dog dug them up in her enthusiastic enjoyment of the soft earth, ie, digging like a mofo. In honour of them I planted four well-established foxgloves into the corner between the lilies and the hyssop- she seems not to dig where there are plants- fortunately.
next to the sage I planted some chives that were happily donated by Peter and Brianna earlier in the week. I hope the new additions are happy in their new home!
I filled two bags with weeding, swept and hosed off the back flagstones and generally took stock of my little green paradise-becoming.
Then I came inside and stole the last icy cold pilsner. MMMmmmm.
A break for dinner, and then I headed into the rather jungle-ous back yard for the first real solid yard noodling of the year.
Much to my toe-curlingly-happy surprise, many things I planted last year not only survived, but are already HUGE thanks to the clement weather.
The hyssop is already twice the size it was at harvest time last fall- I think I'm going to have to do regular culls- and find many somethings to do with it. Anyone want some fresh organically grown hyssop for baths?
The sage also survived happily, and smells incredible already. The honeysuckle, that poor sad stick that I bought last year with two leaves on it is in the process of gleefully taking over all the trellis I put out for it. I'm crossing my fingers for flowers in a few months- if I remember correctly, they bloom in July. Honeysuckle is an ecstatic smell and I can't wait to make bees happy, too.
A very pleasant surprise was the Asian lilies I planted, which didn't do very well last summer- ALL of them have come back, and are very verdant, healthy and I'm sure will also be blooming in a month or so. I think I"ll do more- maybe some tiger lilies, my favourite.
I think I saw some of the cosmos poking it's head up- I'm not sure, but the distinctive feathery leaves are hard to miss. There's also both the lavenders which were also not too happy last year, but are more than making up for it. The leaves are immensely fragrant already- I was weeding around them, just breathing in their scent.
The two foxgloves I planted last year didn't make it- the dog dug them up in her enthusiastic enjoyment of the soft earth, ie, digging like a mofo. In honour of them I planted four well-established foxgloves into the corner between the lilies and the hyssop- she seems not to dig where there are plants- fortunately.
next to the sage I planted some chives that were happily donated by Peter and Brianna earlier in the week. I hope the new additions are happy in their new home!
I filled two bags with weeding, swept and hosed off the back flagstones and generally took stock of my little green paradise-becoming.
Then I came inside and stole the last icy cold pilsner. MMMmmmm.