April 2012

Spring is coming fast.  The weather has been 15-20 degrees warmer than average.  Tulips are blooming, hyacinths are too.  Roses are showing their green.  I enjoy the warm weather, but the lack of rain/ snow is what bothers me.

This year I hope to be more consistent with watering.  That is always my stumbling block when it comes to getting my garden growing right.

Sent my deck plans to the deck builder.  Waiting for the estimate so I can see if it's going to be in my price range.  I really hope so.  I want to update the backyard.  Then hit is hard with getting plants established in the center of the backyard.  And this is the year for getting the east side cleaned up so I can get my fruit trees planted.  I am excited for a new growing season.

Pictures and posting pictures this week.

Spring

It's official, spring is here.  The calendar says so and I am back working at the garden center.  The weather has been unseasonably warm and there are customers coming into the garden center looking for plants to put in their gardens already.  It is too earl!  I understand their excitement.  I have to remind myself too, to wait.  I am making plans for the flower beds.  The tulips are coming up and pushing through the soil... can't wait to see how they are doing.  I planted a bunch last fall.  Waiting and hoping the hyacinths come up also.  I love their fragrance.

I am also planning for the deck and pergola.  I brought the plans over to the neighbor so he can get me a bid for the work.  I hope it is reasonable.  I want to do the patio door and also the kitchen floor this year also.  So I hope that the price is in the range I am hoping.  Time to get my yard cleaned up and ready for more planting.

Winter seeds

Though it is too early to plant seed, indoors or out.  It is not too early to plant the seeds of hope and plans.  Winter is the time to dream of the garden that will be this upcoming season.  It is the time to make lists and check out the seed catalogs and plant catalogs.  Knowing that this year my plants will be bigger and fuller and the sun will shine and bless those plants.  The rain will wash down gently to feed the plant and sparkle the leaves with a clean and fresh look.  The smells of the garden will radiate from the wet soil to the blooming flowers.  There will be a color explosion and baskets of vegetables and fruit will be harvested from the garden.  There will be quiet evenings with a gentle summer breeze cooling the earth... enjoying the sounds of the waterfall and watching the stars overhead.

I am contemplating winter sowing????

Happy New Year

Time to do some writing while the growing season is still in pending mode.  My resolution this blog this year is to post more pictures.  And post more often.

As the new year starts and the new growing season is coming up, I am full of optimism.

Time Flies

Christmas is over.. coming up on a New Year.  I look forward to a new year and a new season.  I put in a lot of plants this past summer and am excited to see what comes back and what doesn't.  I tried to fence in my plant areas in the backyard to deter the dogs from trappling all over my flower beds.  It has helped, but not all the time.

In looking back over the past few years, I have tried to determine where I falter in my gardening.  I have learned what plants work best in what areas of my yard.  Trying to match watering needs to areas of the yard where I can water and where I don't water as much.  That seems to be a big help in keeping the garden growing.

I also will be watering more consistently.  Watching rainfall and where and when I need to supplement my garden.

I got my first garden catalog for the season.  High Country Gardens, which focuses on perennials flower gardens.  It keeps me focused on plants that work for Colorado and also shows water needs so that I can make better choices for what plant should go where.

So this season will be WATERING and FERTILIZING.  Two things that I am inconsistent about doing.

For my garden journal I want to put up more pictures... especially this time of year there is a lot of enjoyment in looking at the pictures of what my yard looks like at different phases of the growing season.  It is so easy to forget how full the garden is when it is always changing.  Time to peruse the seed and plant catalogs and plan for the upcoming season.  I think I look forward to Christmas, not because I can't wait for Christmas, but cause once it's past, it is time for looking forward to the changing of the seasons once again.

November?

No way, it can't be November already.  Worse yet... it can't be the end of November with just a few days to December.  Wait, let me check my calendar......

...... Yep, it's correct... November with December just around the corner. 

Spent the month of August painting my house. It looks great. 

And now it's July

The calendar is slipping by... one day becomes the next before I know it. This summer has been busy. The rain has started coming again. It has it been raining. Like clockwork, afternoon, here comes the rain. The garden is growing... green everywhere. (Weeds, included). Time for vacation, leaving in a couple of days. I won't have time to weed. I won't have time to plant the last of the plants.

I took back a pile of empty pots to recycle. It is scary how many pots I gather up in just one season. I am really happy with how the garden has progressed this year. The rain has helped. I want to keep the momentum going for next year... (what, already planning for next year? isn't that what gardeners do?).  When I get back from my trip I will post pictures and progress photos. The side garden is filling in nicely. The pond area has been replanted. This year I put up a fence to keep the dogs from trampling over everything... so hope that helps everything survive.

Cleaned the east and west side of the yard. And this fall it will be time to manicure and prep for next year. Put the yard to bed with a nice layer of compost and mulch.. to enrich the soil for some fruit trees on the east side of the yard.

Also prepping to paint. And have lots of ideas in mind for splashing color all over the garden. I spend too much time at my other jobs so much so that I don't get enough time to work in my yard. So little changes here and there are the best I can do... for now.

Have a great rest of July... Later.