I planted my little back-yard garden just a bit over a month ago now, around April 24. Now, at the end of May, things are looking green, fat, and happy, if a bit slug-munched [contented sigh.]
My garden, for the most part, is a little square outside the back door, under the kitchen window. There's a pink climbing rose called 'Eden' that's in bloom now, above the door. It graces the corner of the square, and has been there for six or seven years now. I think it's one of the sweetest, most adorable roses, and grows with very little fuss.
In the garden, I have peas, garlic, a bean, leeks, broccoli, cabbages, lettuce, spinach, and an onion. This weekend I got a pumpkin start (not a great pumpkin [remember that?], just a regular-type pumpkin) and a butternut squash, to replace the spinach, which is about done. Around the border, I've planted about a dozen lily-pad-leafed nasturtiums, and their floaty stems spill out onto the sidewalk. The blossoms top a salad with pure sunshine.
The bluish-green of the broccoli is the prettiest color in the world. Near that cabbage-green and against the dark soil, the color is deep and cool. The stems sturdily make their ways up, up. I can hardly wait for the bouquet of tiny florets. Its a miracle. You feel that way, watching things try.
The cabbage moths are making eyelet of my Napa cabbage. I think I was supposed to put a collar around the little cabbages, but I didn't. I'll learn. The hard way, but oh well.
This is an organic garden, with soil sweetened by compost, fed with a bit of organic fertilizer before planting. I watered in some beneficial nematodes that my mom got for me, but otherwise, nothing. It is what it is, at least this year, as I learn how to grow things.
Well, hallo kitters. You've come to keep me company. Thank you.
I took the little patch of hay-mulch out very soon after it went in. It quickly turned into a a really gross mat of scuz [wistful sigh].
I still wish I had the hay. And a sprightly dapple-gray Connemara pony named Musette [wistful double-sigh].
But a little spot of country green'll do.
*
So that's the willow-edged garden.
*
Over toward the back, there are the containers, in the sun.
Here we have all the ubiquitous herbs, along with a lot of basil, a few tomatoes, a bit more lettuce, four potatoes, and two pots of strawberries.
Here is a potato!!!!!
This is a cape mallow called 'Very Cranberry.' I LOVE THIS THING.
Strawberries:
Jeesh. They're pretty.
Oh. It's another kitters. Sleeping beauty.
It looks beautiful, Alicia - wow!
Posted by: beki | May 28, 2009 at 11:38 AM
What a pretty pretty garden!
Posted by: Cassandra | May 28, 2009 at 11:43 AM
i loved your nasturtiums so much, i ordered me some seeds, and there are the old-fashioned kind that are fragrant! can't wait for that but yours look so much better than mine, i'm wondering one of yours looks variegated, or is that the sunshine? never saw them before if so. One more thing, I LOVE the san marzano cans for your tomato plants what a splendiforous idea!!!!! soooo cute!!!!
Posted by: kendra | May 28, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Wow, thanks for sharing all those wonderful pics of your garden . I just love looking at all the wonderful outdoor spaces everyone creates. I feel quite relaxed now......
Posted by: Karen Valentine Roberts | May 28, 2009 at 11:48 AM
P.S. If you try to come and find me... use this link instead!! The first URL that registered was totally wrong! Have a wonderful week end!
Posted by: Karen Valentine Roberts | May 28, 2009 at 11:52 AM
alicia...
Your garden is simple and so pretty. I love the colors! They inspire me to go home and crawl into my garden for awhile and look at everything growing. That seems to be a favorite evening pastime after work. Thanks for sharing.
Amber
Posted by: amber cantrell | May 28, 2009 at 11:59 AM
I was going to tell you about the straw getting moldy here in the Northwest, but well, I didn't want to come across bossy. You see straw used in midwest and really eastern gardens, but they don't have as much cool weather rain as we do. We just put in a really lovely cedar chip path and it both smells lovely, and provides the path to walk on. Just a thought.
Your garden is really coming along!
Posted by: Lelo | May 28, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Simple, lovely, inspiring..thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Leslie | May 28, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Hi Alicia, I recognized your rose the moment I opened your blog today. I have the same rose, Eden, and it is so gorgeous right now with fat blooms all over. I'm in the Rose City, too. Last late summer I had one shoot that grew toward my front path. I left it, and this year, it is my simple, if not prefectly wonderful, archway leading to my front door. It makes me so happy every time I see it.
Posted by: Tracey Gates | May 28, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Your garden is looking lovely! And NO WEEDS! I need to get to that before I share pictures! Do you have to water much up there in Portland? Or do you get enough rain?
Posted by: Kelley Hart | May 28, 2009 at 01:40 PM
So gorgeous - such lush leaves and great colors! And I love the upside-down kitty. :)
Posted by: Katie | May 28, 2009 at 01:44 PM
I love the pictures and your new header is really nice too! Currently I'm taking care of some shamrocks and a trough of succulents (inside) and a small pot with nasturtiums outside---there's three green stems poking through as of yesterday! I wish I had throught about a garden before the season really got started. I'll just wait until next year.
Posted by: sara.jane | May 28, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Ohh beautiful. I especially love the strawberry blossoms!
Posted by: Modern Crush | May 28, 2009 at 01:55 PM
Thank you. I will now head to the nursery to buy some nasturiums. Pretty round leaves.
Posted by: Shelley (Pink House) | May 28, 2009 at 01:57 PM
talk about joyful things... thank you for sharing with us, again.
And, also, yes--potato!!!!!
Posted by: trish | May 28, 2009 at 02:26 PM
we worked in the garden this weekend
& it is so much fun...
yours is so pretty :)
Posted by: emily ruth | May 28, 2009 at 02:46 PM
love it
i've got a ton going in my front yard.
we are going to have thousands of strawberries in a few weeks
i am not kidding. no. seriously thousands
Posted by: Nancy | May 28, 2009 at 02:49 PM
Bravo! They are lovely and your photography is so good for sharing that beauty with us!
Posted by: Irene | May 28, 2009 at 02:54 PM
Don't you just love watching the garden grow? Every time I go outside and look, something has gotten bigger. It makes me feel so good to know that I helped something along. I also have an organic garden. I haven't been able to find any organic fertilizer, but I'm going to look. This is my third year and I'm trying something new this year (pumpkins and green beans). Thanks for sharing your garden with us... it is beautiful!
blessings
~*~
Posted by: Laura | May 28, 2009 at 02:58 PM
What pretty pictures - thank you!
Posted by: Colleen | May 28, 2009 at 04:00 PM
Lovely.....and the sleeping beauties really add to the charm.
Posted by: Mary Ann/Ca | May 28, 2009 at 06:45 PM
I am green with envy...over your beautiful black soil! The red clay here just barely passes for topsoil. Even when I work in compost and peat it is heavy and...red.
What is the variegated plant in the third image? Is that nasturtium? Lovely!
PS - Not to be greedy, but what about the patchwork tip? Pleaseandthankyou, ma'am? :o)
Posted by: CityGirl | May 28, 2009 at 08:01 PM
Ahhhh....it does my soul good to see lovely things growing. And the wee kitties seem quite happy with your green thumb as well.
Posted by: Heather | May 28, 2009 at 08:04 PM
Gorgeous photos! Good grief, they're lovely!! And your way with words...awe-inspiring. Really...the whole post. (happy sigh.)
Posted by: Julie | May 28, 2009 at 08:32 PM
The only thing better than growing strawberries and nasturtium and all the other lovelies in your enchanting garden are the kitters lolling about in the sun with big smiles on their faces. :)
Posted by: Brenda | May 28, 2009 at 08:42 PM