Purple Haze

I've been enjoying so many things in the yard lately. I've expanded my front bed by transplanting some orange oriental lilies from the back (in addition to a few other incidental flowers). I think it is as far as I'd like to take it this year for beds in the front. If we have time, Mike and I want to dig up grass for the front garden bed next year, but I suspect that will be next spring.



In the back, there is little of the garish orange, yellow and red. Instead, it's dominated by purple, with hints of pinks and whites. Here's a few in a collage.







A number of the annuals we started from seed are in full bloom including the morning glory and sweat peas. Lots of the perennials are going too, including:

• hostas


• lupins


• roses (5 types)


• columbine


• bell flowers (4 types)


• clematis (white one)


• 6 types of day lilies


• 4 types of oriental lilies


• yarrow (4 colours)


• sedum (5 types)


• succulents (8 types)

Lilies are the big hit at the moment, and the white is my favorite. Perennials just went on sale at my local greenhouse and were 2 dollars a plant so I bought 4 new varieties. The one I am most excited about is Obedient plant, which I have heard great things about but never grown.

I moved many of my part sun plants out from under the apple tree in the back and expended the north fern bed so I could transplant into it. Mike added three wheelbarrows of compost and the girls and stripped the grass, but otherwise we made few amendments to the soil. Mike also brought some feature rocks to add to the beds in the back and the girls used some to make a path under the apple tree for easy picking.

We are currently in the main summer harvest of the garden, and our grocery bills are feeling the impact (excellent). Mike also added the second rain barrel, so the water use is down too. We rarely eat a meal now that doesn't feature garden produce and had my in-laws, Bob and Gale, over for a birthday supper for Bob that featured all garden produce. I made a vegetable tray with beans, baby carrots, peas, zucchini, kohlrabi, and pepper. Mike made a spaghetti squash and roasted onion, potatoes and beets. We'd have had swish chard also, but we forgot it in the microwave, so we had to eat it the next morning. For desert we had a raspberry cheesecake. When that all comes out of the garden, it feels great. We sent the left-overs to Mike's grandma, Min, and she called to say they were yummy.

We are also eating snow peas, cucumber, edame beans, lettuce, beat leaves, all our spices and strawberries. I think we'll start corn, a few tomatoes, and apples next next week.

Your own organic fruit and veggies and fresh cut flowers are such a luxury. Mike and I often comment on how fresh picked food tastes - today the girls are having a sleep over and their friends just roamed through the yard tasting things and commenting how yummy everything was. Leora and Anwyn were super proud and named all the plants and pulled thing off for taste testing. Reminds me of Mike and I, but less obsessed. . .