Hillside Rose

The wild rose brambles in our hillside are just starting to bloom. They were lovely with raindrops on them last night. These are from the nice evening tonight.

New "Old" Garden Plan

Next stage garden planning! But I only did a lumber order for 6 beds.  However, I like the idea of the center herb/flower/lilac bed.  My colleagues gave me a Korean lilac that is quite fragrant.  Ha - sabbatical Excel work!  This is the space of the garden-past.  Too much improved soil there to let go unused.

Getting Started Resources

When I started vegetable gardening in the cool NW (Kent WA),  these become my go-to books on growing and using vegetables.  Then I added the seed starter book to help know which seeds needed light or dark or warm bottoms etc.  The first book is from Seattle Tilth, a great resource of classes and demo garden, now part of the Tilth Alliance. http://www.tilthalliance.org/ 

I also discovered UK vegetable blogs (and created this garden journal blog). I appreciated seeing others' garden and allotment plans, tips and stories. Then met up with the Seattle Area Garden Bloggers United to Talk (SAGBUTT).   So if you are starting out, a little reading, some climate-similar friends online or in person and diving (digging) in is a great start.  Let’s stay in contact too!   

Petunia and the Bees

Had a Petunia (the snake(s)) siting today, in the old garden space!  I hope she finds the new garden just past the old spot.  

I’m watching mason bee behavior as I’m trying to switch out of old lodgings to more maintainable habitats that can help prevent harmful bee parasites/predators.   It helps to have this wonderful covered area off the barn. 

Garden progress

The tomatoes have been pleased with the little coverings, have reached the top and are flowering.  However, they may have preferred if I flipped the top of the cover back over them for these past few cool days.  For certain seedlings, I’ve added anti-slug wire fences as recommended by my neighbor. Sunflower seedlings are planted in the flower/herb/perennial bed. The rain was helpful and now some sunnier days would be most welcome!

Bird Business

We repaired the broken arm on the bird feeder pole.  It now has an anti-squirrel slinky addition.  The pole has a big round base which makes it movable.  It was a stand I found at Boeing Surplus years ago and had been excellent for this bird purpose.  Check that off the long fix-it list!   The birds seem to like using the old birdbath base as one of their social distancing waiting spots for busy times at the feeder.