Today's Harvest

We've been shelling peas like mad today. I put these in the freezer on a piece of parchment. Did you knowI Love to Cook at Kitchen Kneads has parchment precut for cookie sheets? My husband went and bought us pizza. Maybe that defies the purpose of gardening which is healthy eating. But it made it possible to get more done. We found out Pizza Plus has a gluten free crust so that was nice. The cheese might do me in. It seems like my milk allergy is getting worse. 

I picked a head of broccoli and some green onions today. I can't wait to eat them! And I pruned the tomato plants too. I got rid of all the leaves and branches touching the ground. They are just reaching the tops of the cages and just starting to bloom. 

Time to thin carrots

I let the carrots grow up a little bigger than normal because I have a difficult time just throwing away the thinned carrots. This way, my parrots get a tasty treat and I don't have a lot of waste. My daughter broke the tops off and they went into the garden, right now as mulch but eventually they'll make great compost. 

I did save the biggest carrots for me, because who doesn't love carrots. Little finger carrots are not as bitter as other carrots when they are small. 

After running them through the food processor, I gave some to Kiwi and Mambo right away and the rest I put in these small bags and they'll go in the freezer right away. 

Close up look at the plants in my garden

orange asiatic lillies

 hostas - on the north side of the house

I received 20 new day lilies for Mother's Day - these are the large orange type with blooms larger than 5" wide.  It will take a few years to fill in but I plan on really fertilizing this area more this year and adding some humate to break up the clay.

I planted 3 of these asiatic lilies last year.  I bought them on clearance at Walmart and now I am surprised to see so many plants already.

The clematis is really growing up the drain pipe this year and covering the sprinkler box.

I planted 2 new Dwarf Burning Bush - which grow really well on the side and west side of the house.  They can handle the sun.  They look so small compared to the Purple Salvia.  But I've already noticed a difference in the shade in the basement window.

Red day lilies - these only get 18" tall and the blooms are smaller - perfect closer to the edge.

This sedum is looking great and will have the prettiest blooms soon.

The echinacea has all sprouted and they will bloom mid- summer.  I love how the plants are starting to rotate fairly well, with something always in bloom.

A lone yellow columbine

And we are seeing a few yellow day lilies starting to appear along the driveway.

Vole damage is healing

After a serious power raking, three large bags of Natural Guard (humate), and some fertilizer high in iron the VOLE damage is starting to heal.  This doesn't even begin to show how bad it was.  There is a large spot out from that had to be re-seeded.

Again, you can see the lake from up here.  Kind of take my mind off the vole damage - somewhat.

Up here it's really looking better!

The flowers are growing well too

a light pink clematis

purple columbine  - I love the white centers against the dark purple

English daisy

 No idea what this ground cover is but it's cool

This bit of flox blooms later than my other flox and it's a richer pink too.

fringed parrot tulips out front 

I can't remember what this is called but I once knew the name

the last of my lavender flox 

My deep red parrot tulips are still in bloom out back - the benefit of living on a hillside

snow drop anemone 

something from the wildflower seed mix.  

wine and roses wigela - this is a bush and it is filling in a little better this year.

yellow columbine - this one is a little out of control now - arg

Out in the garden my vegetables are growing like crazy

It's amazing what a little heat will do.  I'm certain it's going to be a hot summer.

The jade bush beans are growing well.  One row this year verses 5.  I still have plenty canned.  This year I am trying to grow corn again.  It's been 3 years. We'll see if the wind blows them over this year or blows away the pollen before it has a chance to fall on the silks.

I LOVE the view from my garden.  Can you see the lake?  I'm enjoying it right now until someone builds.

Squash and lemon cucumbers.

My heirloom tomatoes look great for this early in the season! I usually don't take the walls of water off yet but they'd burn up this year if I didn't.

my trees

This is a photo of a peach in the teeny tiny baby stage.  It's just wonderful to see peaches actually growing again this year. It's an Early Elberta peach since I know some of you will ask.

These are baby apples from my gala apple tree.  I haven't thinned them yet.  They haven't been sprayed  so I don't know if I will expend the effort. Growing apples is new to me.  I would like to try some organic methods.  After having had cancer, traditional pesticides worry me.

Braeburn apple tree - no apples this year.

 A few more gala apples

 And one of 2 crab apples out front.

Alliums

My Alliums are just starting to lose their petals but they are still really pretty.  Those on the west side of the house are the largest.  Maybe it's the fertilizer I added for the burning bushes or maybe its the heat.