Bring on the Butterflies

My garden vision has always included a big butterfly bush in the corner. The first one was ordered from Burpee's catalogue, and I was in denial for weeks that it was DOA. Meanwhile, I kept searching the local nurseries for another one, and finally hit paydirt at the Gray Barn in Redmond. The tag says this color is "Royal Red," but it looks more like a pinkish purple.

Foxy

Here are the new Adirondack chairs posing in front of my volunteer foxglove. A few store bought cosmos are under the foxglove.

Little Green Tomatoes

The first tomatoes have appeared. This is "Beaverlodge Slicer," a new determinate variety from Territorial Seeds that I am trying for the first time. Territorial gives them a big sendup "Truly a great combination of earliness, size, productivity and quality." We shall see.

A Plethora of Peas

This is the best crop of snow peas ever! Planted February 22, so about 15 weeks to harvest.

Late afternoon sun hightlights the "potager" . . . leeks, bok choi, spinach, a tomato, and snow peas in the background.

Finally . . .

. . . it's starting to look like a real garden. So far we have planted: artichokes, two kinds of pole beans, two kinds of beets, carrots, leeks, elephant garlic, four kinds of lettuce, two kinds of mustard greens, bok choi, snow peas, dwarf sweet peas, five varieties of tomatoes, spinach, green onions, petunias, sunflowers and zinnias. Volunteer dill, calendulas and sunflowers are sprouting, and half a dozen Block Island beach roses are thriving in their pots. I need my new Adirondack chairs. And an umbrella for when it gets hot!

May Day Update

Stumpy the Squirrel raiding the bird feeder . . .
Bleeding heart in bloom in the front garden . . .

Potted Roma tomatoes and pansies on the front porch . . .

The spinach is ready and the snow peas are about 10" tall . . .

The red kale and parsley on the front porch are just about done for . . .