The vegetable garden was plowed and disked for the first time in 3 years
because the weeds had gotten out of hand, but I didn't get the seeds in
before the last few days of rain (was still raining today).

About half the summer garden will be an experiment to see what lavender best
likes my soil and what I like best (I have 6 or 7 named varieties), and
various flowers for cutting, and some melons for my BF. Since I discovered
that solanaceae do indeed worsen my arthritis, I will probably only get one
or two plants from Craig Lehoullier of the stuff I absolutely can't resist
(a dead ripe Sun Gold tomato IS candy isn't it?), but mostly, I hate going
to all that expense just to feed the bugs, so a few beans and cukes will do
it for me. My veggie garden normally only operates in fall and winter.

The so-called "winter blooming" sweet peas I planted in fall have suddenly
begun to grow and bloom. Not so good for winter after all, unless you have
a greenhouse, but they are now delighting my eyes and nose. Hot pink,
purple, and a burgundy and purple bicolor.

The iris are gorgeous and plentiful (thanks to this list) and an even
greater delight to the nose, and the rose bushes are doing great now that
several are two years old. Secret is a wonderfully fragrant HT, white with
a blush tip to the petals. I have a big one on each side of the front
steps. The others are purples and pinks. I have Icelandic poppies to plant
in the beds in front of the chicken house, since they won't tempt Mr Bun.
He is still living in the house having an eye infection treated though, and
is not a happy bun.

What would be colorful and tall (perennial would be nice) to grow out front
when the poppies succumb to the heat? The mice and bunny didn't bother the
salvia I had there last summer.

This year I am experimenting with peonies and some hollyhocks, and am
replacing the common orange roadside daylilies with pink and purple ones as
I find varieties that look good.

What are you guys up to?

This weekend is the second Plant Delights open house weekend.......

laurie (Mother Mastiff)