Friday, May 16, 2008

In the Very Merry Month of May

Can't believe it has been a month since I posted. It's been pretty busy around here with teaching crazy quilting and teaching the herb study program. I also hosted my soon-to-be DIL's shower, been babysitting grandkids and spending 10 hour days in the garden. Speaking of which....the 500 lavender plants we ordered arrived. Possum Creek Herbs did a fabulous job packing their beautiful, healthy plants. There were 14 boxes and I had started unpacking when I thought I should take pictures.


And here is a close up of some of the plants. They need to get acclimated to our northern climate (having come from TN) and we are still not past our last spring frost yet. Danny is working hard on getting the field ready for them. It will be a space 125 feet by 50 feet. In about 3 years, we should have blooming lavenders like crazy. I've grown several varieties the past few years, getting a feel for the hardiest ones. We are planting Munstead. That variety has been very hardy for us.

Here are some dwarf irises that are blooming today. They were a gift from a cq friend of mine, Boston Laura, who now lives in Seattle.
And our apple tree is blooming heavily. The rest in the mini orchard in the back are just putting on growth. The peach trees that I started from pits, given to me by a dear friend from Iowa, are getting bigger and should produce fruit this year.
Goldenseal is also blooming. As are Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Forget-me-nots, Sweet Cicely, and barberry. Lilacs are a little behind this year as it has been so cool and dry. But, they have tons of buds and should be opening up next week. Last week we also received our order from Raintree Nursery and planted out tayberries, currants, heirloom apple, more raspberries, a quince, medlar, a tall mountain huckleberry, another lingonberry, a filbert hedge, more rugosa roses and a few other goodies. Ah spring! I've already harvested violets and the first batch of nettles. Also got some arborvitae branches from what we trimmed to make room for the new deck off the sliding glass doors. This will be the entrance to our "herb room" where we will be able to sell some of our herbal products. We will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2-6 p.m. this year - May 27 through Labor Day.