Dear Carol, Mary Ann and all those who walk in the garden way,
This time of year, the sun is all smiles for the garden. In spite of the twelve inch in twenty-four hours rain, I discovered my plants were still thirsty a few days after especially in the front garden. After some investigation, I realized the rain washed all of the mulch away leaving a topsoil of mostly sand. Odd occurrence, and I made a note to replace leaf mold and pine bark mulch in a day or two.
I was watching Oklahoma Gardening this morning via the techno wonder of DVR, and I noticed OSU is testing Eastern redcedar mulch. If it works, it may be the solution to our Juniperis virginiana invasion. Let’s hope it works.
About the vegetable garden, I’m all smiles. I’m staying ahead of the squash bugs (barely), and I’ve eaten green beans, peppers and eggplant.
I have a tomato!!!! Actually I have three. I harvested the first, ‘Whopper’, last week as it was turning. It is now a fleshy red, and I can’t wait to consume it this evening. Saturday, I picked two ripe ‘Arkansas Traveler’ tomatoes. They are small, but full of flavor. I’ve never had tomatoes so early before. Remember last year when I couldn’t grow a tomato to save my life?
A sad story about our chickens. We have a raccoon problem, and we’ve plugged every hole and reinforced all the wire with sterner stuff. A trap is also set up in the barn for this terrible scavenger. One of the reasons I hate raccoons so much is they attack at night when the chickens are sleeping and completely defenseless. I know other predators do too, but the raccoons are just sneakier and won’t quit until they’ve killed every chicken. We’ve lost eight chickens as of last count, but no chickens were lost the previous two nights. It’s maddening, but we’ll catch him or her.
The daylilies are blooming their fool heads off, and Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ is attracting pollinators like mad. More about that later. However, if you live in Oklahoma, TLC Nursery has small plants of the new Invincibelle™ Spirit for a very good price. It’s the pink ‘Annabelle’. I have two small ones.
I have a post at the Lowe’s blog about focal points today if you want to take a look see. You can get a better look at my chairs which I painted French Blue according to Gail.
Love you all,
Just as I remember your beautiful garden. I think the french blue chairs are perfect. They do draw one’s eye toward the distance with their striking color. Yo have so convinced me that Annabelle is perfect for my garden~he big luscious blooms are very nice, but the pollinators stopping by tipped the scale in her favor! gail
I forgot to mention that I hope you get those rascals that are killing your chickens. I am getting mad about it too!
Kelly
I love the chairs but what I really would like is a bite of that t’mater! I can hardly wait until ours get ripe!
As always I enjoy your blog.
Kelly
I absolutely love, love, love the French Blue color in the garden – I need it in my garden decor too. Your garden looks so lovely and lush and the Victorian Lace daylily is so beautiful. Looks like a purple ribbon to me 🙂 I also would love to have an Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea, but don’t want it to sit in the shade on the front sidewalk until fall. (Like the poor Peppermint Twist Garden Phlox from Lowe’s that’s there now.) Normally I wouldn’t say where it’s from, but since you have a blog there – here’s a plug for them.
Love those chairs! Quite a focal point. Sadly, our spring/summer tomato season is almost over! Of course, there will be many more to be had at the farmers’ market but the heat and lack of rain have turned my plants into sad little things. A few more tomatoes to ripen and then that’s it.
Look forward to seeing you soon in Buffalo!
Can’t wait to see you too. Not long now.~~Dee
Hi Dee! What a lovely garden you have! I like your blue chairs too – have a great day!
Thank you Heather.~~Dee
Oooh, that opening shot is so inviting, Dee! The color is so eye catching and the surrounding garden looks lush and cooling even if your temps are through the roof. Hooray for fresh tomatoes, we had a ripe on on our return as well. Things seem ahead of schedule here and we cannot buy rain. Looks like I am joining in the letter to gardeners here! 🙂 Looking forward to seeing you all again soon! 🙂
Thank you Frances. I’m glad you think it looks inviting and cool.~~Dee
I love the blue chairs, too, and can’t believe you have a ripe tomato already! No fair! I probably won’t have one for another month or so!
Thanks Carol. I ate that tomato at lunch, and it was really good.~~Dee
Your garden is beautiful. LOVE the color of the chairs.
I planted arkansas traveler tomatoes too for the first time..not fruiting yet in my garden in MA yet
happy day!
Thanks Marcia. I think you’ll like the traveler.~~Dee
You should get your shot gun out and take care of those racoons. It isn’t nice of them to eat your chickens. That tomato looks delicious. Your chairs really stand out with that blue paint on them. I like it. They look so inviting.
We’re definitely trying, but so far, no success.~~Dee
You picked a great color for your chairs. I have green tomatoes which are ahead of schedule for this area. Can’t wait. Victorian Lace is lovely.
Sorry to hear about the chickens. Hope your fence patches keep the raccoon out.
Marnie
Thank you Marnie. I really like them. ‘Victorian Lace’ is one of the best daylilies I own.~~Dee
Love dropping in for a good visit and I LOVE your new French blue chairs.
All joys,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Thank you Sharon Dear.~~Dee
I spotted the blue chairs before I read the post. They look great.
Man, those coons. They are too smart. Hope you catch them (likely more than one) soon.
Enjoy the tomato!
I did. It was very, very good.~~Dee
I don’t have chickens here for just that reason; way too many predators. Have wanted them for 25 years, but even now that I am around fulltime, working from home etc., I just couldn’t face the bloodbath I know would results. (I guess that means I am a chicken, tee hee, or at least very squeamish.)
Hope you are well; sounds like the skies are looking better.
Yes, we’re all blue skies now.~~Dee