Dear Carol, Mary Ann and all of our friends,
Good Morning Sunshines!
That’s how my mother would greet me nearly every school day. I, not a morning person, found her greeting disingenuous, but I’m reminded of it as I watch the sun spread his rosy fingers over the landscape outside my window.
Another day begun. Another chance to get outside and garden.
This week sizzled lightning fast because there was so much to do. I planted part of the potager with cold weather veggies: red swiss chard, red cabbage, green cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and collard greens. In Oklahoma, with our early onset of warm weather, these must either be started inside, or bought as plants. I noticed several nurseries still had plenty of potatoes, onion sets and early spring vegetable plants. Why not get some for your own garden space?
I also planted some herbs around the edge: lemon thyme, rosemary, flat leaf parsley and regular chives. I will NOT be planting any Allium tuberosum (garlic or Chinese chives). I once bought one plant a hundred years ago, and they’ve gone forth and multiplied everywhere. The only cure is to dig them, and their roots are very deep. Unfortunately, they now migrated into the pasture where they continue their march on tangled, fibrous roots. We mow them regularly to keep them from setting seed. To the man who sold them to me, I would like to . . . well, I better not say.
In the other potager bed, the purple onion sets are starting to break ground along with the pak choy. In the back garden, I thinned the turnip greens and the radishes. I also noticed the Alaska shelling peas are about an inch high.
HH and I drove about an hour to Yukon last Saturday searching for the fountain to be placed in the center of the potager. We found it, and it’s not blue, but instead red with a splash of yellow. The color just called to me, so out with the old idea and in with the new. I think I’ll put blue Indonesian river rock around the bottom.
I also bought a large container which, at first, I was going to use as a basin, but now, I’ve changed my mind. Instead, I’ll place it at a corner of the garden and put something else in it. Around the bottom of the fountain at the edges, I think ‘Gold Mound’ lantana should grow to highlight the splash of gold around the urn’s rim. After writing this, I went outside, and I now like the basin if the urn is lifted upward with stone. I’ll think on it some more.
It’s okay to change one’s mind. Still waiting on the grasses to plant at the edges of the garden to soften the hardscape.
For everyone in Oklahoma, it’s still too early to plant tomatoes. Just wait. I know it’s hard, but they don’t like cold nights. In a week or two, you can set them out. Hang in there. It is time to feed your roses which I’ll be doing later this week. I still have a few to prune.
This week is also a busy one culminating in Easter. Hope you’re getting started in your gardens. Write and let me know how spring is treating you.
Blue fountains are cool, Dee – but it’s easier to imagine the red one standing as leader in the potager, giving a good example to the tomatoes ;-]
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
.-= Annie in Austin´s last blog ..A New Song for Wildflower Time! =-.
Love your new red fountain!
.-= Pam/Digging´s last blog ..Aloes rocket into bloom =-.
Your potager is looking fabulous. So much joy!
That fountain is spectacular! Your potager is coming along nicely, can’t wait to see it progress through the seasons.
Have a blessed Easter!
Dee, What a lot you have accomplished already! We inhabit the same country, but two different worlds — I have hardly begun the spring tasks in these cold, wet, windy mountains. I admire your good taste! Pamela
.-= Pam’s English Garden´s last blog ..Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Bees to your Backyard =-.
Pam, it is one big country. That’s for sure. I hope your mountains warm up soon and we get to see all of your wildflowers.~~Dee
Makes me want to get out and garden. Still too wet here but we just got 8 baby chicks and I have plans for building a green house this summer. Love your photos!
Jamie, those are lovely plans. We love our chickens and now, we have a bunny too.~~Dee
Love, LOVE the color of the urn!! Was finally wonderful to have a day worthy of planting in last week!! The onion plants are beautiful, and also planted beets and bright lights swiss chard–both new to my garden. Have planted the tomato and pepper plants twice in flats–finally they are coming up–better late than never. Such fun to see the enthusiasm of other gardeners! Enjoy!
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..Toothless =-.
Melanie, it sounds like you are on your way to a great spring garden. Keep on planting.~~Dee
Dee,
Love all that you have done! Very inspiring and beautiful. You not only write with words but with pictures. We have started to get our garden ready, but have a way to go.
Thank you so much Dana. It takes a long time to really make a garden doesn’t it?~~Dee
Dee, that was an excellent choice of pots. I like the drama it provides.
.-= Cindy, MCOK´s last blog ..Southern Charm =-.
Cindy, thank you. Your opinion means so much to me.~~Dee
I agree with everyone else, that urn is going to be a beautiful focal point in your potager. It is nice to make a garden look beautiful, even one where we grow vegetables.
We won’t be planting tomatoes for nearly 6 – 8 more weeks, depending on how spring turns out… I decided in mid-May if I should plant then or wait until closer to Memorial Day.
.-= Carol, May Dreams Gardens´s last blog ..Letters to Gardening Friends: March 29, 2010 =-.
I agree with you, Carol, beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, but beauty for me is this. I love a place where I can grow veggies and make them look lovely too.~~Dee
The potager is looking so nice. I love the urn, and can’t wait to see what you decide about the basin. I hope you show us how it all goes together when you are done.
.-= Jenny B´s last blog ..Double Duty =-.
I absolutely will Jenny. Thanks for the kind words.~~Dee
Dee,
Love the narcissus.
But here’s the question — what and how often do you feed roses?
Janell
.-= Janell West´s last blog ..Never on Sundays =-.
Janell, although many rose fertilizers state you should feed roses monthly, I don’t believe this is good for the plants. It encourages too much growth, and I think attracts bad insects. My soil is really good from all the mulch and compost, so I only feed mine once a season with a good organic rose food.~~Dee
I love the urn! Fantastic color.
.-= Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..A Wildflower for All Seasons: Wildflower Wednesday =-.
I need to get my poppies planted this week. I’ve already waited longer than I should. Thought maybe I’d put in some lettuce and maybe chard. If it’s too cold, I’ll have to replant later.
Love your fountain. What a wonderful color. It will be lovely with gold surrounding it.
Marnie
Dee, The pot color is wonderful~~It’s good to listen to what calls to us, so often we have our list and stick to it! The color is so vibrant and passionate and I can just see the basin~~it’s good looking, too! gail
.-= Gail´s last blog ..Oh, To Be In Malvern =-.
I love the pot. It compliments your pavers nicely. Sounds like you will have lots to share from your pretty potager. Wish I lived closer. H.
Dee:
Your potager looks delightful, and I love the dynamic red vase. It’ll make a wonderful fountain.
Personally, I really like eating cold-weather vegetables packed with all those nutrients. Right now, I’ve got a wide variety of greens (from kales to Forellenschluss lettuce) growing in my zone 6B garden, not to mention radishes, brussels sprouts and hopefully peas. Even in early-spring, it’s nice to know we can still grow vegetables in the garden. Right?
Enjoy the start to your spring! Best, Teresa
Hi Teresa, and thanks for the thumbs up on the vase. It was a risky color venture for me. I forgot that I also have kale down in the lower garden and lots and lots of lettuce seeds planted, along with spinach. Thanks for the reminder. Yes, early spring veggies are a wonderful thing. Let’s hope spring hangs on in Oklahoma this year.~~Dee