News from the garden

I can honestly say I was not ready to come home but did enjoy a full day of working outside yesterday (Sunday).  I was so pleased to see that all the plants in my front flower bed were up and looking very nice in their "fresh" spring green colors.  My roses (which had been treated mid-winter w/ some of my homecooked compost) were going gangbusters and have several buds already and show no signs of the disease that had been bothering the leaves w/ brown spots for the last 2 years.

In the backyard the carrots, spinach, radish & peas were all sprouted and looking very nice.  All of my new flower plantings had survived the week of neglect.  I am thrilled w/ the auto-timer and drip hose that I set up.

On Sunday Nat & I finished direct sowing the seeds (cukes, lettuce and beans) and bought our basil, tomatoes & peppers.  I was bored silly with the selection available so will probably need to venture to a snazzier greenhouse for some heirloom varieties and definitely want a few eggplant seedlings as well. 

On the downside I found 2 black widow spiders setting up house in the boards along the veggie bed.  I squashed them both.  On the upside I have already seen several butterflies in the yard so I think our plantings are an instant success. 

With regard to Backyard Revamp Stage II - we're in progress!  I cannot bother to deal with photo's right now with the looming vacation photo pile to sift thru but will get to it soon (I think).  Yesterday I also bought 4 hosta and 4 vinca and planted them around the swingset.  I got the adirondack chairs all cleaned up and bought some green paint.  They should be dry enough to paint today but I doubt I'll get to it until next weekend.  I also transplanted a tree (forgotten variety but perhaps a heat tolerant lilac) from a spot near the porch to near the swingset and a crabapple.  It looked droopy yesterday but I watered the heck out of it and am hoping it survives.