Garden Report

We got home in time to seen the whole yard in bloom - peonies, poppies, roses, snapdragons...it was amazing. And what a welcome home. I ran right out and picked this bouquet.

The yard absolutely reeks of honeysuckle. So much that it's giving me a headache.

I didn't hack it back last year. It's like some great wooly beast on the fence. Unfortunately it has infiltrated too many beds and I've got my work cut out for me.

The strawberries were ready to be picked! I've been out twice since I picked these, another couple of baskets each time. This year I will be able to freeze a bunch. Rose made a lovely crumble over the weekend.

The sour cherries are starting to turn red. Got them netted yesterday. The blueberries are plumping up. I hope to get nets on them this weekend. The blackberries are just flowering. The grapes are flowering also. But I have plenty of time to invent a net frame for them. I don't think they'll be ready til late August.

All the radishes bolted, but other than that the vegetable garden looks fine. Peapods are forming, I harvested a handful yesterday. Shell peas are just starting to fill their pods. Tomatoes are flowering.

I had odds and ends of beans in my seed bins, so I put them all together. If they all come up, I'll have wax, purple, Romano and possibly a lima or 2. The rabbit ate a bunch. I replaced those with Romanos...my favorite.

The grass and weeds are out of control on the hill. Once I get the vegetables weeded and mulched I can tackle the ornamentals. I am using Neem on the roses this year. Seems to be helping with aphids and blackspot.

Got my hands full, but I'm full of energy this year, so I expect to whip it all into shape at some point!