Herb Spiral, Raised Beds, Flower Pots and More!

Spring is finally here and the work outside has begun!


Over the past week, we have been working on several projects...

• Built up the raised beds 
• planted potatoes
• planted two kinds of carrots
• planted leeks, and two kinds of onions
• 6 planters of flowers, herbs and kale (expanding our planting area to the driveway by using planters - also getting some annuals like Marigolds out into the yard and Poppies to the patio)
• planted two new blueberry and two strawberry plants
• planted 5 new grape vines
• added herbs (basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, dill) to the herb spiral (still waiting for the perennials to come up)

In the warm sun of the past few days we have found that all of our fruit trees and bushes have made it through the winter. The fruit bushes are already getting leaves! The bulb flowers: Daffodils, Crocus, and Tulips came up for the second year and where one Daffodil was, 5 came up. I am so happy they are doing well. Still on a search for a flower to come up after the early bulbs...

There is the ever present working with wood for the wood stove, spring cleaning and learning to cook with new and different ingredients. All fun. Learning how to balance life, writing in the blog, and actually being out of the house and in the yard more is my new quest. 

new strawberry and blueberry plants

working on the herb spiral/ rosemary on the top

working on the herb spiral

new herbs planted - alternating with perennials that are not up yet.

garden beds raised up higher 

Sunday morning visitors outside the front window

view from the house  - Spring 2013

2nd year for bulb flowers - new fence in the distance to keep Pippin out of the Sunchokes on the other side

One of the 6 new flower/herb pots throughout the yard

This time of year, time seems to slow down and a million little things get done.

On days like to day with a chicken slowly roasting in the oven, I put my coffee in a travel mug and work at a nice slow pace...

Everything gets done and there is time to sit and eat with family to rest and enjoy it. 

More...Plants!

With the addition of so many plants, we are starting to define paths.
When they are definite, I will be digging to put the pine path into the ground to
make walking level and stable. 

Last Thursday the plants we ordered from Permaculture Nursery  arrived and we spent Friday and Saturday digging, planting, watering, etc.  The care in packaging and shipping was outstanding, I felt like a little kid at Christmas...needless to say, we are very pleased with the plants. Some are still adjusting, but just today the Sea Kale lifted its leaves off the ground and the spinach vine is not wilting.

Plants!

After the unwrapping

Alpine Strawberry

Sea Kale

Hazelnut Hybrid (bush)

Kiwi Vines

Goumi

Tea Bush

Turkish Rocket

Clove Currant

Dwarf Comfrey

Building a new bed

Arugula, Sorrel, Ramps, Horseradish, and in
the back - Spinach Vine ( all Perennials )

Mint Root

Concord Grape 

Not pictured:  Jostaberry, Chinese Yam, Pink Champagne Currant and Russian Comfrey. 

The work involved this year installing the perennials is just about complete. The fruit trees, vines and bushes. Nut trees and bushes, perennial greens, etc.

What is next? We wait for everything to grow....

Corn and Sunflower bed is happily growing!