Monday, March 26, 2012

Spring Has Arrived

Well it is that time of year again. Time to think of the garden. I wish I could say that I was a good gardener but I most definitely am not. I have yet to have a thriving garden and in those years when it seemed the garden was doing well, I had to travel so often or for too long without anyone who was able to keep the garden properly watered and thriving. I did have someone look after the garden but they didn't have any better green thumb than I do.

Also, last year I didn't even clean the garden or plant it.  A friend of mine cleared all the dead leaves and plants and my brother planted the garden with various seeds and starter plants I bought. The birds unfortunately demolished and ate everything that did grow. It seemed they were rather more destructive last year than any other year. I'm not sure why.  Though I didn't get to eat anything from the garden, I am glad that at least the birds got what they need.  This year I will try again but I hope to eat the fruit of the labour.

I have my little kitchen compost ready so I can store vegetable and fruit scraps in there before it gets added to the larger compost bin on the patio.


The kitchen compost pail. I've used other pails, like old ice cream pails and coffee cans but they didn't keep the odours contained.

The patio composter.

I will have to buy a few perennial flowering plants.  Other than that I will primarily plant vegetables.  I will also have to use some kind of netting to protect the seeds and plants from being eaten before they have a chance to grow.

These are supposed to be some kind of spring flowers. I haven't actually "tidied up" the garden this Spring as it has been too cold but I hope to do it soon.

This is a poppy plant. The other one is a bit spindly. I love poppies. One year I planted a blue one. It didn't do well. I understand they are hard to grow.  Even the experts will tell you that but I tried to grow one anyway. I'm ever the OPTIMIST! The ones I have in the garden are red. I've only ever seen a blue one in the garden shop once. Maybe some day I will find one again. Hopefully by then I will have a more experienced "thumb".

 This past weekend of sunshine finally brought out the tree blossoms.
 
I always love tree blossoms. They are fleeting in their beauty. The moments of their bloom pass so quickly that if you waste time getting out to enjoy them, you may miss out altogether!

A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
Song of Solomon 4:12

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46 comments:

A Colorful World said...

Good luck with your garden this year! Have you thought about planting in raised beds to keep rabbits out? Or do you mostly have problems with the birds?

I just put my compost material in a plastic bag then carry it out to the heap every day to two days, shovel it around, and am having a lot of success with it in this AZ sun! Beautiful flowering trees, by the way!

Cathy said...

Great garden! (:

Check out & follow my blog? (:
onceuponasprinkle.blogspot.com

Sylvia K said...

Spring has definitely arrived! Lovely garden and lovely captures! Hope you have a great week!

Sylvia

Beth Zimmerman said...

Wishing you blessings on your garden! I have a decidedly black thumb. Combined with severe allergies ... I just stay inside most of the time!

Maude Lynn said...

Good luck with the garden!

Denise said...

Praying you will have a lovely garden this year.

Indrani said...

Lovely captures, like a spray of colors.

momto8 said...

I can't wait to get in my garden!!! my spring seeds were planted last week...sprouting this week.

Vores have said...

Hello Joyful.
Beautiful tree full of flowers you are displaying.
Even if you do not have "green fingers" that it's great to see something sprout and grow.
Wishing you a good Tuesday.
Hugs Hanne Bente

Joyful said...

thank you for the well wishes with my garden. I would so love to have a nice garden :-) I mostly have trouble with birds and squirrels, not rabbits.

Joyful said...

Thanks, Cathy. I will follow you and I hope you follow me back! Please visit again soon, he he.

Joyful said...

Sylvia, I think you and I are getting Spring at the same time. Isn't it lovely? Have a wonderful week too!

Joyful said...

Hi Beth, I've never heard of a black thumb. That says it all. I am not exactly that but I could do with some improvement in the gardening area. I tend to do better with household plants but my current home is normally too cold for them and a northern exposure doesn't help. Come to think of it that is probably the problem with my garden too!

Joyful said...

Thanks so much, Mama Zen!

Joyful said...

That's sweet of you, Denise. I'm going to put this down as a prayer request of myself. I'll record it in my new notebook which I'll feature in next post :-) Blessings.xx

Joyful said...

Thank you, Indrani.

Joyful said...

I can tell you are excited, he he. Enjoy!

Joyful said...

Hello Hanne, you are so right. It is great to see something sprout and grow even if it is only on the sidewalk and not at my home. I love all growing things :-) Knus, Joyful

JDC said...

Cherry blossoms always bring a smile to my face.

Joyful said...

Me too! Thanks for dropping by. Good luck in the new job.

Lonicera said...

I tried the blue poppy too - Himalayan Poppy they call it here. I even surrounded it with lots of acid soil to keep it blue, and although it flowered briefly and looked gorgeous, it never survived. Perhaps if we tried in its own pot with acid soil? I do love blue flowers.
Caroline

OneStonedCrow said...

hehehe ... when I read the title of this post an image popped into my mind - I recalled a Charlie Brown cartoon where Snoopy is dancing about with a yellow daisy in his mouth - "Spring Is In The Air!"

Unknown said...

the flowering tree is beautiful! spring is the season for gardeners--all the best to you!

A Colorful World said...

Thank you so much for stopping by my quilt blog also and commenting!

Unknown said...

The blooming tree is beautiful, Joyful!

Saucy Siciliana said...

What beautiful pictures! You know a lot about gardening, I don't have a green thumb at all. I can barely grow a basil plant on the balcony!

Joyful said...

We share the love of blue :-) You might be on to an idea about a potted poppy but first I have to find some seeds.

Joyful said...

hehe...that's cute. I used to watch Charlie Brown and Snoopy but I'm afraid I don't recall specific scenes or episodes. The one you recall is perfect as I do a happy dance come Spring ;-)

Joyful said...

Thank you. Happy Spring to you :-)

Joyful said...

You're welcome ;-)

Joyful said...

So glad you like it!

Joyful said...

Thank you, Francesca. I'm afraid I have only a little knowledge and the gardening doesn't come naturally. I will keep working on it, lol. Growing herbs in pots is a good way to get started.

Fred Alton said...

Congratulations on choosing to garden this year. I may (or may not) set out three or four tomato plants. I have so little strength these days - and that is only about 8 or 10 days out of the month. It is great to see that one of my apple trees is loaded with blooms already. I hope we don't have more severely cold weather which could kill the blooms resulting in no apples...which is what happened last year. This year's weather is so totally strange. We are in the high 70s and low 80s this week. It's going to be difficult to know when to plant.

Powell River Books said...

It is nice to get a bit of sun, even though it doesn't seem to want to stick around. I opened up my compost pile from the fall and was pleasantly surprised. I dug a big hole, filled it with my garden clippings and used some Rot-It to help it work faster. All my sticks and stems were all decomposed. Now I can use the soil for my potato patch. Thanks for coming to visit my post about daffodils in the Skagit Valley. It is a fun drive, especially when the tulips are in bloom. So far, none were in sight. But I actually prefer the daffodils myself. - Margy

alicesg said...

Lovely to see flowers bloom again in spring.

Brenda Green said...

Penny,
If I was there, I would help you. I like to clean up old plants and stuff, and I would even help you plant, though I don't have a very good green thumb, and most everything that I try to grow dies. so may God bless you with energy, netting and a green thumb. Hugs, me

Joyful said...

Hi Fred, I'm so sorry to hear your strength is weakened but I certainly understand it. Even at my age my strength has diminished so much in the recent years. I will continue to keep you on my prayer list. If you can they have these tomatoes that are already planted in hanging "baskets". Those might work for you as they won't require any work other than watering and hanging them up somewhere. I wish I could keep some but I can't poke holes in the condo walls due to rain issues. You're right about the weather being so different. Our Spring is later than usual.

Joyful said...

It is nice indeed to have sun if only for a few days. It makes quite a difference in mood, energy and in the growth of plants. I haven't heard of Rot-It. I will see if I can remember to look for it. I realized after reading your comment that I was looking at daffodils, not tulips, lol. Must be an aging moment. I like any fresh flower. They are all so pretty.

Joyful said...

For sure, Alice....so lovely!

Joyful said...

Brenda, you are a sweet friend. Thank you for your kind thoughts. Just having the task of planting should be good as it keeps me occupied with "nice" things. I just need to make sure I pace myself and not try to do everything all at once.

Carver said...

I love seeing the spring trees with their beautiful blossoms.

Pat said...

Well, I'm glad to read that you are persevering in having a garden. Anti-bird netting works pretty well. You'll enjoy your home-grown vegetables immensely!

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

Our Garden is in planters. We are thankful for just a few plants.

Joyful said...

Me too! It's always my favourite time of year.

Joyful said...

I must persevere. I should be able to grow something for the household and not just the birds, lol.

Joyful said...

Great, Heidi. It is always nice to have some greenery. I love planters but I don't have any myself. Some day perhaps.

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