The winter months are such a lovely time to plan and organize your garden for the year. As gardeners, this slow time gives us the opportunity to review last year’s garden, to plan for upcoming projects, and to decide what flowers, herbs, and vegetables we’ll grow this year. One thing that often gets overlooked when planning is the overwhelm that comes in the middle of the growing season. We getRead More →
I love planning… my goals, menus, daily activities, projects, and so much more. But my favorite thing to plan each year is my garden. I do this long before the first crocus or daffodil pokes its head out of the ground. Winter is the perfect time to think about your garden for the upcoming gardening season. How about you? Do you enjoy planning your garden for the year? Planning involvesRead More →
On the horizon, there was a massive splash as the whale breached the bay. What a magnificent sight! This was one of the amazing things we saw on our summer vacation. My husband and I seldom go on vacation during the summer months because there’s so much to do during the garden season. But this year, we joined our children and grandchildren on a cruise to Alaska. There were manyRead More →
Take a stroll around your garden, and what do you see? Is everything looking good or are you feeling a little behind? I’m feeling a lot behind this year. I missed most of the early gardening season in April because my mom had surgery and I needed to travel out of state to help her. Immediately after that, my husband had surgery. So I was gone during the crucial springRead More →
Growing perennials is one of the easiest ways to keep the flowers coming all season long. Once planted, they continue to provide blooms year-after-year. It’s so rewarding to plant once and get an annual supply of beautiful blooms. While the reward for growing perennials is regular blooms without having to replant, there’s still work associated with those plants. One of those important jobs is getting your perennials ready for theRead More →
As a new gardener, I didn’t really understand why my garden beds needed some early spring attention. I thought all I needed to do was to dig a hole and stick the plant in the ground. But then I couldn’t figure out why my tomatoes, zinnias, and basil didn’t do very well. Today, as a seasoned gardener, I now understand why my plants failed. The soil needed some care toRead More →
I used to think that once the garden was created, all it took was maintenance to keep it looking good. And then I became a gardener. 🤣 Once you’re actually gardening, you realize that the garden is never finished. There are always new plants to add and old plants to remove. You want to create new garden beds and refresh the old. Trees grow too large for the area andRead More →
Once the first hard frost of the season hits, it’s time to wrap up your garden for the year. There’re many things that need to be dealt with, such as putting tools and hoses away, winterizing your irrigation pipes, removing dead plants, and raking leaves. The last thing you think about in the fall is preparing your garden for next year. But there are things you can do now toRead More →
The calendar says that it’s still summer. Dahlias are blooming and tomatoes are ripe for the picking. But the garden is out of control. Weeds have taken over many of the garden beds. Keeping up with the produce has become an agonizing task. And the motivation to deadhead plants has gone by the wayside. I chalk this situation up to our new puppy, Gunny. Every time I work on theRead More →
It’s the season of wind in eastern Washington. While we get wind most seasons of the year, spring is often the worst. You can recognize the signs of a windy area by looking at the plants. Trees lean in one direction if not supported. Plants take on a beaten look and many plants will flop over. In order to have a beautiful floral show this garden season, something needs toRead More →