Last Summer's Garden
It started 3 years ago when we planted rose bushes in our back yard. Some of them did not make it because disease or insect infestation. It was disheartening, but we decided not to quit and became self-educated gardeners, buying additional plants each year as our garden grew more healthy and colorful. One day my husband decided to build some vegetable garden boxes and birdhouses and of course he had to buy the tools to build his projects. Using 2 x 4's he built 3 garden boxes for the vegetables and 3 trellises for the flower garden and they turned out great!
We bought flowering vines and grape vines for the trellises from the State Farmer's Market. During the spring season after planting them, the flowering Clematis vines had tiny yellow blooms, that along with our butterfly bushes caught the attention of some hummingbirds who now bless us with their presence every year. Every winter they migrates down south and we look forward to their colorful return. They enjoy hanging out around the Clematis, Zinnias, butterfly bushes and hummingbird feeders. They are getting used to our presence and even allow us to get close enough for me to take some good snap shots. I really enjoy being around them; they are so tiny and fragile looking.
In my vegetable garden, I also experiment growing vegetables from seeds, which has been quite successful. I also have 2 lemon trees and some new apple seedlings that I grew from seeds. The lemon trees are now 4 ft tall and the apple seedlings are still in their pots until they get big enough to transplant. We also have larger apple tree in the back yard that is now starting to bear fruit.
Last year, I tried growing purple potatoes from some leftover cuttings. I stuck the potato in the soil; the vines and purple flowers quickly dominated the whole garden box and started to climb up the adjacent fence. I had to cut the vines back several times to keep them under control. We really didn't think we would have much success, but to our great surprise, in the fall, we pulled about 25-30 purple potatoes!
My hubby and I have found gardening to be an enjoyable hobby. Sometimes we drive to the State Farmer's Market and browse at what's available; new plants and ideas to add to our ever expanding gardener's landscape. We also discovered a large nursery with literally acres of different plants outside Angier, NC; and the prices are great. It's like browsing for sales at the shopping mall. I guess, when you are addicted to gardening, you consider such a large nursery as a mall for every plant lovers.
Planting is also therapeutic and is good for your health. It is a way for us to leave the cares of the world behind, if even for a short while. I don't know how many calories you can burn pulling weeds and mowing the grass, but my husband finds it enjoyable. He spends hours working in the yard. But the end results of his work is having a nice and luscious lawn and garden.
Ultimately, we see the fruits or should I say "vegetables" of our labor when we harvest our bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, and zucchinis and add their fresh taste to our meals. It does give you great satisfaction to eat a home cooked meal made with your own home grown vegetables.
This year, if we can't eat all of the veggies we grow, I'll share them with my neighbors.😊
We bought flowering vines and grape vines for the trellises from the State Farmer's Market. During the spring season after planting them, the flowering Clematis vines had tiny yellow blooms, that along with our butterfly bushes caught the attention of some hummingbirds who now bless us with their presence every year. Every winter they migrates down south and we look forward to their colorful return. They enjoy hanging out around the Clematis, Zinnias, butterfly bushes and hummingbird feeders. They are getting used to our presence and even allow us to get close enough for me to take some good snap shots. I really enjoy being around them; they are so tiny and fragile looking.
In my vegetable garden, I also experiment growing vegetables from seeds, which has been quite successful. I also have 2 lemon trees and some new apple seedlings that I grew from seeds. The lemon trees are now 4 ft tall and the apple seedlings are still in their pots until they get big enough to transplant. We also have larger apple tree in the back yard that is now starting to bear fruit.
Last year, I tried growing purple potatoes from some leftover cuttings. I stuck the potato in the soil; the vines and purple flowers quickly dominated the whole garden box and started to climb up the adjacent fence. I had to cut the vines back several times to keep them under control. We really didn't think we would have much success, but to our great surprise, in the fall, we pulled about 25-30 purple potatoes!
My hubby and I have found gardening to be an enjoyable hobby. Sometimes we drive to the State Farmer's Market and browse at what's available; new plants and ideas to add to our ever expanding gardener's landscape. We also discovered a large nursery with literally acres of different plants outside Angier, NC; and the prices are great. It's like browsing for sales at the shopping mall. I guess, when you are addicted to gardening, you consider such a large nursery as a mall for every plant lovers.
Ultimately, we see the fruits or should I say "vegetables" of our labor when we harvest our bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, and zucchinis and add their fresh taste to our meals. It does give you great satisfaction to eat a home cooked meal made with your own home grown vegetables.
This year, if we can't eat all of the veggies we grow, I'll share them with my neighbors.😊
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