Dear Garden Diary,

It's raining right on cue. I just came in from the balcony, where I've been leaning against the railing drawing this:

It's been threatening to rain all morning, and I want it to settle all the earth I've been moving around.

The empty space left after removing the two enormous and overgrown irises is a little larger than before. The leaves which had branched over the grass had killed it off, and by the time I weeded the space this morning it all just seemed to blend together. The bed rolls out into the yard a bit further than it used to but I don't mind, I like the extra space.

A good number of irises are going back in, but this time in a few rows around the facing side of the Wegeila (Red Prince) shrub. I like them, there were just too, too many of them. Somewhere near there should the the Asiatic Lilies ~ but I'm beginning to fear for them. Why am I not seeing them return yet? Alos near them is another Liatris which hasn't shown it's greens. This worries me. Dogs. (dogs + gardening = another post)

I love that R is as keen as I am about squeezing more vegetables between the perennials. We've now filled the empty spaces (where things either died, were moved, or were empty to begin with,  ...or, as in the case of the irises, where spaced was made by downsizing). A couple of yellow tomato plants (tag is downstairs, I will update in more detail), and a zucchini crop sure to cause some chaos along the fence.

And up the fence, thanks to R attaching three trellises along the east fence. The facing fence receives sun all afternoon and evening, perfect for warming veg vines. I'm actually hoping the noon hour sun will attract the vines upward, and let the evening sun slow it down to rest for the night - if that makes any sense (I just think the position is perfect and look forward to watching how it grows). Beside the zucchini are a couple of new hollyhocks. 

We have three new Clematis plants (those tags are also downstairs, which I will update later). I saw a photo once of two boldly coloured  Clematises climbing twined together along a fence like ours. I'm going to recreate that, with the plants in the grown beneath the Caragana and behind the Peonies - the first being 'The President' and the other still unknown but will be a deep cherry/raspberry colour. 

I'm really happy to have again my blue/purple Delphiniums. To me, they're one of the defining flowers in an English cottage garden. They're just babies this year, but I've promised R that next year they'll be impressive. 

I've missed these flowers. :)

They'll tower over the Peonies and begin to bloom as they finish. Behind the blue stalks the deep purple and raspberry coloured Clematis will cling to the fence - a wall of blooms. 

I've rescued the two red Daylilies from the west side of the garden, the ones on either side of the dwarf Alberta Spruce:

and I'm going to plant them in the void left by the irises...along with something else (there's still more room to share). Maybe a pumpkin? Or some other perennial, or tomato.

Not only were they becoming overwhelmed by the spruce, but they were getting trampled by dogs.

Reconciling gardens and dogs doesn't have to be difficult, even in our small space. By allowing the west garden bed, mostly comprised of evergreens and trees (and that massive Rhubarb), go to the dogs they can have their space and we can have ours. The dogs love to trod through there, as if it's the Tree Farm, their own backyard forest. Why take that away from them? They just need to be trained to know that some spaces are okay for them, others are not. They've been pretty good with the kitchen garden - so far, and I've used more of our little fencing to create a barricade between the lawn and the east garden (which is off-limits to dogs).

The lawn is a mess, but oh well. I am not going to worry too much, it is repairable.


I've been reading the Gin & Tonic Gardener and enjoying it immensely. Around the evergreens in the west garden is a spreading colony of weeds. It really bothers R, but for some reason - as overwhelmed as I am over the task ahead to remove them - I'm not bothered. It will get tidied up, it will get done. There was a time when I would have gone on endlessly until it was done, but I'm not into killing myself over a few weeds anymore.

I am coming at it from a few angles, as I continue to make my way down the east garden to the dog-run fence, where I will plant two more Clematis plants, this time in pale shades of purple and pink with flecks of white to climb behind the lilac.
I've also started to fill and create the new gardens along the west side of the house.

We thought a few bags would help us get by until we could sort out a truckload of fill for both these gardens and the dog-run repair, but I've already used most in just a small area, with three bags going to the iris void, and four to the front garden. I was hoping to at least cover the space so that no dogs swallow any more rocks but no such luck. Poor R had no idea what he was getting himself into when he asked me: "Are you sure you can fill the space?"
First to be planted along the west side, under the Tamarack will be a new "Twilight Times" hosta, for our teenage Vampire enthusiast...who rolled her eyes, and two small lime leafed hosta (tag downstairs) - along with another rescue from dog friendly gardens, from under the Dogwood a hosta with great round lime and deep green leaves. It's been overshadowed for long enough.

Purple Salvia appears in the kitchen garden, planted a little to tightly beside the Chamomile, some Cosmos, and the herb garden. John Davis continues to thrive in the corner behind. We've replaced the Basil (again) and added two Swiss Chard plants near the Roma tomato.

The Van Gogh sunflowers are beginning to speed up their growth, enjoying these rainy nights and hot, sunny afternoons. (Well, except for this afternoon.) Also the beans, peas and carrots are all picking up the pace.
The two Early Girl tomatoes are doubling in size every time I look at them while the plant produces even more. Hannah and Gromit's strawberry plants have fruit.

The peppers are all covered in blooms and small fruit.
I can't wait for soup and salsa, pizzas on the barbecue...

Buttercream Nasturtiums are popping up all over the kitchen garden, sprinkled there by me. They're fun, and numerous underneath Early Girl ...which should be interesting later on.

Nasturtium,  Buttercream

Bird's-eye Primrose

Primula farinosa

Bird's-eye Primrose

Rosa 'John Davis'

John Davis ~ May 29, 2011

John Davis, June 7, 2011

John Davis Explorer Rose, Rosa 'John Davis 1986

In the Rain Garden

Baby Millar's Lady's Mantle

Rue

daylily

Pulmonaria and Columbine

sweet and hot peppers

Pulmonaria officinalis

our front garden in May 2011

Osteospermum

OSTEOSPERMUM
Marguerite Du Cap

backyard blooms

Hannah's strawberry, May 16, 2011

Early Girl tomato

ferns of the front yard

ferns, May17, 2011

Kitchen Garden, May 10th

chamomile, May 10, 2011

John Davis, May 10, 2011

rows of  carrots, May 10, 2011

 Mounding Nasturtiums 'Buttercream'

tri-coloured bush beans, Scarlet Emperor pole beans

garlic chives, transplanted  May 10, 2011

tulips for Oma

I was wandering in circles around the cut flowers at Safeway the Friday before Mother's Day trying to decide who to bring home. Everything was so fresh and the choices were abundant. A very young girl - maybe five or so - and her mother were also contemplating there the same thing. The girl stood firmly in front of the tulips and repeated, "Dutch tulips Mom, Dutch tulips." I agreed, the tulips looked wonderful, they were what I was first drawn to. The girl went on to add to her repetition, "For Oma Mom, for Mother's Day,"..."Dutch tulips Mom, For Oma."...
Well, that made up my mind. Dutch Tulips it was, for Oma.

Upside Down

Many of my garden plans for this year involve growing upwards. The downtown yard lacks in square footage, but has a lot to offer in storeys with balconies, and warm brick walls.

Making the most of that space, we've added a couple of tiered planters which I'm going to fill with herbs.


Looking downward, John Davis continues to thrive in the corner of the vegetable garden.

John Davis ~ April13, 2011

I call them my "chemo doodles" - a collection of doodles I've drawn to pass time while my mother undergoes chemotherapy. She's given me a number of sketchbooks lately, and I've been putting them to good use.

I wouldn't really use a ruler to plant. This was just to stir up Dennis. He's so meticulous, and A-type over straight lines and consistency (as he should in his "farming business"). I think it took him a few years to realize that I too suffer the same obsessive compulsiveness, agreed with him, and he could trust me. There's a whole series of greenhouse doodles in my notebook, all depicting things I wish I could be doing - if I could be at the greenhouse.

a further ramble..
It's been a challenging year. Almost one year ago we lost our baby. (I can't believe it's been a year already, sigh.) I've struggled with grief every day since.
My mother's cancer diagnosis a few months later seems to have put life on hold. I feel like we're living in two and three week increments, holding our breath, trying to find hope, all while waiting for another shoe to drop.

"Unexplained neuropathy" or "fibromyalgia" is all that has come out of two years of doctor's appointments trying to uncover why my arms don't work properly. It's frustrating. I'm convinced it's all mechanical, and is all due to my spine being so weak. Confirmed are some herniated discs in my lumbar and thoracic spine, and a small hemangioma on T5. I suspect the next MRI will reveal more in the cervical spine from how I feel these days. Also, every chiropractor I've known (three) has had difficulty adjusting my spine because of how my muscles react. I'm not sure why.

Sitting hurts, laying down is often impossible - making sleep something I only dream about. I've slept restlessly and uncomfortable since August 2009, (in spite of our delicious king bed full of dogs). My theory is that I really hurt my back during our July move that year. I simply should have no business lifting heavy things. I've experienced these symptoms (neuropathy in my upper body) twice before - both times after moving, after weeks of consistent heavy lifting ...and, after peek gardening season.
After moving to Moodie Street I spent a few weeks unable to lift a plate into a cupboard. My arms and upper back were very sore, numb, weak. A few chiropractor sessions and weeks of rest seemed to take care of it. Again in June 2008, after moving in May, working three jobs (1 garden, 1 greenhouse, 1 office) my back gave out and I was unable to lift my arms over my head or sit for any length of time without pain. Four days off, rest, and avoidance of any lifting and I "recovered."

In the past, and both those time I was able to relieve my symptoms by walking. I used to religiously walk six kilometres every morning. Now, once my heart rate begins to rise my right arm turns red, then blue. It swells. It hurts. I can walk for a while, but my legs often go numb - sciatica, nothing unusual. I just can't seem to relieve it. I have rheumatic makers (that was one of the first, and only "positive" test result) and symptoms: swelling and pain in the joints of my hands, wrists, elbow, feet. I've felt swollen all over since the autumn of 2009.

In January this year I thought that working at the greenhouse would be therapeutic, and would probably help a lot; but by the time February came my symptoms were in overdrive. Not only can I not lift anything, I often can't even hold a pen. I can not go on like this.

Drawing has forced me to concentrate on holding a pencil, reminding my muscles what to do. I can draw for a second or two, a line or two - then rest my hand/arm. Repeat. Drawings like Joe Vanderwees' Tomato and Bee Greenhouse have been in the works since the day we went there.

R and I were out at the Vanderwees greenhouses a few weeks ago to restock our kitchen herb plants We were wandering around when Joe Vanderwees came along and invited us into his tomato greenhouse, which is pollinated by bees. The fruits are used in the Tulips cafe and sold at the front of the shop. I've never been in before - it was love at first sight.
The bees live in a bankers box on a shelf when not roaming the long rows of tomato plant vining up string to the greenhouse roof. The tomatoes will be available soon, it's been nearly a month since we were there.

It was lovely to listen to him talk, not only about the plants and the bees, but just to hear his voice. He sounds so much like my father - the accent and more. It's been nearly thirteen years since I heard my father's voice. I catch myself drawn to certain Dutch accents ..not all, just some - who sound so much like him it's incredible. Joe Vanderwees is one of them. I could have sat there all day listening to him all day.

I was cursing myself for not having my camera with me. The greenhouse was so beautiful. Its smell made me feel good; I wanted to breath it in all day. I can't draw what it smelled like, but I do remember.

Despite the challenges of the past year, I'm happier than I have been in years, and ridiculously at peace with life right now. There's no better reasons to try to be as healthy as possible, and put some extra effort into living well. I'm excited about our 2011 garden, and have plans in place for more tomatoes, a balcony garden, cucumbers growing upward, a climbing wall of succulents, additions to the front garden, and possibly a garden shuffle to make way for a wood fired oven built by Derek Luccese of Both Hands Bread.

We've been doing a lot of cooking and barbecuing lately, and can't wait to visit Patric's brick oven in Australia this summer. R's eyes drool when he talks of having his own, with our pizzas, my bread, and our culinary imaginations together - it would be well used.

I'm looking forward to the day when I can get at the vegetable bed without swimming in the glacial lake melting from the backyard on to the pathway surrounding it. Right now spring is just messy, ..but with pockets if garden drying out and warming up I'm finding signs of things to come. Rohan's lavender survived the winter and smells divine - but I'm keeping it covered until we get some more consistent temperatures. Hannah's strawberries are already growing.

John Davis is just lovely, with strong green stems and buds beginning to appear already. Of all the places my J.D. (old and new) have lived, this little vegetable garden is by far the best. His corner is protected - probably the best protection of all plants in the yard (from both weather and dogs) and my expectations are high. The trellis will support him up to the steps into the house. We won't even have to bend over to stop to smell the roses ...I hope.

That said, the fragrance of John Davis isn't very robust, and so I still want to add another Winchester Cathedral to the garden, most likely in a pot, perhaps on the balcony. It's fragrance is delicious alright - I can remember walking out in my garden at Castlegreen and being consumed by the sweet, sweet smell of W.C., who sat in the center of my sun garden for a few years (before succumbing to that terrible winter we had a few years back when we had freezing temperature and hardly any snow...).

The plans keep changing, evolving. Root vegetables to grow in the St. John Street community garden, I'm going to keep it simple this year.

As for the indoor kitchen garden: I'm going to start some basil seeds because I keep killing the plants in our kitchen window. The most used herb in our kitchen should thrive. I don't think the latest plants took to well to being transplanted, so between the survivors I'll add the seeds and see how they grow. It's kind of like buying a new toy for the dogs - dog toys and basil are only created to be devoured. That's just the way it is.

Three Bees

Soil Sampling Demonstration

"Joel from the Lakehead University Forest Laboratory demonstrates how to properly collect soil and get it ready for submission."

To have your soil tested by the LU soils lab for $35.00 (+taxes),
call (807) 343-8639 or email soilslab@lakeheadu.ca
For more information:
Web: http://www.forestlab.ca

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

SERVES 6 - PREPARATION TIME 1:30

          FOR SOUP

          3 TABLESPOONS shallots, finely chopped

          1 TABLESPOON freshly chopped thyme 
             (or 1/2 TSP dried)

          1 TABLESPOON butter or olive oil  
                 (or a combination of both)

          12 red bell peppers (capsicum), 
              roasted and chopped

          3 CUPS broth (chicken, 
             or for vegan: vegetable)

          1/2 CUP heavy cream (optional)

          fresh lemon juice to taste

          salt and pepper to taste

Rohan discovered this recipe in the griller's manual that came with his barbecue. More than a manual, this glorified pamphlet has proved itself invaluable in our home. Simple, well thought recipes make up more of it's content than cook settings. It's brilliant. We were immediately drawn to this red capsicum soup recipe, and have been known to make a few substitutions along the way. The recipe posted above is my edited version.

We've often included a variety of hot peppers from our garden.

PREPARATION

Preheat barbecue on HIGH heat.

Place capsicum on grill and char on all sides, turning as needed.

Remove from barbecue and cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel off the blackened skin, remove stem and seeds, and chop the flesh of the pepper.

Using the side burner (or in our case, directly on the grill), melt butter in a large pan over low heat. Add the shallots and thyme, and stir until softened. 

Add the bell peppers and broth, and simmer the mixture, covered, until the peppers are very soft (about 15 minutes).

enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while you wait

Using an immersion blender (or food processor) puree the mixture until smooth. Return the mixture to a clean pot and (if desired) whisk in the cream. 

Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

The recipe also suggests a butternut squash and grilled leek version of this soup, opening up he garden gate to endless combinations of grilled vegetable soups. 

Enjoy!