Garden 2010: before and after our summer holiday!

We came home to a jungle!

We didn’t plant anything last year because we found out sometime the year prior that my parents had been spending about two hours a day at our house tending our garden while we were away the previous summer. I missed the fall harvest (though our yard is exceptionally small) so much, that we did plant this year as my daughter had volunteered to tend the garden. I know I expected a lot. Anyone that gardens knows that you need to be out there every day, plucking and pinching, spraying an watering, and just overseeing all of the little tenders to ensure all get enough room to grow and flourish in a healthy environment. Ragan was enthused. She and her fiancédid an incredible job! However, as we had so much rain, we came home to a jungle! Above is a front bed of peonies (at the back) and Arctic evergreen primrose (at the front) with sweet basil and snapdragons in the middle.

Above is the same bed upon our return. The rose bushes to the right went crazy! The Incrediball Hydrangea (2010) is to the far left, just in front of the Clamatis.

Above left, is a shot of our hedge and weeping caragana. Why did the hedge grow like this? Vanja had already trimmed it, but we left it to trim again upon our return home. Above right, is the front view of the same bed with, again the Arctic primrose edging the bed. Love them. They are the first flowers on the block in the spring and the last in the fall. Prolific.

Below, right, is the before of the Incrediball and above, left, is the after… Lots of growth. No incrediballs! Our Royalty Crab has really been a delight (above, right). The Parkland Apple (below, left) is Vanja’s baby. He loves this tree and is out counting his babies every morning. It used to be a highly acclaimed local apple in the 80’s. There are so many more that produce better fruit now, apparently. This fruit is a nice eating apple: white fleshed, and not too tart, but a softer texture and it doesn’t have that bright appley fall flavour. What should I make with these? I will definitely have extras. Anyone interested?

The After shots are below. The difference in the hedge heights before our return was shocking (same plants, same size, planted at the same time) and moreso, now!

Our raspberries before we left (above) and after we came home (below)… this picture doesn’t speak the reality, here!

Before (above) and After (below).

Before (above) and After (below).

Above, right, is our out-of-control rosebush by the gate to the back yard. And, due to the rain, we came home not to one, but to two fairy rings!!!! However, the grass was mowed and trimmed and impeccable in every other way! Bravo, Jason! We bow to you! (XOXO)

Before (above) and After (below) sidewalk to the back garden.

Before, above and below.

More before of the back yard.

Before (above) and After (below).

Before (above) and After (below).

The Saskatoons are so gorgeous.

Currants (above, left) and Saskatoons (above, right).

Wendy! That little rhubarb started has grown so much this month I could not believe it! Where is the mint? Under the tomatoes (above, right)!

Lettuce beds are under tomatoes.

My Bay Leaf tree (above, left) is flourishing, but I can barely find the sidewalk between the out-of-control tomatoes and roses! Above, after from one direction, and below from the other.

My herb bed: Before (above) and After (below).

Before, above, and below.

The same beds as pictured previously: After, above and below.

Tomatoes drooping to the ground!

After: above and below.

I planted zucchini for the first time for the flowers. I knew they would be big plants…. but did not expect them to be SOO big! After: above and below.

The May 29th snow destroyed the blanket of cherry blossoms on our Evans Cherry Tree… but, we came home to a few happy bobbles.

The Purple Monkshood is in full bloom and so gorgeous.

As a child, I would peel back the hood and admire the two little love birds underneath it and then eat the honey-like nectar (in the “birds”).

After, below. Second planting of Oakleaf lettuce, left and the small bay leaf, right.

After: above and below.

Several hours of pruning and staking later (and I do mean several hours of it)….

Look at the tomatoes that were hiding!

Bless your heart, my dear daughter. You worked to hard and these tomatoes had a mind and will of their own. But, we have wrangled with them and won. We cannot wait to share our produce with you! Look at the fruits of your labours! XOXOXO