View from the deck on a glorious morning in early June.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Here we go again: Easter Sunday, April 8 2012

Spring is definitely here! Easter Sunday brought us the first truly blue skies in a while.
We are not snow-free yet, but working on it. As always the little flowerbed in front of the living room is the first to clear.
Snowdrops, crocus and eranthis must be blooming under the snow. They appear instantly as a burst of colour the moment their burden is lifted. How do they do that?
Last fall I left it without tidying up the slimy stalks of the dying phlox. At some point gardening becomes a hateful chore. Less than half an hour in November leaves me with painfully cold hands. In spring the same task is joy. 
A terrible picture, I must have been on the wrong setting. Anyway, the main purpose of this blog is to be a record for the gardener. Any artistic merit is icing on the cake.
Periwinkle before being clipped and ripped back. One has to be ruthless with this stuff or it takes over the entire 10 acres, after which it would cheerfully march on to the neighbours.
I started some market plants with the excess roots. In the corner the first reddish shoots of lovage are visible.  Some of 
them will be dug and potted up as well. I do believe the iris will have to be divided this year. And would you believe that the #@&^!DEER  have been nibbling on the iris shoots before the snow was even gone off them? Some of those pests really need to be turned into venison. The species needs to regain some fear of humans. And please, spare me the Disneyfied  babble about them 'just being hungry' and us being in their domain. 


They are welcome to most of 10 acres of perfect deer habitat. The main garden has been fenced in. I know better than to plant irresistable treats like tulips.  
But is it too much to ask them to leave me a few flowers?
Speaking of the top garden, it is still not accessible. The snow always lingers a bit longer in that dip. Just as well, there is plenty to do at this level.
It was deliciously warm inside the greenhouse. I seeded some spinach, both directly in the ground and some in pots for transplanting later. The stuff in there has not been growing much yet, with the exception of the mache. The leek seedlings I moved in there in mid March have never quite forgiven me. On the other hand, they will be tough as nails, right?
This is the time of year for walks over the land. The Magic Spot is always free of snow early. Because it was Easter, a picture of my Trinity. 
A view of the human domain , looking up from the edge of the Magic Spot. The roof of the old cabin on the top level by the fenced  garden is just visible through the trees, in between the dwelling and the greenhouse. Too many trees!
  The vernal pond, at the same level as the old log house but on the wild half of the land is just starting to thaw. 
And that's all folks...Oh wait: one more picture of a task left undone last year. This spectacular white clematis needs to be clipped back right after blooming, every third year or so. It blooms late May/early June. Every year I swear I will do it. Every year I am just too busy with the last of the planting and the height of the plant sales at the market to get around to it. 






2 comments:

  1. I can so relate to you. Obviously your latitude and my altitude give us about the same climate. I totally agree with you about the deer (rats on very tall legs). I have elk to add to that. No fences work.

    Am debating a green house like a friend featured on FB with PVC pipe and plastic. Growing ones own food becomes more and more important. Thanks for inspiring me.

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  2. ELK, oh no.....my friend Beth had them near her homestead. She ended up making a barrier of hawthorn branches. And she had dogs. Yes, I have noticed that climate thing too. I actually believe we are milder, and keep going a bit longer in fall. The altitude in the rockies is nuts. We once traveled through Santa Fe on April 2. I remembered the day because it was my mother's birthday. Two weeks before we had been to see the kids at the coast. The season there was weeks ahead of New Mexico, so far to the South. Looking forward to your blogs!

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