Too Busy to Deadhead - The Payoff

You know what I've realized of late - I'm horrible at multi-tasking.  I'm not referring to doing multiple things at once, which I'm also horrible at, but doing multiple things in one day.  More often than not, when I'm doing one "thing", such as working in the garden or sorting through the gazillion photos I took in Denver (still on the to-do list), everything else gets put on the back-burner.

This weeks time guzzler was stage 1 of restoring an invasive infested border

that's been on the to-do list for years.

Often it's the everyday chores that end up slipping through the cracks...as the basket of laundry that's been sitting in my bedroom since last Friday can attest to.

Family member:  When's dinner?
Me:  What time is it?
Family member:  5:00
Me:  Soon (delude myself into thinking I still have a bit of time)
Family member:  What are we having?
Me:  I haven't decided yet (realize that I really should get cracking on dinner, set aside what I'm doing and try to come up with a meal that can be ready in 30 minutes.  We end up eating at 7 'cause I'm no Rachel Ray.)

Much like everyone else, I'm afflicted with "too much to do, too little time" syndrome and the garden is no small part of that.  Certain garden tasks that go undone, however, end up being blessings.  I'm talking about deadheading, or lack thereof, and the self-seeding that results.  And while some of the self-seeded surprises in my garden may be "same ol', same ol'" for someone in a more southerly climate, around here (in Canadian zone 5/6, U.S. zone 4/5)  they are truly something to celebrate 😃

Zinnia Parade

Most of you know how much I LOVE zinnias - they bring such joy to the garden (and the gardener!).  Ever since I sowed those very first seeds several years ago (sent to me by the gorgeous Tammy over at Casa Mariposa), my garden has been graced with their presence. And this year is no exception.

The zinnia that started it all...'Peggy's Delight'

The Heat, the Rain....and the Skeeters!

Well, hello again.  It’s been an eventful month in both a good way (the Denver fling was amazing!) and not so good way (I was knocked out with the flu for a good chunk of time).  So much for “flu season” (eye roll).  I have never felt so tired and achy before…makes me wonder if I’ve ever had the flu before or just really bad colds.

Echinacea "Cheyenne Spirit" (started from seed a couple of years ago) is doing amazing

...as are the weeds but let's ignore that bit, shall we 😄

Goings-on in the Veg Garden

Just as with the rest of the garden, on the veg front, it’s been slow going until recently.

Spring crops (lettuce, arugula, radishes, mache, claytonia, turnips & beets) were sown/transplanted seemingly eons ago, but with the unusually cool weather, they grew at a snail’s pace.  Now that warmer temperatures have arrived, they are finally sizing up.

My favourite variety of arugula, 'Speedy', not only sizes up quickly, but is also very mild,

which is a bonus in my book as I find some arugula to be a tad overpowering.

It's Spring! Better late than never...

Spring is always the busiest time in the garden, and this year has been no exception.  We started off slow and continued at a snail’s pace for a very long time…the weather was just not cooperating.  We finally turned the corner a couple of weeks ago and it’s been full speed ahead ever since (minus the few odd days of incessant wind and/or cold and/or rain – can’t have it all now, can you?).

Spring blooms started off with crocuses, daffodils and the hellebore I purchased this past spring and have now progressed to a few mainstays in the garden including tulips, forget-me-nots & bleeding hearts.

The tulips were lovely but short lived this year; the heavy rains

we've had since I took this photo didn't do them any favours.

Feeling Sluggish and an Update

So I thought I would post an update on how the season is progressing around these parts.  One word:  Cold.  I'll add two more words to that:  Windy and rainy.

Some plants, however, are loving the cool weather including the hellebore I purchased at Canada Blooms.  I can't believe that it's been blooming for almost 2 full months now!

The blooms start off deep pink, then lighten as they mature - so gorgeous!

It's been a rough start to the season, weather wise, with relatively few good gardening days.  But it looks like we are FINALLY turning the corner - and I couldn't be more ready.  Sort of.

A Slow Start

We've had a very slow start to the season around here, same as last year.  The temperatures were on the cool side throughout April - we only hit the normal "average" high for this time of year a handful of times all month.  Between the rain, cold and wind, good gardening days were few and far between.

Several veg should have already been transplanted into the garden including the onions, lettuce, kale and broccoli.  I have a couple of trays that have been hardening off for a long time, waiting not only for a good day to transplant, but also a favourable long range forecast.  It looks like this is the week when they will finally make it into a bed.