A Walk Around the Dooryard

A green-white clematis unfolds.

The strawberry patch in bloom.  Wet weather has prevented me finishing the weeding.

How many days until we pick luscious strawberries?

Pink-tinged leaves unfold on the ancient grapevine.

Iris buds are plump and swelling. One stalk by the clothesline is showing blue-black bud tips, but there is just enough breeze that my photos blurred.

The dogwoods are past their prime, but still have an airy prettiness.

J. and M. have both purchased and set out brag size hothouse tomato plants being sold at the Yoder's store.

Meanwhile my raised from seed tomatoes have all been potted on and most are enjoying the sheltered warmth of the cold frame.

Yarrow buds are still fuzzy white.

Blue salvia.

A full-blown clematis.

I love the pinks with their blue-green spikey foliage and the masses of fragrant flowers.

These are not quite true to color in the photo--their real colors are deeper.

Aquilegia opening in the shady strip on the east side of the garage.

The early pink peony.

This aquilegia has daintier flowers.

I had a lovely blue one planted in my struggling Wyoming flower strip--planted in memory of

my blue-eyed Oscar cat.

The papaever somniferum have come up in clumps in spite of my efforts to sprinkle the seeds about in bare places in the second border.

I can't decide whether to risk moving some of them [I seem to recall that they resent being repositioned]

or let them crowd their way to flowering and [hopefully] setting seed.

The new herb garden at the edge of the carport.

Delila Yoder helped me to do the final deep digging and install the weed barrier fabric.

We moved plants from other spots in the gardens. 

I hope to buy several more varieties of thyme and a lavender or two.

Delila contributed anise hyssop which she says will be loved by butterflies.

The weather has veered between several warm muggy days, a sharp thunderstorm last evening and a broody morning which turned to a cool and sunny afternoon.

Although it is frustrating having the ground too damp to work, everything is bursting with growth, including the weeds.

J. gave up on the trench he was preparing in the lower garden for the asparagus roots.

He opened a strip just beyond the track that leads to the barn.

We all pitched in to plant the crowns late on Monday.

Yukon Gold potatoes went in yesterday, as did short rows of beets, carrots,

Swiss chard and several hills of cucumbers.

Willis was too involved in his nap to follow me around the dooryard. He has appropriated this tapestry covered stool which ended up on the front porch.

Therese Bugnet is covered in buds.  I hope I can locate my collection of vintage

china jugs to hold a few fragrant blooms.