Happy Solstice (June Garden post)

I've loved the lengthening days, and the still all-too-infrequent sunshine here in the PNW.

Things are starting to ripen, despite the ongoing cool weather. The alpine and all-season strawberries are getting rosy...

The Sweet Angelica's seed umbels are swelling to enormous proportions.

The yarrow, nigella and lavender are full out this week -

As is the honeysuckle.

The perennial poppies are finishing up, just as the annual poppies are getting started.

I'm afraid I'm hopeless at keeping the beds from getting completely full and overgrown with lushness. An exuberant cottage garden approach?

 

This year, I have been using hoops and garden fabric over some of the vegetable beds (you can see the fabric all pinned up here)-

I must say, it does make the veggies huge and lush (and velvety leafed. who knew?)

Beets, and beets, and turnips.

Purple orach (which holds water drops like little diamonds).

Korean 'sesame', also known as shiso, or perilla. New to my garden this year. Easy to grow and delicious!

The chickens are still banished to the coop whilst the baby greens grow large enough to withstand their 'grazing.' (They are NOT happy about it.)

Here is the arguta kiwi vine just about ready to break into bloom. The female is covered with blossoms this year, so with any luck, fall will be full of mini-kiwis!

Happy gardening.

Happy Solstice.

Music Monday - Because, plus Garden Update

I love love love the harmonies in this

 (warning - partial nudity. Avert your eyes if this is problematic for you - it is worth hearing):

This is sort of garden/earthy - so I thought that I would post some early June garden shots - (click on the photo for a larger view).

 This is the back yard roughly stitched together (all the holes are where the deck is). Things are filling in nicely. The raspberry patch is in full bloom and is completely abuzz with honey and bumblebees. The bottom center picture shows my row of columnar apple and cherry trees along the side of the deck stairs...

Stitching together the deck was in no way possible, but you can see the herb boxes, the monster kiwi vines that grow just beyond and my new mini-greenhouse sort of thing (since it is refusing to get seriously warm out. My starts are still itty-bitty little things...)

One benefit of the cool weather is that the lettuces and various greens are at their peak. Backyard salads are full of awesome right now!