Kitchen Garden

Melissa at The Inspired Room did a post on kitchen gardens, inviting comments about our own gardens. I don't think I'm a very good gardener - there's so much to learn, but I do enjoy it. And I enjoy growing things that are not just pretty to look at, but delicious to eat. In our area, we don't plant too much outside until after the May long weekend - which happens to be today!

Herbs add so much flavour and I love trying new ones. Quite a few last over the winter here, so I have a rocky area where they can spread out and do their thing. Left to right in the collage there are
* oregano and rosemary
* my potting bench with lavender, petunias and in the long container, thyme, cilantro and oregano
* strawberries
* mint
* sage
* the pot of lavender again
* vinca (not a herb but I needed another photo in this set)
* lemon balm
* oregano again

Here's a view of our yard from an upstairs bedroom. You can see where we've been weeding - trying to get rid of a plant called "snow on the mountain." It's beautiful but ever so invasive - it's taking over everything. We're going to confine it to pots and set them here and there in the garden.
Trees are in short supply in our yard. We've been here 6 years and planted a hedge that's growing well and a few trees that are taking their sweet time in growing tall. Gardening certainly cultivates patience.

And just to the left of the prior photo are the raised beds. I have tomato and pepper plants in the first one, along with cucumbers and basil. Strawberries, spinach and rhubarb in the middle bed, and the last one has carrots, lettuce, peas (to climb the trellis) and blueberry bushes behind.
Oh, and to the very left is a row of raspberry canes and our delightful compost bins!

I spent part of Saturday and Sunday puttering (slaving) in the garden because the weather was incredible. And I have a doozy of a sunburn to show for it. My husband is scolding me for not putting on sunscreen. Today is much cooler and I'm glad I did the planting already. However, there's still weeding...

It's Victoria Day here in Canada - the day we celebrate the Queen's birthday. It generally marks the start of summer - we wait a long time for warm weather and from this weekend on, enjoy it to the full!