Weathering it

Had some visitors from NYC last weekend. Saturday afternoon, Salma helped me plant the tomatoes while Evan took everyone else on a hike.

After we finished our planting, it rained on and off for most of the rest of the weekend. So, our timing was good, in terms of planting. We also planted beans and some summer squash. I hope to be posting their growing progress here, so Salma can see how they do!

The chives are blooming. They looked particularly vibrant in the rain.

Weekend warrior-diggers

Nearly all work around here happens on the weekends. During the week, we're, you know, working at our work jobs. Anyway, last weekend there was a lot of tearing up old overgrown flower beds, wrestling with rows of weeds along the edges of buildings, scrambling to put some order on areas that were beginning to go wild. All crammed into a couple hours when Nate naps in the afternoon.

We started by beautifying, or trying to. Planted flowers, clipped back weeds, turned in compost, nothing too monumental -- just a few hours of digging, tearing, pushing, tossing, panting, etc., etc. Then on Sunday I decided it was time to tear up an old flower bed that had been overgrown with what I think was lots and lots of yarrow, as well as a few tiger lillies and a bunch of weeds.

We carted off the lilies (above photo, in wheelbarrow) and replanted them by the side of a building near the pond. From the side of that building, we carted away a jumble of weeds and dead leaves.

I took a photo of the tiny collection of herbs that replaced the old hard-bitten yarrow patch, but it looks like nothing, so I'll wait to post that until I have a decent "after" photo ... like maybe in August.

I planted rosemary (two plants, one of which is supposed to be hardy to zone 5, and we're zone 6, so I have high hopes). Also planted tarragon and Greek oregano, both of which are supposed to survive here. Evan lined my new little herb garden with rocks.

This is actually my second herb patch; the first one contains a bounty of sage and thyme, both planted two summers ago and which have survived the winters thus far.

As for what I think is or was yarrow (or whatever it is that we yanked up), I potted up a few specimens for potential relocation somewhere else, though I think Evan would be happy if I trashed them all.

I also have some mint, in a big huge pot, that I kept alive over the winter, which I need to plant somewhere soon. But I know that spreads easily, so I really need to find the right location.