Portland Road Trip

I was in Portland for a few days last week...

   

Park Blocks

Pioneer Square

 Modera Hotel

Lan Shu Chinese Garden

Pearl District

 Lewis and Clark College - Mt. Hood from the Manor House

 Pearl District

Quinten's Sunflower

Just thought I would share a picture of Quinten and his sunflower. He brought home a seedling in a dixie cup near the last day of school. All of the kids have a raised bed that they planted whatever they wanted and Quinten put his sunflower in the corner of his. We are all very impressed at how big it has gotten. By the way the cosmos in the raised beds are all volunteers. We haven't planted them in 3 years!

Garden Update - Part 2

Well, I am wrapping up my 1 week vacation and since it was a "staycation" all I have to show is garden pictures. I last posted pictures on June 21st - what a difference a month makes. The tomatoes have now climbed through the top of the cages and are taller than I am. They have all set tomatoes, but I am still a ways from anything ripening. The squash have loved the heat of the last 3 weeks and are crawling everywhere. I have Buttercup set now, but no Delicata or Butternut yet. The sunflowers are just opening. Unfortunately they didn't reach the 6-10' feet promised on the seed packet. At 5+ feet they are just a bit shorter than the tomatoes.


Down in the big garden thing are a bit behind last year. The Cosmos I started from seed have just begun to bloom and the bush beans are just beginning to bloom too. My first 2 dahlias of the year opened this week. Pictured below is "Weston Miss" a miniture semi-cactus.

More Plant Pixs - Big Surprise, huh?

I love fuchsias they do so well in semi-shade. My chicken has "hens and chicks".

This little area has lots of frogs and turtle garden art. There are even garden art tadpoles in the small fountain. The cats use the fountain as a water bowl - it is just the right height for them to stand a get a drink.

I have a very shaded nook on the back porch off of my parents' bedroom. I decided to try some impatients to see how they might do there. That's the state of my plant-worshipping at the moment.

Beth's June Photos

I cannot believe how quickly June is speeding by! Despite some rain and cooler than usual temperatures, most of my plants are growing, growing, growing. I have been getting by water twice a week so far, but with warmer temperatures forecasted for the rest of the week, I will probably have to up it to three times a week. Grey's is having a sale this afternoon - need a couple of replacement plants and I am always on the look out for interesting pots - so you know where you will find me today! Below is one of my many garden helpers - Tom.

Lexa's June

Well, it has been a few weeks since my last post. My days have pretty much been filled with work and gardening. Since gardening is a lot more fun, I will get you caught up on the action.

Since my last post, everything has now been planted in the vegetable bed by the house. The squash all tranplanted without a hitch from their peat pots and have been growing well, even with the cooler weather. The sunflowers are all up, and the beans are mostly doing their thing. They liked the warmer weather we had in early June much more than the cooler last few weeks. The tomatoes have been growing like crazy and are already at the top of their towers. It is now time for me to add the second piece on to the towers.

Now the action has all switched to the big garden down by the road. It finally dried out after the rains, and I was able to start planting. First I transplanted all the Zinnias and Cosmos that I had started from seed. Then I put in 12 more tomatoe plants that were desperate to get in the ground. They are still sulking a bit from being left in their pots for 3 weeks. And then I planted 2 rows of an heirloom dried bean from British Columbia called "Irish Creek Annie". I figure if they can grow and dry beans that far north, I should be able to do it here. Then it was on to planting dahlias. I have about 165 started in pots that are ready to go in the ground. And I have about 40 tubers that still need planted. Needless to say, I will be planting dahlias for the next few weeks!

And here is a picture of the big garden, as it slowly gets filled in. Happy first day of Summer!

Life in Michigan

Well reading about all of the gardening going on in Oregon, I thought I'd post some pictures of what my garden and yard looks like here in Michigan (since none of my extended family has ever been out here. Hint, hint)

View from my front door.

Below are pictures of our backyard. Tom built our deck last year and we can't believe how good it turned out.



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This a view of my raised beds. Quinten, Mikaila, and Kierstyn all have a bed that they plant. We are also growing peas and potatoes. The big bed on the left is our "Oregon Garden." We planted nasturtiums, zinnias, and bachelor buttons all from memories of loved ones in Oregon.
We also have a garden plot out by the pond with popcorn, pumpkin, and watermelon.

We have also been busy with the all American past-time. Kierstyn has just finished up pitching for the JV softball team for the Allendale Falcons. It was a long season and and the ended up 14-14. She was one of 2 pitchers and we are very proud as she is only a freshman. She continues to be a straight 'A' student and is in the middle of studying for finals. School finishes up this week.







Quinten has been playing machine-pitch baseball. He loves it! Actually he loves just about any sport. His great-grandmother would have been so pleased. He is remarkably good at which ever sport he tries (hockey, baseball, soccer, etc).
Mikaila plays machine-pitch softball. Her team is not near as into it as Quinten's team, but she sure loves to slide. She has many hobbies like reading, writing stories and illustrating them. She also has been known to compose a song or two.

Lastly, I am now in limbo after graduating from my program and trying to find a teaching job. Late spring not such a good time to be doing that. Oh well, better get going. Take care all.

Lexa's May

Well, I decided to follow Beth's lead and talk about what I did in May. When I wasn't working, or at a track meet, I was gardening. The weather turned sunny and warm and suddenly it was time to do everything.

I started by planting seeds of "Sonata" Cosmos and 2 varieties of Zinnias. Then near the end of the month I started 3 varieties of winter squash "Buttercup" "Butternut" and "Delicata". With the unseasonably warm weather we have been experiencing everything has come up and is growing quickly.

Over the Memorial Day Weekend, I planted my vegetable bed in the back of the house.The back is a row of sunflowers. In front of that is a row of 8 heirloom tomatoes. In front of that are the 4 hills, where my 8 squash seedling will be transplanted soon. To the far back left is the bean tower. I have planted "Good Mother Stallard" pole beans. I am going to try to harvest them as a dry bean for use in soups and stews this winter. Below is a picture of the new Vegetable bed.I have also been super busy getting my big garden ready. We have rototilled it 4 times and it is ready to go! I have started about 150 of my 200 dahlias in 1 gallon pots. Now I just need the time to make a map, lay out the stakes and get planting!

How I spent the month of May - More Photos

Front Porch, Ladybugs and Plants, Sedums.

Fuchsias and Hostas, Blue Pots and Glass Art Bugs, Hens & Chicks.

Hosta and Pansies, Ferns and Fuchsias, Sedums and Sempervivums and Hebes on Back Patio.

How I Spent the Month of May 2009

I gardened...and I gardened...and then I gardened some more! To be accurate: I went to Little Red Farm and Grey's and bought plants. I went to Down to Earth and bought plants. I went to the Book Mine and Territorial Seed Company and bought plants. I went to Johnson Brother's Greenhouses and bought plants. I returned to Grey's and Down to Earth and bought plants. I went to Lowe's and bought pots. I potted up plant, after plant, after plant, after plant. I then arranged the pots on the front porch and back deck, and edited the plants with my "Garden Art". And yes, I applied deer repellent!

The next post will show some of the results of my efforts.