Spring Gardens

The garden shed in the background is built from doors that once were part of the house...

Bob brought Margery a truckload of horse manure to improve her garden soil. The next morning we picked up a load of bark mulch for my gardens.

Two years ago that much mulch quickly disappeared into the garden beds, but the plants have been spreading and this time we may have some mulch left over.

And there's my car with all its bumper stickers...so far it's still a legal form of free speech.

When William and I built the house, we didn't know what to do with an old stained glass window, so it became part of the garage. The dogwood tree shouldn't get tall enough to block any sun from reaching the solar panels...

These blooms are the reason I had a roof built that covers this rhododendron in the winter.

This is a hardy kiwi that I prune to practically nothing each fall. By the time we want shade on the porch from the summer sun, the kiwi becomes a thick mass.

Unfortunately, I thought it was a female kiwi and planted a couple of male kiwis so it would produce fruit. Now I have 3 male kiwi vines and nothing to eat for my efforts.

To the left is the Ballou "cave"...unlike Blanot's grotte, it isn't tourist-worthy. Jake is checking out some earthy smell. The window is part of my nook so I can see this area when I am at my desk.

When the rhododendron passes, then the hardy geranium blooms. As fall approaches the Autumn Joy sedum will steal the show. It will also end up in teachers' vases.

Instead of climbing, this white clematis prefers to drape itself over the retaining wall...

I planted this dianthus last summer as an annual. It hardly bloomed, but this year it surprised me by returning with a vengeance.

Jerusalem artichokes are growing in the background. They will have wonderful yellow flowers in the fall.

Along with rhubarb, I'm growing small gourds in the front bed. They'll be for the teachers when I have no more flowers for their vases.

A close-up of the garden shed...