Mary, Mary Quite Contrary...

How does my garden grow?

Slowly this year...  We had some cold and rainy weather last week, which made a mess of  the peonies..

I love to garden - I am self-taught, which these pictures will for sure indicate to you....I started about 15 years ago, and every year I add more, move things, try again.  It is the ultimate painterly experience!  And humbling experience....

We have a little over an acre of land.  Above are some roses just coming into bloom.  I should be able to tell you what kind they are, but honestly, I am not that kind of gardener.  I mean to track things better, but don't always.  Last year, these did not bloom at all, but clung to the side of the deck and hurled insults at me...



The Potager - there are actually 4 beds and as you can see, it needs weeding, which is today's activity....


I like little "rooms", and we have a lot of little nooks around the yard for sitting and where the bugs can attack you in splendour...

Above is the grape arbour to the right of the potager.  It has become quite wild and some of the grape vines are heading now into the woods, perhaps to get away?

This year, we got particularly whimsical (you can insert a different adjective if you like!) and as we put up fencing to keep the deer and coyotes out, we top each post with a birdhouse.  Thus far, only one pair of chickadees has moved in and the hummingbirds will of course have nothing to so with these monstrous mansions...

In this picture, my back is to the hostas and I am looking back towards the house.  I planted wisteria to go up this arbour last summer and they seem to be coming, though they most definitely have the "creep" characteristic of a second year plant... to the right, slowly coming along is my butterfly bush.

I'll post more another time, as I have only begun to scratch the surface of the garden (I am stifled by my BB, my technical abilities and your patience!).

It is a lovely day here and I hope it is in your neck of the woods as well!