Tales from the garden

The days are definitely getting longer, and even though we've had some very cold days and nights this winter I haven't thought it insufferable. I've wanted to drag my family on a quick and tropical excursion somewhere, but Jef and I have been so busy at work that it has been a little difficult to get away. All the grand plans of sunbathing one weekend and then going to the snow another weekend has fallen by the wayside. Hey, winter ain't over just yet. One more cold snap might send me over the edge!

This morning I looked out into the garden to find that it has come to life. I haven't been paying that much attention, so to discover that the bulbs and seedlings I'd haphazardly thrown into the ground in autumn is now in bloom. Just before school I grabbed my gumboots, a camera and a Kien and went outside for a closer look.

Freesias popping out next to my cauliflowers. I think that sweet smell is synonymous with spring.

I'm usually not a lilic fan, but here's an exception.

For the purposes of eating it doesn't look like my cabbages are doing so well, but ornamentally I think they are superb.

Calendula, another one of my favourite plants for the garden. Not only do they sport beautiful sunshine colours for the vegetable patch, they also brighten up any salad bowl with their peppery tangy taste. Oh, and bees love them too! I've got these plants scattered all over the place.

I was surprised to find (much to Kien's delight) the strawberry patch already starting to fruit. I've propagated a whole bunch of runners ready for planting when it gets a bit warmer.

We are now seeing these beauties shining through in my roadside berm garden. I buried some bulbs in amongst the Russian kale out there, and since that garden gets the morning sun I'm guessing that's why I'm seeing the daffodils flowering well before the ones out the back.

The most disappointing performer this winter was this variety of chrysanthemum. I guess they didn't stand much of a change going in as tiny seedings right at the end of autumn. They got really leggy and didn't bush out at all, so they didn't produce enough flowers for me to dry and make tea.

This is Kien trying to make a run for it so he didn't have to go to school. The wood has swelled in the fence so its a little stuck at times. That doesn't deter this kid any.