It’s been crazy busy around here and so I’m behind on my 100 happy days. I’ve been taking pictures, just not posting. I’d love to tell you about my garden because it makes me so happy.

Day 16, Friday July 18th

I love gardening, I’m not particularly talented at it, but I love it. At the end of last summer, David built me raised bedded gardens. This year he added in moose protection, rather a cage of chicken wire. Each side comes off easily for garden access.

My gardens now with moose protection.

I got plants into the ground before baby came, before memorial day actually. A few were starts I grew from seeds, others from purchased starts from local nurseries.

Turning this piece of wood at the top of each framed in chicken wire side releases it so I can get to the plants. Very clever of my husband!

Not all my starts worked out which is why I had to buy some.

We transplanted raspberry bushes from David’s aunt’s house as well as some rhubarb plants. My strawberry bush survived the winter as did my chives. The rest are new plants. Mostly I’m a food gardener, if I’m going to do this much work, I want to eat my reward. However I planted some flowers this year because they were given to me. I do like their color.

Rhubarb (transplanted) and mint (purchased starter) plants growing at the side of the back porch.

I will spare you too many of the many photos I have. Here’s my plant list and status instead:

Mint (from a purchased start): growing like the weed it is

Rhubarb (transferred from Dave’s aunt): two are doing really great, one got attacked by an overzealous landscaper and is slowly recovering

Various flowers (from plants given as gifts): blooming and lovely

Basil (from seeds, started indoors): Not doing so well. I don’t see much pesto for us this summer.

Cilantro/coriander and Parsley (purchased starts): going gang busters, I’ve had to trim them a bunch

My basil plants (from seeds I started) aren’t doing so well. Next year I’ll probably go back to buying starts for basil.

Kale: (purchased starts) I have Dino Kale and Cosmic Kale and all are great

Beets: (purchased starts) looking good, though I can’t see below ground

Carrots (grown from seeds in the ground) I should probably thin them again, lots more coming up than I thought would. Root veggies are a mystery to me because you can’t see below

Broccoli: The purchased starts are doing great. The ones I tried to start didn’t go at all

Snap peas: (started indoors, transferred outdoors) These are my best successes for the growing from seeds. They’re climbing the trellis, there are blooms and snap peas. I’m ready to start harvesting them.

Brussel sprouts (purchased starts) growing well though I don’t see any of the little heads forming yet

Raspberries (transfers): I’ve got blooms and berries, waiting for them to turn red to eat, should be very soon

Strawberries (one plant returned from last year, two new plants added to my patch) I’ve got blooms and berries, should be ready to harvest the first batch in the next week or so. I’m letting all the runners go out since this year I want the patch to grow as much as possible and fill the box

Snap pea blooms and blossoms! I’m going to have snap peas grown from seeds, the start that worked out best for me.