garden in may.

I love walking through the garden in May. There is always so much unfinished business...beds to plant, transplants to harden off, compost to mix, weeding to be done, mulch to be laid, bean twine to be staked - but every single day brings something new. With my back I cannot really do any of the big stuff except for the weekends when my husband can do the lifting. But I can weed and plan and water and watch...and dream!

red currant bush

The boys are just happy that it is sunny and warm, and love racing and running and playing in the new raised bed which is yet to be planted in. The discovery of insects, and the sounds of the birds as they visit our yard for the birdseed and birdbath...well, they become friends, and we can recognize many of the individual birds who visit us several times a day! The boys also love the bumblebees who are buzzing loudly around, chipper the chipmunk who is back after a long winter, the rabbits who eat the newly blooming dandelions (but always seem to leave my greens alone!), and the brazen vole who darts out from the back bushes and across the alley whenever little boys get too loud.

rhubarb

I find it amazing how much life is in our teeny yard in the middle of a full neighborhood. I know it is because we have so much more to offer than a flat expanse of plain grass. We have trees, bushes, veggies, fruit, no chemicals and rich earth.

golden raspberries

We have planted a few rounds of the spring veggies - carrots, peas, bunching onions, radishes, cabbage, kohlrabi, beets and more. We also have dozens of new raspberry shoots coming in, and a new row of gifted rhubarb from a friend. The lilacs are so close to blooming, and our mock orange is showing buds. The red currants are showing perfect tiny clusters of what will become tart red berries in a few months.

lilac

We have a box of gifted raspberry canes to plant and flats of beautiful wonderberries (garden huckleberry), peppers, and tomatoes hardening off to be planted in a few days. The herbs and squash have another week or so before they will be ready to go into the garden. The beans are started and will be planted in the next week.

pepper transplants hardening off

So much to do, but so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to. I can't wait to share more pix of our new beds and seedlings! Oh, and my garden challenge for the next year...coming soon! What is happening in your garden?