2011 Garden Update

While we are still here, we may as well enjoy the garden!


2011 Accomplishments:

1) We finished the lower terrace last spring and planted it with vegetables. Patty pan squash, zucchini, beets, carrots, swiss chard, brussel sprouts, herbs and lettuce. I cannot really count the peas because critters ate all but one little vine and we harvested two pods. The patty pans and zucchini did very well. The greenhouse was full of basil, tomatos and dill that we harvested through November. Worms attacked the brussel sprouts and frost put an end to any harvest. Having never planted them before I had no idea how long it would take to get a harvest.

2) Ripped out the weeds around the rock garden in the field and re-planted the lost lavender and sage plants.

3) Moved hundreds of old fashioned pale purple iris from the east side of the large pond down around the fishpond east of the lower terrace. They look sad and dead right now but spring is coming!

Fabulous find! There is a nursery in Boring Oregon called Boring Bark. They have the best selection of quality perennials I have found in the Pacific Northwest at a small nursery! I purchased a yellow gaillardia (blanket flower) from them that has provided a nice bright spot in the lower terrace next to the fishpond. Deer have never bothered my seedling gaillardia, but they did nip this one a few times. The great part about this plant is that they will re bloom within a few weeks of being nipped so a little deer pruning did not seem to stop it. I purchased the plants in late June and they bloomed until frost put and end to their display. Boring Bark also roasts their own Cats Moon coffee brand and it is very good!  Stop by on your way to Portland for a cuppa!