Its TIME to GARDEN!!!

In Canada...they say(I don't know who...but I've heard...perhaps its a wives tale)...the LONG WEEKEND in MAY is the WEEKEND to garden....perhaps it is then that the FROST is no longer a threat to our pretty little friends in the rich, black soil!! I have been itching to get to my gardens......in March we had LOVELY MILD temperatures...but I was too scared to dig about...I kept reminding myself..."I live in Canada...I live up NORTH in the 705 area code!" However this past weekend, was the LONG May 24 WEEKEND. Not only did I shop early at the Grocery Store and my local LCBO...I hit the Bradford Greenhouse...time to buy some flowers, vegetables and herbs. I was HAPPY.....picking out plants!!

This is my third summer here in our little home....now the gardens are healthy and flourishing with perennials.  This year I am correcting mistakes that I made last year.....FOR ONE, RASPBERRIES........YOU need a LARGE space for them...like in the back corner of the yard...where they can grow and flourish...cause they will GROW and FLOURISH...they are like a WEED!!! They were taking over a certain part of my garden....to the point where my hydrangea had to fight to survive! Last week....I fought with my Hubby's work gloves and a SHOVEL..to dig up NEW spawns of the original Raspberry bush...those ROOTS went on and on...deeper and deeper....BUT I THINK I WON!! Time will tell!!! Give me a WEEK!! I'll let you know!

Every new year with gardening, you realize certain things...what can survive in YOUR garden and what doesn't. YOU also realize what YOU like and what YOU can improve on ...what to add, what colours to mix...what new vegetables to try.....its a great way to get your kids involved too...they end up trying the veg/fruit from YOUR garden!! Its FUN!! We tried celery last year....it was too dry...as Josh said "its not juicy enough!" We also tried to grow a pumpkin....it got WAY OUT OF HAND.....then one night a squirrel came along and ate the WHOLE plant........

Every SUMMER we have to have our tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, rosemary, and oregano...those are our staples!! But now the GARDEN is getting too FULL.....I have no more room to switch it up, grow something new...unless...unless  I can convince the HUBBY to dig up some grass...poor kids....their play area will be getting smaller and smaller......

I finished the INITIAL weeding, mulching and planting yesterday....and I must say....I am quite HAPPY with the GARDENS so far...its just the beginning....and you know it was a SUCCESS cause your legs and arms are SORE from battling the weeds/roots and rocks...and even potatoes...YES potatoes....I am still finding potatoes buried beneath the gardens...I have no idea what the previous tenants were thinking...but I FOUND many, many POTATOES!!!

The GARDENS...various angles!!! See the KIDS have some space to PLAY!!