Mostly, for me gardening is a way to remain connected with the soil, the seasons, the work and resistance that comes from gardening, and delicious food! Definitely, folks who put their hands in the soil are enchanted people. We are the world, the very earth manifested in human form, inspired by the universe to embody itself, and to find another special place and way to reflect on itself. Gardening gives me this gift.
It rained today, and watered my young, fledgling garden. I have planted all my above ground plants, following the traditional 'planting by the moon' schedule. In the next few days, I will plant my root vegetables. This year I will care for heirloom beets, carrots, and turnips.
I have also planted one pea plant beside all my tomato cages so their nitrogen enriching ways will provide for my demanding tomatoes. Interspersed with the tomatoes are radishes, spinach and basil. The tomato patch is surrounded by flowers, mostly nasturtium, marigolds, and moonflowers.
My other garden has my beans ~ orca, Vermont cranberry, blue jay, yellow wax, and green bush beans. My squash: yellow and green zucchini, baseball zucchini, shining star watermelon, acorn, and triamble Australian, are all up and smiling. I have experimented this year by using pine cones to encircle each squash mound to deter slugs and other hungry insects. I will post some photos soon.
The strawberry patch is on the verge of being a sea of red, plump berries. Around the rain barrel, lives and grows my plethora of catnip, and sometimes my two cats, Merlin and Smokey. A large toad lives beside the rain barrel under the catnip.
I have big dreams for my gardens. I live in the east end of London, Ontario, surrounded by many interesting neighbours, many who hang their clothes out to dry. We have lots of birds, especially, woodpeckers, cardinals, chickadees, starlings, and a few hummingbirds.
