Pea Flowers

My biggest news this post is peas! I am happy to see many blooms on the 'Strike' shelling peas and a couple of days later on the 'Sugar Ann' snap peas. So that means peas to eat soon. It is also interesting that the original Sugar Snap peas I planted at the same time are doing fine, but since they are a tall vine variety they will be 2-3 weeks later.

A couple of pea blossoms.


The farthest along Sugar Snaps.


I couldn't resist a morning dew picture. It's challenging to get this one because the sun was behind me.


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I figured it's also past time to take some shots of some of our garden spots. Not that we have many yet.

Here's a corner by the house. I think it's shaping up to be a dill forest this year (just wait).


Here's a couple of shots by the strawberries including a side angle of that bed.


The formerly all weedy spot by the garage. Do you like our wonderful bird bath?


A bit closer to the corner. I like how the ferns are filling in. We need to add some mulch and rocks there.


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Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple' or coral bells. These two have done well in there spots and have been pretty hardy both to the winter and summer.


Large hostas on the south side. We are trying to decide what to do with the open spots between plants.


The chives have started blooming.


And the Allium 'gladiator'. I may have to move some of these since most have not flowered since the first year.


One last plant picture, I still have to find the tag for this one. (Update: I think this is Ligularia)

Thursday Rain

We got 1.4 inches of rain in a storm Thursday evening and Friday night. It came down pretty good for a few minutes but was otherwise kind of nice - especially for the garden. During a break I took some wet photos of the garden and also a few this morning.

The strawberry plants where a bit of a muse for a while...


In the morning the circle-like patterns of the rain caught my attention.


The whole world in a rain drop.


Blooms from the chives and the allium bulb in the front of the house are just popping out. The nasturtium leaves gather the water right on the lobe tips. I like the flat leaf profile and the contrast of the red edge. I had the chance to do the classic water dropped tulip picture. Also, the hosta funnels are coming unfurled.


Lots of these guy-gals getting some air.


The garden spot by our strawberry patch.


A "bird bath" and view of the back corner. The rain seems to saturate a lot of the colors in the clouded light.


Closer view of the back corner next to the fence. A couple of butterfly stepping stones and some other pairings of plants.


The raspberry canes busy stretching their roots - I hope.


I had some tomato seedlings left that I decided to plant with the cauliflower and onion barrel. We put some flowers in the top of one of the hanging tomato buckets.


Here's the southern foundation bed and a plant from the east side. I like the leaves on this one (will have to check my records for the name), but they tend to droop down. (Update: Those are Ligularia leaves.)


The vegetable beds (click for details). Earlier I said we had "wild progress" in growth, and I guess that is only going to keep accelerating for the next few weeks. The short peas are starting to twine together and the climbers are - well - climbing.


It's that time we now can get some regular harvests of swiss chard and spinach.


Also some radishes and lettuce. Look at the sparkly salad in the water.