Gardening for Health: May 2007

Red Roses

I really love roses! To look out the window and see beautiful red roses climbing the fence, now that's a sight to enjoy!

Onions, Garlic, and More

We have begin harvesting the onion and garlic bulbs we planted back in late fall. It has been very rewarding, since this is the first time we have had such a bounty. We have purple onions (they are so large, the photo doesn't do them justice), and yellow onions. We now have plenty of garlic, which we love to put on everything. (We try to freshen our breath before talking to others after enjoying our garlic:) And I can't forget the two yellow crookneck squash and two green zucchini. It's so satisfying to begin to enjoy the fruits of one's labor!

Favorite Climbing Rose

This is my favorite climbing rose. Everyday when I look out the window at it, I am pleasantly surprised. I never know whether it will display colors of red, yellow, orange, pink, or something in between. I picked it up for $1.00, at the end of the season, never imagining how much delight a dollar would bring.

Cabbage Pride

To the average gardener, the picture to the left may not mean anything important. Yet to us, it represents cabbage pride. We have unsuccessfully tried two years in a row to raise cabbage. But before the cabbage can really start to grow, some little dirty cabbage worm or other pest would come and consume the plant almost overnight.

This year we decided to try some other tactics, including starting the plant a couple of weeks earlier than we have in the past. Finally, we have experienced the joy of having fresh cabbage from our own garden! The first cabbage we cooked, we savored every bite. It was delicious! When you plant something, cultivate it, and watch it grow, to enjoy it as part of a meal is like icing on the cake. It makes you have much more appreciation for food, than when you just run to the local grocery store and pick something up; a joy and satisfaction that brings a smile to my face.

Nice Night for Growing

I've been told that plants do most of their growing at night. If so, it should be a really nice night for growing.

Peaches are Growing

I'm like a little kid, when it comes to watching things grow. Every chance I get, I will go and see if something has got a little bigger, or sprouted another leaf; waiting with unbridled anticipation for the final result - EATING MY BOUNTY. I have been watching the peach trees with particular attention, and you can sort of image why. It's amazing to see the bare tree start to bud with beautiful pink flowers, then as the flowers fall off, you see the beginnings of a tiny little peach. Then you wait, as it gets bigger and prettier, with each passing day. Oh, and the best part is that we have two different varieties of peach trees (a yellow fruit and a white fruit), one that ripens early in the season, and the other that ripens a few weeks later. Anticipation really is keeping me waiting!

Roses Confirm Spring is Here

For me, the appearance of blooming roses, confirms that spring really is here. The sight of beautiful red roses uplifts your spirit, no matter what kind of day you are having. It gives you a moment of tranquility, to stop to look at and smell the roses. Which is something I am trying to do more often.

Reflections on the Winter Garden

I have been very neglectful of my gardening blog. When life gets a little overwhelming, something has got to go, and unfortunately that has been my blogging. Although I have not been making regular posts, I have been taking photos on occasion.

Here are some of the things we were growing in our garden during the winter months: