My Urban Garden

One of the things I love about living in Idaho is the marked change of seasons and the rebirth of my garden each year. 

Here are a few reminders of what my garden looked like when I first posted about it on my blog back in March, compared to what it looks like now. The lush  green of summer has replaced the stark grey of winter. 

The view of my neighbors' houses from my backyard deck is screened by the summer leaves on the trees now, and we all have plenty of outdoor privacy.

 

The bare raised planting beds of winter are full of summer herbs, flowers, vines, and vegetables.

 

 

And the heat-tolerant plants are thriving on the narrow south side of my tiny urban yard between the house and fence.

There are onions, marigolds, zinnias, basil and green peppers,

tomatoes,

 

carrots and beets,

 

oriental eggplant,

 

potatoes,

 

and green beans.

 

 We don't have an automatic sprinkler system, so I'm it. Each morning I give the garden a deep drink of water and enjoy looking for the changes from the previous day. It's amazing how much can grow in a garden in twenty-four summer hours.

It's too hot here in midsummer to do much in the garden other than water and harvest, but when I got tired of seeing the ugly air conditioner over there in the corner, I whitewashed some old shutters to screen it. 

I also made some directional signs inspired by some I saw on Pinterest. You can stand right next to these signs and see everything they point to because my yard's so small, of course. You sure don't need a sign to guide you. 

But I just love the humor in that.  

 I found a bit more of my yard junk art while rummaging around in the shed. A favorite bird with a broken base perches on an old window frame leaning against the fence. 

The family is done-up on a rusty metal plant stake.

 

A few dollar store tin stars hang on an old wood ladder trellis. 

 

And a thrift store beer sign hangs on the deck.

Most of our hot midsummer afternoons are spent in air conditioned interiors, but in the evening when it cools off, we'll sit out on the deck and enjoy cold drinks and a barbeque, accompanied by fresh herbs and produce from the garden. 

Next winter seems so far-off, but knowing that our warm green summer is just one of four very different seasons of the year inspires us to enjoy every moment of today.

   Thanks for coming by to see what's been going on in my garden. 
I hope you're enjoying your summer! 



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My Urban Garden

Have you ever seen an elm tree seed? 

 They're light as air and scatter in the spring breeze like snow flakes.  This little one came into my garden from my neighbor's trees way up there across the street.

With a few hundred thousand of its friends.

Just when Tuck and I finally finished cleaning up the last of the elm tree seeds, we looked up to notice the maple tree helicopters laughing at us. 

Just wait, they smirked. 

Sigh...

But cleaning up Elm tree seeds isn't all I've been doing around the yard lately. I reseeded some bare spots in the lawn.

Delighted in the Clematis.

 

 Brought out some of my garden friends.

and divided some hostas.

In the vegetable garden I harvested some radishes

 and lettuce.

And planted some tomatoes.

I planted some Karl Forrester Grass (the ones with tall waving plumes in the fall and winter) along the back fence.

And delighted in some more Clematis.

I planted my pots

with these flowers:

Tucker helped.

I splurged on this succulent "tile" for the table on the deck.  

And delighted in the first rose.

I wondered if our potato barrel is going to turn into Jack's bean stalk. 

But all in all, I'm happy to report that my little urban garden is having a good spring.