friends – The Salem Garden

It’s a Small World

or maybe it’s a small blogosphere?

There are lots of things that I’m enjoying about my little blog, but one of the most interesting and unexpected is the range of places in the world that people visit from. It’s kind of amazing to me that someone in French Polynesia is checking out what we’re doing here in Salem, Massachusetts.

I’ve also had hits from Australia, Germany, Croatia, Russia, Haiti, Mexico, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland.

I have frequent views from England, Canada, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

I often hear people say that the world has gotten so much smaller since the internet. I don’t think that could be more true.

I hope that over time a community will grow here at The Salem Garden. It’s fun to raise chickens and children and gardens together.

We all have so much to learn from each other. Our world is very, very small indeed!

Thank you all for joining me on my crazy journey! I’m honored every time I see that someone visits.

Enjoy Everything today!

Michele

Some Clarification and Whats Growing this Week

Good Morning Everyone!! It’s a perfect day in Salem!

I want to clarify my statement in yesterday’s post about peonies taking time and patience to grow. It’s not that peonies are a high need plant, once their settled and growing they will thrive without a lot of attention. I would love to have inherited some but I never have. I’ve only grown them from scratch in which case they can take a few years to get going… hence my comments about “time and patience”. I am very lucky these days because I can look over my fence and enjoy my neighbor’s very well established peony bed.

Here they are this morning, about to bloom!

When I asked for permission to take and post this photo and explained what I was up to my friend shared that she has divided these and experienced that lag time before the recently planted plants bloom again. I felt so much better hearing that. It’s not just me!!

Just to cover everything I feel obligated to emphasize that I have NO formal training in the fields of gardening or horticulture. Everything I say here is based on my personal experience, the reading I do and my general love (maybe “passion” is a better word) for gardens and gardening. Michael, the kids and I just enjoy growing things together! As you read remember that I’m learning right along with you!

Here’s a quick view of some things that we’re growing this week… taken yesterday (by me this time) on my daughter’s I-Pod. I want my camera back, but who would have ever thought that an I-Pod could take this many photos.. not the best quality, but I’m forging on anyway!

Here’s the view as I walked out the back door to take the photo at the top.. things are very green today.

off to my left, the Yellow and Siberian Iris are blooming, along with Soloman’s Seal.. this area needs to be weeded and the plants divided.

Down in the garden the foxglove are happy and that little eggplant in the foreground is settling in. I plant the eggplant because I think it looks cool in the garden.. I usually end up giving most of it away because we don’t love to eat it.

The zucchini looks happy too. i wonder if it will take over that space between it and the lettuce? The lettuce will be bolting as it gets hot out, we could train something to grow in that direction..

A few cucumber and pepper plants are coming along.. I didn’t plant much cucumber because I had so much wilt last year… cucs either thrive or are frustrating. Last year was frustrating so I’m stepping back and buying them at the farmer’s market this year.

Here comes a row of bush beans. Their staggered but I may need to thin them out as they grow.

And I’m off to Agway to buy chicken food and mulch.. We’ll see what else I find to fill in a few gaps!

Thanks for visiting and enjoy your day!

Michele

Peonies

There are lots of beautiful things blooming here in Salem this week and one of my very favorites is the peonies. Do I have any in my garden? No, I don’t. Why? Because they take time, space and patience. I want to grow them. Every year I spend a good amount of time thinking about where I could plant some. I never seem to get it together and get them into the ground. One of the great things about blogging is that I feel accountable for what I say I’m going to do. So, here goes— “I’m going to plant some peonies this year!!” If anyone has some that they’d like to share I’ll be by in no time to pick them up, now or in the fall… just let me know! Here are some of my inspiration peonies. My dear friend Blaire has grown these in her Salem garden for years. Long before I knew her I used to lean over her fence every June to admire them.

This is her first shot of this years’ blossoms… Wow! Perfection!!

Here’s a full view.. just beautiful!!

And one stem artfully arranged after a little damage from a hard rain… Leave it to Blaire to create something this pretty!

I would say that the patience and space needed is definitely worthwhile! Time to get to work! And many thanks to Blaire for allowing me to share these beautiful photos!

Enjoy Everything!

Michele