Happy Easter! It’s Time To Plant The Pansies

Usually I’ve planted some pansies by Easter, but this year between the late snows and our crazy schedule I almost didn’t make it.

This morning I managed to pick them up at the garden center, just in time.

Be not afraid!

Their very hardy and they’ll be just fine!

IMG_0451IMG_0445IMG_0448

Every March when I put them out people roll their eyes and tell me that they won’t make it, but they do…

IMG_0457

Give this pot a week or two and it will fill in with a mass of happy little pansy faces.

You can even eat the flowers if you’d like to!

Have I mentioned that spring is here?

Happy Easter!

Love,

Michele

A Spring Morning In The Derby Garden

I had a chance to pop into the Derby garden this morning. This garden is really precious to me. Michael and I helped with it’s installation about 23 years ago. At that time I had an appreciation for gardens but no experience or knowledge.  This is where gardening really started for me. The young couple who created it worked very hard to design it to represent a garden typical of this setting and the early 1700s time period. I should back up a bit and explain that it sits behind the home of the first American millionaire, Elias Haskett Derby, hence it’s name the Derby Garden. 

At first glance over the fence it may look a bit barren and gray, but if you slow down and look closely you’ll see that the beds are about to spring to life.IMG_0415

I believe that these are the first few leaves of hollyhock.IMG_0409There are plenty of snowdrops.IMG_0384They really are one of the first signs of spring. These will be there for a few more days before it’s time to say goodbye till next year.IMG_0385I’m pretty sure that these are small daffodils. I’ll have to try to check back in a few days to confirm.IMG_0387Something from the allium family? Time will tell us exactly what.IMG_0388CrocusIMG_0390A beautiful carpet of green, maybe grape hyacinths? IMG_0407

This apple tree bears small, tough fruit but I’ve made a pie or two from here.IMG_0406

Here’s the view looking out toward the water. We lived in the blue building to the left when we were first married. It was a perfect honeymoon loft for us. We have lots of good memories from our days on Derby Street.

IMG_0408

I loved thinking about how we were looking at the same view that the Derbys did when they lived there.

IMG_0419

It has changed a bit but their spirit is here.  I can feel it. Especially when I spend time in the garden and imagine what they might have grown and raised in the yard.

Enjoy Everything today!

Michele

What’s Happening in the Garden– Early Spring Sunday

We’re having a beautiful day here so I spent some time looking around in the garden. Of course, I can’t just look, nor should I. There’s stuff  to do!

The pea and bean trellis is just about ready, but the snow still lurks. Maybe I’ll shovel it away so that the ground can unfreeze and we can get some peas started. While I’m at it I might want to clean the old vines off of the trellis.

IMG_0346

I don’t think the Rosemary made it. I should have covered it, my fault. I’ll have to plant a new one soon.IMG_0377

The girls look happy. They don’t love snow and cold weather. It feels like they’ve finally relaxed and smiled. We even got six or seven eggs yesterday. IMG_0349 It’s still really muddy out there!IMG_0353What’s this? a big, beautiful sign that spring is really here! IMG_0362Maybe it’s time to plant some lettuce? You just need a trowel and some seeds (and the soil of course)…IMG_0363It’s in! First lettuce of the season! You can see the leftover salt marsh hay from last year. Pretty soon we’ll add compost and turn it all in thoroughly. In the meantime, it will be fine.
IMG_0374

Lettuce is very hearty and can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked, just like sweet peas, carrots, spinach and radishes.

Hope your able to get out there and plant  something! It just takes a little bit of seed and it’s a great activity to do with kids, although I must admit that my kids were scootering and I treated myself to a few minutes alone with the soil.

Happy Spring!

Enjoy Everything!

Michele

Potting Benches, Daffodils and Crocus…

The other day  my husband saw that I had posted this photo here.
IMG_0238

A few hours later I looked out there and saw this…
IMG_0322

LOL, he’s a really good guy. That’s all I can say.

In other news~

My favorite daffodils are about to bloom down on Palfrey Court. I’ve been following this patch for the last twenty four years. I know from experience that even if it snows tomorrow they will be just fine.IMG_0268

And we officially have crocus here at The Salem Garden!  Photo by my little guy!
IMG_0300

Happy Monday!

Enjoy Everything!

Michele

Potting Bench Heaven

Do you have a potting bench or potting area? For many years I made due with whatever space I had. I remember keeping all of my potting equipment on the bulkhead steps of our old house and working on the sidewalk. Before that we lived above the West India Goods Store on Derby Street and my potting bench was a bucket with a few tools in it.  In this house I have a designated area. Unfortunately the winter has been rough and it now looks like this:

IMG_0238

Poor thing, I think it’s  time to clear away the wood and sleds.

I spent some time in potting bench heaven (also known as Pinterest and Houzze) to help inspire me to freshen it up.

You all know how much I love Houzze.

Check these out:

What a great sink and pretty shade of blue…

These watering cans look familiar and using the plate racks to store the saucers is really creative. The baskets and stool are functional and beautiful.

Pinterest has some great ideas as well:

Here’s a very cute and functional use of a garden gate

 

This one reminds me a little bit of my bench. I like the pegboard and the green stain on the doors. I think a little green stain would really dress mine up.

The chalkboards are an excellent idea! I’m a list person, so having a list of the day’s or week’s tasks and events would be wonderful.

I think the white wicker shelf might have been a headboard. Awesome!

Source: hometalk.com via Michele on Pinterest

Great use of a hoosier cabinet!  I have one of these tucked away in our basement. We use it for seasonal storage, winter hats and stuff, then summer toys when it’s warmer. It’s almost time to change it over.

Source: bhg.com via Michele on Pinterest

And finally, carved from stone? Wow…

Check out my pinterest garden ideas board for a few more great benches. I’m sure that I’ll continue to add there!

My work is never done 😉

Enjoy everything!

Michele

Here Comes the Garden Plan!

One of my very favorite things about winter is thinking about the garden plan.  Yesterday I spent some time poking around the internet looking at planning websites and found this great service at Motherearthnews.com. For a thirty day free trial ($25/year after the thirty days),  you can design your space using lots of cool features.  The site uploads a plant list for your climate, then you can determine your square footage and add all of the beds, structures and plants that you’d like. Whenever your ready you can share it, publish it, view it on your phone and/or print it.  The tutorials that are available helped me to get started and before I knew it I had created this complete map of my kitchen garden.

Here is the link to the vegetable garden planner which I happened upon by simply googling “garden plan.”  Somehow it’s a little tricky to get there from the main Mother Earth News website.  Just a side note about the Mother Earth News web site;  that’s a wonderful resource too! There’s lots of great information about gardening, sustainable living and health. I could spend days just reading and gathering ideas there.   Here’s the link  to the plan above that Mother Earth News publishes on-line. You’ll see the plant list that comes with it just below the plan. I believe that Mother Earth even sends you e-mails telling when to plant things.

As I finish typing I can hear the ducks down in the pond for the first time this year.  Spring really is right around the corner!

If you create a garden plan, let me know, and I’ll share here on The Salem Garden!

Enjoy everything!

Michele

***Just so you know, this is not a paid endorsement, I have no connection to Mother Earth News, I just liked it  😉  ***

Up On The Rooftop

I spent some time on Houzz this morning poking around and looking at beautiful rooftop gardens.  The caption for each is right under the photo. There just might be a rooftop garden (or two) in my immediate future~     Enjoy!

More Fluffy Robe Photos

We had just a little bit of snow overnight. It was so pretty that I had to wander outside with my camera for a few minutes. It was gorgeous this morning!

DSC01578

The buds on the pear tree are looking ready. to. go!! Yes!!DSC01580

I miss the days of pushing my little kids on the swings in the middle of the morning. Hug those babies everyone, they grow so quickly!DSC01581

I love our black pussy willow. Michael and the kids gave me this bush on our first Mother’s Day in this house. It’s one of my favorite plants in our garden.
DSC01583

Hi Zoe, my cute little compost factory…DSC01586

Hi pretty chickadee…

DSC01590

and guess what?

I wore boots instead of crocs today!

DSC01594

He, he, he…no splat for me!

Enjoy everything!

Michele