meet me at four o'clock

I may talk, think and dream about my garden in grand ways, but in reality....my little garden is, well, very little.   Things have a way of looking so much bigger in photographs than they are in real life.  These pictures are from last May...just as things were really starting to take off.   By August, the little arbor on the right was completely engulfed with vines!  Which was my intention, except I planted so many kinds of vines, assuming none of them would grow.  And they ALL grew, let me tell you.  It was such a jungle in there, we were scared to even sit under it!  (It didn't help that I found a two-foot snake skin curled up inside the vines!  This is a city garden, the only wildlife I expected were the neighborhood stray cats!) 

 

The middle part with six raised beds (4x6ft) are for the veg.  I was so incredibly surprised by how much produce we harvested from such a humble space.   The clear winners from last year were the bell peppers (Mike eats them whole right off the vine) and the spring spinach....soooo good.  The loser?  Squash.  I didn't get ONE squash.  I did, however get a bout 58 million squash vine borers that are really quite disgusting insects. * sigh*   The strip across from the ity-bitty pond is where I keep herbs.  (I heart herbs so much.)  My lemon grass plant was five feet tall by the end of the season!  And I started some lavender from seed (which I wouldn't recommend) but it survived the winter.   A long strip by the fence is just for cutting flowers.  That's Max on the right, swimming in zinnias. 

These little white pumpkins were called "baby boo".....awww, cute eh?  And they looked so nice on the fence.  Tomatoes a their peak are always just heaven (with just a touch of salt.) 

This is a moon flower vine (one of many on the arbor.)  The blooms are dinner-plate huge, and they open at night...at about 4 o'clock....so do the miribilis.  I loved the idea of a nocturnal garden.  And they smell heavenly....and attract giant moths (Ok...giant moths aren't romantic.....but they are cool.)  I could gush on and on about how much I adore gardening, but I'm sure you're bored already!  I'm actually shocked at the lack of photos I took last year....I'm sure I will bore you all with MILLIONS of garden-love pictures this year!  SO, I apologize in advance. 

So to make a long story short (ahem), I did a bit of seed saving last year, and I want to pass along some seeds to anyone out there who may be interested!  You don't have to garden yourself, you could give them to friends or family that would like them.  SO:  the first three people to email me *  abelstudio@gmail.com  *  will receive a cute handmade-by-me card filled with little seed samples from my garden to yours!  (Please include your address so I can mail em to ya!  And only US-people for this one....I think it may be un-cool to mail some seeds internationally, and I don't want to get in trouble! ( GAME OVER!  Winners to be notified shortly!  Thanks everyone!  Next give-away will be sometime in March.)  Seeds may or may not include: dill, miribilis, hibiscus, cleome, asclepias tuberosa, and cardinal climber...and whatever else I may find! 

I hope there are some people out there who will give these seeds a good home! 

(I read that parsley would attract these little guys.  I can't even tell you how delighted I was when they finally showed up.)

Comments

[Marilyn]

Awww I want SO MUCH to have a little patch of grass to make a garden out of. All I have is a balcony that doesn't get too much sun since it faces kinda southwest. Your garden looks like a lot of fun (but I'm sure a lot of work) to maintain.

[m i c h e l l e]

Me. Blog. Love. Blog. Yours.

Oh wait...let me catch my breath! Your blog is SO gorgeous! I love all your crafts, your garden, your aprons, your estate sale...oh and your information on the postcards. Thank you for leaving the comment on Art House blog in Portland -- that's how I found you! Happy am I! :-)

[Cassie]

Lovely garden and arbor! We're planning on building an arbor this summer. You'll have to give me some tips.

[Claire]

oh right, that is the other reason I don't garden well. bugs. more specifically caterpillar bugs. Have you seen the green nasties that eat tomato plants? I just can't take them!

[LeeAnn]

No squash? How odd. That has been the family joke around here. We get so much squash my Dad says he won't plant any less because it keeps the visitors away. They know if they come over they are getting a bag of squash snuck into their cars somehow or another!

[norththreads]

oh, man of course i missed the great gardening goods!!! Loving your cards & books below!! Stunning!
~cheers~
Ang

[LeeAnn]

If you want Monarch Butterflies in your garden there is a specific flowering plant (other than milk weed) that many gardeners plant. The catepillars love to eat them. In fact, this past fall I was visiting a friend and she planted a small garden of just these plants and I counted over 30 cacoons.

I'll get back to you on the name.

My parents who live an hour and half north of me have started purchasing seeds. I bought some heirloom tomato plants (to be shipped to them) to try this year. Its a yellow/pink variety. I can't wait to give them a try!

[deb]

Oh you have given me even more spring fever! :) I don't think you really need a huge garden as long as you maximize your space and it looks like you have. The bigger the garden the more work it is! :) I love fresh veggies.. have you tried growing different herbs? I always do lots of herbs in large containers and I'll even put two different herbs in the same pot without a problem. Basil.. lots of basil and then homemade pesto is just yummy! Can you tell I'm anxious for warmer weather? Thanks for posting.

[julie (jane's apron)]

I didn't know your were a gardener too! For the past few years I have been growing Moonflowers on a small trellis on my front porch...and then, at night, I open the little "Wizard of Oz" window in my front door so I can smell the flowers. I wish I could grow it in our yard but there's not enough sun. Your garden looks great!

[dede warren]

boo hoo! i am so sad for me and my pitiful little garden, no special seeds for us? no worries. i am sure they will find a happy home... possibly/hopefully among someone who won't allow them to go without water, #1 enemy of my garden :-(

love the pics, i wasn't at all bored with them. i find it rather inspiring!! thanks for sharing, have a wonderful weekend!

[Janelle]

I had so many of those caterpillars on my parsley last summer! They definitely got full tummies from my plant.

I'd love to see more garden pictures--I'm trying to build gardens and beds from scratch at this house and I'm in desperate need of ideas.

[Jeannine]

Oh! what a beautiful garden you have! We tried to grow tomatoes in Suffolk last year ... they grew but were not tasty. **scratches head** We'll try again this year.

:)

[Christa H.]

ok seriously- we need to be neighbors!
I have my arbor in the ground and a field. I am trying to plan what to do. I do know that I will have every kind of herb I can find around the whole thing!
Moonflowers rock- I have 3 packets of them! ok- You have me inspired

[kristin]

Oh my goodness your garden is so inspiring! It makes me want to go out and dig in the dirt as we speak. :) my seeds are still sprouting and i need to get them separated and planted... :)