Slow and Steady

The new garden is slowly coming along. I took out the screens in the guest bedroom so I could look over the garden. There are two windows in that room and one overlooks the backyard and one overlooks the side yard. Part of the roof blocks some of the side yard. I might use the hallway window next spring for overhead shots. It has a better view.

View of the side yard on Tuesday morning. Over the weekend my husband filled up the first bed as I made the other one and a half beds and loosened the soil underneath. The soil was amazingly compacted for just having been put there. But not nearly as compacted as the spot we are stealing the soil from (the part of the garden near the driveway). That soil is acting like clay it is so compacted, but in reality this soil is very sandy. It will be a real change from having heavy clay.

View of the back yard on Tuesday morning. On Monday evening my husband came home and told me I hadn't gotten much done that day. Then he looked out back. I filled the back beds and planted the measly four plants I had taken from my old garden. I really wanted to take more cuttings, but I didn't have time as the closing was moved up by a couple of weeks. Ah well. I took my chives, both garlic and regular and put them in the circular bed opposite of one another. I'll fill the rest of that circle with kitchen herbs since it is right outside by kitchen door.

Also I took the only plant that has been with me through all my houses. I grew these dianthus from seed decades ago. The seedlings all came up very different. Some more red then pink. Some tall, some short. Over the years they all succumbed except this one. It thrived. It thrived in the wet years. It thrived in the dry years. It slowly spreads out into a nice mat and has the prettiest pink flowers. I'm hoping I haven't planted it too late as I would hate to lose it. I planted two of them one on each edge. I took two from sections from the old garden because I figured I had a better chance of them living it I had more than one. I'm hoping they thrive and trail down the sides of the wall. In the spring when they bloom they scent the air so beautifully and I'd love them right outside my door.

View out my back door on Wednesday late morning. I always do the work in the morning if I can. That way I can take my shower after and be clean for the rest of the day. Yesterday morning I filled up bed number two. Today I filled up bed number three. Tomorrow hopefully I'll have time to build two more beds. I've ordered five cubic yards of soil to be delivered tomorrow morning. I will probably need a total of 7 cubic yards, but the big truck probably can't turn around and dump it where I want it so I ordered just enough to fill up their smallest truck. This might cost me an extra $35 but it will save me a lot of time since otherwise it would have to be dumped in the farthest corner of the yard from the garden.

So the garden is coming along slowly. I'm almost halfway done. Earlier this week I was feeling very worn down from the work. It isn't just this job. It was all the other things on my plate too. I seemed never to get any rest. I also was getting a lot of exercise that I wasn't getting before. This summer I did almost nothing except bike to the store and unpack. I was about as out of shape as I've been for quite some time. Now I'm back to my schedule of dancing, walking, biking and digging in the garden. It was a shock to the system, but I'm slowly getting used to it again. And one of my classes ended last night so I will have more time to just relax and be with my husband at night.