Straw, Berries, and More.

Tulips and daffodils brighten the yard on a cloudy, rainy day.My peas are finally coming up. Mixed in is an onion that was missed last season and overwintered. In the back are the freshly planted onions. They are off to a good start.
Some of the potatoes are finally coming up. This year I planted Yukon Gold and Red Norland again.
I can't get a picture that does justice to the bleeding hearts. They are so much more beautiful in person.
I bought two bales of straw from a local nursery. Turns out one bale goes a VERY long way. I used it beneath my strawberries to keep the berries and foliage clean. I will also place it around my potatoes once they get taller and tomatoes when they go in the ground.
I also potted up some of my taller tomato plants. I planted them in large, red tumbler cups deeper than they were originally. That way they can develop more roots along the stem. I removed as much of the peat pots as I could without disturbing their roots too much. The roots had already begun to penetrate the peat walls.

Spring and My Latest Additions

Tulips in bloom.Purchased yesterday at Lowes: Two Tricolor Sedum to act as a ground cover for a large bare patch in the back. I tore of some chunks to fill in some empty spots on a steep slope out front as well.

Also purchased yesterday from Lowes: Two Little Lanterns Columbine plants. I wanted to add more natives and I know the hummingbirds will love these if they find them. The best part is that I hear they self sow!
One columbine is in the lower left. The other in the middle of the photo.
Then I went to a nearby greenhouse for seed potatoes. They weren't out yet, but I still came home with two new additions. This Homestead Purple verbena. It is showing a bit of new growth.
Plus I purchased a quart-sized Hens and Chicks. It had LOTS of babies on it, so I detached a bunch and placed them in potting mix until they get a better root system. These will help fill in my two large strawberry planters this season.
Did you add any fun plants lately?
Happy gardening!

Blooms From Around the Garden and HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Above is my son's container. Right now he has Little Marvel peas growing on the trellis he made out of butterfly bush branches. There is also one strawberry plant and onion start hidden among the peas. Just yesterday (after this picture was taken) he added a bean plant that he started in school. Although it's still too early for beans here, I figure I can protect it pretty easily in this container.

The chives are opening. I was surprised to find that the flowers have a surprisingly pleasant, floral scent. I guess I expected them to smell oniony.

Below is the newly expanded bed. You can see the bricks that still mark where the old bed ended and the grass began. Keeping the grass trimmed between the sidewalk and old bed was must too much work. This is easier, and it gives me more room to plant!

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!