In the Garden Grows...

Yesterday I spent several hours (broken into many 5 - 25 minute intervals, as I was frequently interrupted by one of the other 5 family members) weeding, pruning, and clipping the landscaping around our yard. I love nothing more that being outside in the dirt; planting, harvesting (and i use that term lightly), or getting ready for next year. I think of the three older kids, Brady has inherited my zeal for gardening. Whenever I am out there, he's right next to me, trowel and seeds usually in hand (whether or not it's actually planting season).

Fortunately, my neighbors tolerate my efforts (at least no one has mentioned anything yet). I don't think the HOA would be thrilled with my hodge-podge landscape design, not that I really care what they think. It's my postage stamp sized piece of land, and I'll do with it what I please. So we plant all kinds of things and see what grows here in NC (and in my case, what doesn't).

So far, the kids and I have planted 4 blueberry bushes, 1 strawberry plant, 2 blackberry plants and 1 raspberry plant (that have gone mad along the side of the house), rosemary, mint (here's a helpful tip since mojitos are so fashionable now...IF you plant mint, PLANT IT IN A CONTAINER - I didn't.), tomatoes, hot peppers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, oregano, basil, cilantro, chives, and thyme. And those are just the edible things... Add to that, black eyed Susans, Shasta Daisies, Purple Cone flower, St Johns Wort, peonies, snapdragons (that somehow came back from last year along with some vinca), periwinkle, and a fig tree (that didn't make it), and you can get a pretty good visual of the mix of vegetation surrounding our home. We've had some resounding successes, and more than a few disappointments, but few things match the delighted squeals from the kids as they discover that the berries are ripe for the picking (or eating). Even better is when they save a few of the best ones and bring them in to share with me.

As I was pruning yesterday, I found a little patch of carrots growing amidst the irises and day lilies in the bed next to our garage, several varieties of random flowers in two other beds (that I think match the pictures on some seed packets I bought last spring but never could find to plant), and some type of squashy/melon-ish vine - with nothing on it (I think it had some type of blossom rot).

I started pulling up the carrots. When I realized that there were anorexic little orange nubs growing at the end of the "weeds" I was pulling, I stopped, and chuckled to myself. I had no idea that Brady had even planted carrots, much less the other assorted varieties of flowers I stumbled upon.

I had to smile as I came across these little surprises. It was a special joy to see one of my kids taking up an activity that I love to do (although may not be so good at) and making it their own.

And why not bury some seeds in the dirt next to the driveway to see what comes up?

While I'd love to plant a proper garden someday and show them some seeds, a little hard work, and a bit of cooperation from Mother Nature can result in a bountiful harvest, for now we'll have to settle for our couple of pints of berries (what is left for us by the birds) and an assortment of vegetables and herbs. I think they're getting the basic idea.

I left the carrots in the dirt by the driveway for Brady to pull out another day. Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to have a tomato ready on the vine by then and we can make a salad. What a nice home grown treat that would be.