Even if it were just for the peonies (the peonies!), late June into early July would be my favorite time of year in the garden. But there's more than just the peonies....we're in that perfect window of garden time where most everything is in, the bugs have not made their appearance yet, the weeds are under control, and everything is beginning to feel lush and lovely and so very full. It's a dreamy time in the garden, for sure.
And a dreamy time in the kitchen is beginning as some of the early things are coming inside for dinner. Garlic scapes, peas, radishes and all the greens. So many greens.
A few things I'm taking note of at this point. First, we tried "bush" peas this year (Kelvedon Wonder Garden Peas) which are a dwarf variety projected to climb to just 18" and therefore not need trellising. I thought that sounded grand, but the reality (for our garden anyway) is that it feels like a plant that can't decide what it wants to do. Not quite close enough to the ground to stand up on its own, not tall enough to warrant trellising. Instead, a bit of a hassle to keep it standing up. Back to the climbing peas we go next year!
I am putting in round three of carrot seeds today, as I just can't get them to germinate this year despite all the attention and frequent watering I'm giving them. Sigh. If only carrots weren't such an essential thing for us to grow, I would happily let those pesky seeds go. But I'll give it a little more love and effort and see what comes of the third time (a charm, right?).
You'll notice a presence of some new mulch in the garden. By a miscommunication with our local nursery, I ended up with 15 yards of "playground mulch", ie untreated wood chips that are quite whole and large. Too big (they'll take ages to break down) for edibles, and meant really for walkways and, well, playgrounds. I didn't have plans for either of those things this year, but there all the mulch sits and I've been finding use for it here and there. It's acting mostly as an edging for some of my perennial beds in the garden. The entire garden has a perennial border garden whose edges require a foolish amount of maintenance to weed. Perhaps this will do the trick? We'll see. I certain have enough for some experimenting.
Alright....carrots are going in today. And the potatoes need hilling. After a good rain yesterday, the sun is shining today. And there's no place I'd rather be than in this garden.
