Today is Friday and that makes it the day to take stock of what’s going on in our gardens, thanks to Tootsie and her Fertilizer Fridays. 

My garden is much the same with a few exceptions from last week.  The weather has improved so we can at least be out there to enjoy the show. 

 Our vegetables are really coming along.  There are many blossoms on the tomatoes, squash and peppers as well as the cucumbers.   We have eaten some of the hot peppers, or should I say my husband has eaten some of them.  I am not big on hot food, but he makes up for me.  He loves the hot stuff.

My front yard has been a bit slow but it is starting to burst.  As you can see, I like alot of colors and flowers all mixed up out there.

I like vintage ceramic animals.  I especially love when I can find ones that are flower pots.

 Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

~It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
 ~ Lewis Grizzard

   There are  different colors too, check them out along with other styles of Bionic Garden Gloves at gardenshoesonline.com or just click on one of the pictures. 

Our England is a garden, and such gardens are not made

by singing: — “Oh, how beautiful!” and sitting in the shade. ~Rudyard Kipling

I have just solved a mystery. I had 3 plants grouped together that were here when we moved in. When they emerged in the spring time I thought they were weeds so I cut them down.  Last year they grew back, again I cut them down.  This year when they sprouted, I decided their determination deserved a chance so I put them in an inconspicuous spot to see how they grew and what kind of flower if any, they had.  Yesterday I was weeding, and when I moved the large leaves to see under them, there was a really funky flower uncurling.  It looks like a calla lily except it is  black (maybe dark purple) with light yellowish green stripes that originate in the center and fan out. It almost resembles a cobra.  I had to hold it open to show the inside because it wants to stay curled like in the picture.  They grow from a tuber, the stalks are purple, the leaves are grouped in threes and the plant is about two feet tall although the stem for the flower is only about 4 inches long.  It is not the most colorful flower, but it is unique, very unusual and beautiful in it’s own way.  Well, after searching the Internet I was able to discover that it is an Arisaema Triphyllum, better known as Jack in the Pulpit. I had never seen this type of flower.  As far as I can tell it is a triphyllum, there are many varieties but this seems to resemble that one the most.  Though it  prefers partial shade and shade, it can tolerate sun as well, so it fits anywhere. It gets a bright red group of berries at the end of summer. I think it is a very tropical looking plant.  I now respect it’s strange beauty and perseverence.   

 Who said you couldn’t teach old gardeners a new trick?

        How strange that Nature does not knock,

      and yet does not intrude!  ~Emily Dickinson

Here are my Green Thumb Sunday Blooms~

Here’s a look at what’s blooming in my May garden

“Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower”  ~ Anonymous

Sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.  ~William Shakespeare

I am glad that we finally put our plants into the vegetable garden.  My husband and I did that last evening.  It’s not a huge garden, but it is big enough to keep us, and our extended family in tomatoes and zucchini all summer long.   Of course we now have many hot pepper plants.  He got a bit carried away choosing.  I guess I will have to find some good salsa recipes.  It is really nice that my husband has taken an interest in gardening.  His enthusiasm is contagious and it’s really great having so much help.

We put a soaker hose all through the vegetable garden today.  This is our first experience with a soaker hose so I will see how it goes.  It is supposed to save a lot of water and I am all for that.  It was definitely better with two of us managing the hose and the digging.  I used my Cobra Head Tool.  That really made it easier to lay it under the soil. I just love that thing.  I use it for everything.    

I have spent pretty much all my spare time out in the garden the last four days.  My knees hurt as well as most every other joint in my body. But… the flowers look good and the veggies are planted. All is right with the world.

I have had a lot of fun putting in the enormous amount of plants I bought last weekend.  I am almost ready to sit back and watch the show.  That is until tomorrow when I go outside and think of 10 new things that need to be done out there.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. ~ Lao Tzu    

Living in upstate New York doesn’t make it easy to have container gardens  in May.  We had a hard frost just two nights ago.  I put my plants in the next day though because the weather is supposed to be nice for the next week.  I like to live dangerously!  It’s Memorial Day this weekend, it should be safe by now.  Thanks for the opportunity to participate.  Plants and pictures are two of my favorite things.  Happy Spring!  

Flowers in the yellow pot are geraniums, coleus, dianthus, lobelia, red mandevilla vine

Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson