Wordless Wednesday

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Lavender Wake-Up

I began Lizard's mini lavender farm in 2021. I tried to extend it at least a bit each year, but then Parkinson's limited his access it. I had to spend a year's worth of lavender expansion budget on rock stairs to enable him to climb into the garden. Then he lost the ability to balance on slopes...

This year we decided to dive into the apple trees we'd wanted since the day we bought the house, technically ending the mini lavender farm expansion. I was beginning to realize Lizard would not be able to care for his lavender garden anymore, and then, the end came so quickly, I truly was not prepared. Emotionally, spiritually, physically, the works.

My first re-visit to the sun-baked mini lavender farm a week or so after the Celebration of Life, my initial thought and reaction was, "What's the point?" What would it matter if I let it die? He was no longer here. It was no longer his lavender. I didn't know if I would be able to hold onto the home by myself. (I'm still not entirely sure I can, but I know I should not make that decision before the one-year mark.)

A couple of weeks later, I decided the lavender farm isn't going to take care of itself, and Lizard would not want me to let it die, so I'd best try to revive it. Thank heavens lavender is drought-tolerant.

I replaced two of the lavender plants that didn't make it through the winter with home improvement center lavender and the third with the only home-grown-from-seed lavender tall enough to survive transplanting. That was back in May. I'm proud to say all three are still going strong, as is the rest of the mini lavender farm. (And the other two home-grown from seed lavender are finally tall enough to transplant, but I'm waiting until fall.)

The entire mini lavender farm is in need of new and fresh mulch, as well as and some rock border replacement, thanks to the local wildlife. The new apple trees also are doing well, although I have yet to finish the landscaping around them because it's just been too darned hot.

We bought a mature wisteria and a blueberry bush when we bought the apple trees. The wisteria found the pergola all by itself. I haven't had to train it or the mourning (pun intended) glories I planted at the base. They are healthily climbing and doing their best to bring me daily cheer.

The third and final clematis didn't survive our July heat dome, and I'm throwing in the towel on clematis. No clematis on this property has survived more than one year in 18 years, so I give up. Mourning glories and wisteria will suffice for the shade I hope they will produce within the next couple of years. The ivy that came with the house didn't survive the transplanting to the pergola, even though everything I've read says ivy is extremely easy to root. There's always the Virginia creeper that seems to grow wild everywhere here...

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some of the leaves on the wisteria were turning yellow. My heart sank. I googled and learned I need to mulch the clematis in this heat. I couldn't afford to buy more mulch, and the lavender needed to be pruned, so, I decided to use the lavender trimmings as mulch.

I hate cutting the lavender because it feels like I'm killing it. (It's actually necessary, but it's a mindset thing for me.) And yet I LOVE cutting the lavender because the smell is SO incredible. Now when I water my wisteria, I'm overcome by the wonderful aroma of lavender. And the wisteria looks healthier!!!

A few years ago, I generated a bunch of AI images of bears in a lavender field because I'd missed my award-winning shot. AI has improved a bit since then, so, last week I tried to generate new AI interpretations of a bear in Lizard's mini lavender farm. I'm tickled with the new images. But I'd rather have real photos of bears in Lizard's lavender.

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Garden Grand

I thought I'd lost all my amaryllis back in April because I forgot to bring them in during an overnight freeze. I planned to dump them all and use the bowls for salad greens. Then things happened, and I never got around to dumpring them. Good thing. Many did survive, and two are preparing to bloom! I love that the red and white striped one opened on the Fourth of July!

My first tomatoes of the year are ready to join my next salad! They are small, but they will taste out of this world.

One of the last things Lizard did with me was buy a wisteria to create shade for our trellis/pergola over our back porch. I was so excited when I went out to water (by watering can) this week and discovered the wisteria is beginning to climb! All on its own! I did not have to show it where to go!

I had my best pea harvest ever last week, even though it's been unseasonably hot for going on two months now. I typically get three or four pea pods at a time. Lizard liked the young pods whole in a salad. I like that, but my favorite is a bowl of fresh peas. This is the first time I've ever had a big enough harvest to enjoy a bowl of peas!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Wordless Wednesday

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