So first off, I was left unsupervised at a local garden store and I discovered their magical backyard area for the main greenhouse. Plus, I definitely want to support my local small businesses. So yes, I did need all these plants. 🙂

I ended up running out of potting soil for my last two herbs and my little fairy garden replacement plants because I had a lot of plants, but I’m excited to get the garden going.

I did plant seeds on Tuesday and next year I swear I will actually sort markers out, not just assume I’ll remember where things are. It’s going to be a squash and melon battle royale in the corner of one of the beds this year. I have two zucchini plants, a watermelon, and a pumpkin, I think…. May gourd have mercy.

Here’s the bed in question. I switched them this year, since I have had the tomatoes in the same bed for two years.

I have discovered that a true friend is one who will take extra zucchini plants off your hands, by the way. I could only get a pack of 4 plants, but would kind of like to have other things in the garden bed, so only wanted two. She’s also taking some sugar snap peas. The peas are getting their own tripod.

I’m using the same little trellis cage I used last year for beans and have three sets of cucumber seeds ready to go on a trellis, if they actually grow. All the vining things are on the right side of the bed, next to the path. I figured that would make it easy to reach them.

I have a row of carrots down the middle, since they grew so well last year. I added rainbow carrots, because you know I couldn’t resist. Across the front of the bed is arugula and little gem lettuce. There may also be swiss chard and a broccoli? Next year, I promise to label everything.

The peppers are in this bed as well. Nothing fancy, a salsa mix from seed, a poblano, a jalepeno, and a long cayenne pepper. There’s also a couple of bell peppers, one plant and a seed mix.

Now the tomato bed, is as usual, where things get interesting. 🙂 It’s also where I find another definition of a true friend, one who shares heirloom tomato seeds with me! She sent a Better Buy Yellow, a Casspian Pink, a Black Prince, and a German Ruby Green. I planted them all and am hoping they will all grow. I wasn’t able to get myself together to try seed starting again this year, so I have no idea if they will even grow in time, but I might as well try, I thought. Maybe, like the radishes, I might get some surprises.

I will admit that I buy tomato plants by name, not necessarily by what’s actually best for my garden or space. Kind of like my mother when she buys wine actually, so that must be where I got it from. 🙂 So in interesting tomato names this year, I have Mortgage Lifter, Lemon Boy, Pink Brandywine, Green Zebra, and once again, Mr. Stripey! I’m definitely going to try to save seeds this year, in case I can’t find him again. I have a couple of beefsteak and Sweetie cherry tomato seeds planted somewhere in the garden. Possibly next to the extra radishes. I also bought a tomatillo plant! I’ll be excited to try some slasa verde too!

I can’t forget my herbs, of course! I think I need more of them though. My thyme survived a little, but then when it froze again, it was no more. So far, I have flat leaf parsley, Greek oregano, spearmint, lemon verbana, lemon balm, and two kinds of sage, varigated golden sage and garden sage. I haven’t used all my dried herbs from last year, so thought I should try to go easy this year, but I really want more fresh ones to use. I get such a kick out of just stepping out to cut fresh herbs. Makes me feel all sorts of fancy!

The strawberries mostly survived. The ones in the specific strawberry tower did not survive, oddly enough. I think they may have been too dry. The others are growing very well, although I still need to weed them. We even have some berries started already!

I also bought some fairy garden plants to fix my fairy gardens from last year, a succulent to take to my office (hooray for windows!) and some flowers to go in the empty front bed so it looks like we’re doing something in there. I don’t have a good picture of the bed, as it doesn’t look pretty yet, but here’s some of the flowers.

We do have some glorious iris starting to appear. My friend gave us a bunch last year and I’m excited to see the different colors. Here’s the purple one that’s open right now!

So other than the sunburn I’ve accquired, things are looking good for the garden. The Husband rigged a sprinkler temporarily up to water the beds for us and it’s one of the shooting and turning ones and it looks hilarious. We need to get new hose couplings to make the other ones work. We’re going to venture out for mulch and more herbs tomorrow. I will attempt to be good, but you know once I get in the plants, the garden haze descends upon me and I have no idea how all those plants just jump into my cart. Honestly, it’s almost spooky! 😉 Yeah, the Husband doesn’t believe me either, but he sure likes the salasa that we have all summer.

I hope you’re able to grow some fun things this summer. I know it’s perking me up to plant and sow some hope for the future. Happy Gardening!