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Daffodils, primroses, and anemones are all blooming. The forsythia is flowering too; that typically signals that it's time to trim the rose bushes in our area of the Pacific Northwest.

As I sort through and organize my collection of bean seeds I'm listening to Stan Rogers, an artist I consider to be a Canadian treasure. This song, 'The Field Behind the Plow', makes my thoughts go to all of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :)

This Vibrant Joy bok choy was started in 1 1/2" soil blocks in late August, and planted out close to the house in September. We harvested it lightly a couple of times during the winter, and now that it's spring the plants have burst into growth. it's hard to capture the colours adequately; the...

When and if it ever stops raining all of these cute little 1 1/2" blocks of lettuce will get planted out in the garden. Frilly 'Green Reef' is a new one for me this year, as well as Red Mist and Alkindus. The bright yellowish green ones are an old favourite, Tom Thumb-- and it looks like there...

A milk jug could perhaps work-- but I kind of like to keep the roots of each plant separate, to make for easy transplanting. One year I tried cardboard rolls, but the cardboard stayed too wet in our rainy climate. With a little luck the soil blocks will keep the sweet peas happy enough until...

That's a gorgeous bean. I looked up ortza, and it translates from the Basque as 'rainbow'. Maybe they get lots of rainbows in the village of Elortza?? 🌈

Nothing but rain in the forecast for the next two weeks. Trading in my trowel for a snorkel. ☔

There were big jars of raspberries and blueberries tucked in the back of the freezer, so yesterday I pulled them out and made a yummy fruit crisp for dessert. It was delicious with vanilla ice cream. 🫐

Some people have an easy time of growing sweet peas, but for me it has been really hit or miss. This tray of 2" tall soil blocks have been sitting in our friend's unheated hoop house for about six weeks, since the end of January. They have developed LOTS of white fuzzies. I have been resisting...

A few early garlic cultivars were planted in a raised bed last November, to see if they will mature earlier than those in the ground. I added a loose covering of row cover last week to keep them just a tiny bit warmer, and to minimize soil compaction from heavy rains. The fabric is suspended...

We made rice with some fresh spinach last night. The spinach was started last fall and left outdoors all winter in a bin on the deck, under cover of the roof and out of the rain. A couple of weeks ago it took off growing, and is a vibrant green. There is a second bin with mustard greens; that...

Yesterday was like a lawn mowing festival here, with all of the neighbours making the first mowing of the season. It was the first day that really felt like spring, with warm sunshine for trimming and weeding. The lawns and gardens look fabulous now. Rain arrives late tonight, and will stick...

Love the image of emptying a pillowcase on Halloween night-- so very exciting heirloom gal. Here's hoping for a long, warm summer of gardening. ☀️

At times, yes. Having never done this before it sure makes for an interesting learning process.

Steve, if you make it over to Spain be sure to spend a few days in Segovia. We were there about five years ago, and the Roman aqua-ducts were mind blowing. It is impossible to imagine the scale of this structure without seeing it in person. That and the tour of Toledo cathedral, south of...

The first camelia blossom of the season.

Some of my early sweet peas got nipped by the bitter cold in February. Someone suggested that the frozen tips are not a big deal, as new shoots will appear in their place. I was kind of skeptical about that, but sure enough they were correct. In most cases new shoots are beginning to poke up...

According to Frank Morton crosses will stand out with marked differences. Red x Green = crosses will be half as red as what is typical Green x Red = crosses will be half as green, with red on the crosses Red x Red = even more red than any of the parents These photos are of a red leaf lettuce...

Gorgeous. They resemble pure white orchids.

The second half of February has been more wet than not, with 17cm(almost 7") of rain falling. Now we are in a dry, sunny stretch for several days and it is almost springlike. Sunglasses weather! Warm and just beautiful, with crocuses blooming and birds singing. I had forgotten about what...