Next Year, Maybe

Several years ago when my Aunt Miriam was downsizing, she gave me an outdoor cafe table with a glass top. 

The first year, it vacationed on my back deck. The following year, it took up residence in my side pollinator patch on which potted plants lived out the next two summers.

This summer, when I relocated my tomatoes from the front porch to the sunnier driveway, I moved the cafe table to the front corner of the porch.

My plan was that I would be able to sit with my laptop overlooking the garden and write; however, I quickly discovered that I couldn't see the laptop screen in the sunny outdoors.

The best laid plans, eh?

Anyway, not to be deterred, I put two reasonably weather-proof IKEA stools outside under the table and a pretty potted plant on top; and re-purposed my creation as a place to sup tea and admire my handiwork in the garden below.

I love the look of the table on the porch; and with the tomatoes growing well in their new home near the watering hose, the porch actually looks much bigger.

Now, if it only had a pergola overhead, the shade would allow me to use my laptop outdoors, as originally planned ...  Next year, maybe.

Stewed Rhubarb

It's been a long time coming, but I finally managed to grow and store enough rhubarb to cook up a tasty treat for my mom, who has always loved stewed rhubarb or strawberry rhubarb pie.

I simmered the small harvest with some water and granulated sugar; and, served the tasty concoction to my mom over vanilla ice cream.

My new gardening friend, Marjorie, has offered me some of her rhubarb in the fall, to supplement our small planting; so, hopefully mom will be able to enjoy a rhubarb treat more often in the future.

Only time will tell, but this year's small harvest fills me with optimism.

Garlic Scapes

Last November, I planted garlic for the first time.

It was an experiment I hoped would pan out even though I was:

• completely inexperienced
• gaining my insight from the internet, and
• keeping my fingers crossed in my mind for months.

Miraculously, the seven cloves weathered the winter underground; and, almost before the snow and ice finally left the garden, tiny garlic sprouts were popping up happily amongst my other hardier perennials and shrubs.

The garlic plants grew almost visibly - daily - as they reached towards the sunny skies above, culminating this week with production of what I now recognize as garlic scapes.

The scapes circled around twice in just a few short days, and I picked them quickly before they could go to seed. They smelled and tasted just like garlic, and provided delightful garlicky flavour in a couple of dinners.

Thus far, growing garlic has been a positive experience; and, I can't wait for next phase: The harvest ... So, stay tuned!

Pure Perfection

My Maternal Grandfather's Vintage Peony
Now Growing in my Garden,
and Beside His Grave

Two years ago, I went on a pilgrimage to recover a piece of my maternal grandfather's peony plant.

The peony had grown in his garden on Ottawa Street South all during the years my mother was growing up; and, a piece of its root was given by my grandfather to my mother as a housewarming gift when she and my father bought their first house.

When my parents purchased their second home, some 20-years later, my mother forgot to bring the root with her: A mistake she began to regret more and more as the years passed.

It turned out that I was easily able to retrieve a piece of the vintage root from the current home owners; and, it has bloomed for two years now in my garden, and next to my grandfather's cemetery headstone - gone full circle, back to him, so to speak.

The flowers of the ancient peony are a lovely soft pink with delicate single petals, bright yellowy-gold stamens and sturdy stems: Pure perfection in my eyes, and more importantly, my mother's eyes.

This year I entered some of the peony blooms in the Mount Hamilton Horticultural Society's Scents of Summer Mini Flower Show, and on June 15th they helped me win my first 1st place ribbon in the 'Garden Party' Floral Design category.

The Judge's comments,

"Lovely interpretation of the class;
Perfect designing.
Well done."

were clearly aimed at me; but, I think credit should be given to the real stars of the show. Specifically, my "perfect" design win could not have come about without the pure perfection of my grandfather's well-loved peony blossoms and their timely arrival; and, for that I am truly grateful.

My June 15, 2018 Flower Show Design Winner
in the MHHS 'Scents of Summer' Competition,
Featuring Grampa Macdonald's Vintage Peonies

'Bean' There, Done That

Granddaughter Mattie-Belle's
Beanstalk, before Transplanting

As the end of her third year of school, my granddaughter, as generations of grade one students before her have done, brought home a plastic cup in which was growing a sprouting bean.

Mattie-Belle not surprisingly, was more impressed with the bean than the report card; and, not content to let the bean grow any longer in it's original container, she hounded me for several days to help her get it out of the cup and into the ground.

Not wanting to subdue the enthusiasm of my little potager protege, I found a suitable pot and used up the last of my good organic gardening soil to give her 'magic bean' - she said it might grow a beanstalk - a fighting chance at survival.

Within the week, the transplanted bean plant had outgrown the foot-high dollar store trellis I'd thought would give it plenty of support; and, when Mattie-Belle once again suggested the plant might be a beanstalk, I began to think she could be on to something.

The bean took to the outdoors well and is being tended by a zealous gardener. Mattie-Belle is not one to let a plant go without a good watering; so, it's lucky for the bean plant that it's pot has ample drainage holes.

The only major threat to this beanstalk's ultimate survival seems to be that Mattie-Belle can't stop lifting the heavy pot and carrying it to all possible admirers: Letting people come to the plant doesn't seem to be a concept her enthusiastic nature can grasp.

I'm cautiously optimistic that the bean project will make it to bean harvest: Many times, before – with other children's grade one projects – I've 'bean' there, done that, and the outcome hasn't always been successful.

This time, Mattie-Belle and I are both really trying our very best; although, sometimes our very best can be REALLY trying, don't you know. Anyway, stay tuned!