gardening in the rain

I didn't originally plan to garden in the rain today. It was supposed to rain in the afternoon (it rained in the morning). I was up early anyway (had a work conference call at 7 a.m.). The farmer's market was still selling beautiful things and I couldn't contain myself (let's pretend to be surprised).

So, I tackled a bunch of things:

Check marks galore.

Project #1: Fixed up the herb garden outside the back door

BEFORE

• Planted new basil, nasturtiums, rosemary and another tomato plant in pots
• Pulled weeds 
• Added soil to level out the sloping garden bed
• Planted onions at the bottom of the bed
• Fixed the hutch (it was old, and needed screws instead of nails. I also drilled some holes for water to drain out)
• Rearranged everything for maximum sunlight angles
• Planted wildflowers from Caitlin & Alex's wedding last weekend in a newly filled-in patch behind the mint pot (where the cilantro and peppers used to be)

Project #2: Added flowers to the whiskey barrel planter out front

• Moved two plants to sunnier locations on the side yard
• Added spikes, begonias, creeping jenny and some pretty yellow & purple flowers

Project #3: Weeded and mulched the Hydrangea tree beds (one near the patio, one in the middle of the yard)

Project #4: Staking tomatoes (pictured: four cherry tomato plants, which are growing like gangbusters in a planter on the south side of the yard)

In between all the projects, I got to admire squash blossoms, potato plant flowers, baby strawberries, the summer's first pepper (so early!) AND A FROG.

 

First harvest of the year: kale, lettuce, basil, lemon verbena, cilantro, raspberries and one strawberry :)

This is how excited (and dirty) I was when I finished: 

Oh yeah, and the sun came out :)