Why Fences are Needed

Ning took this today.

Schreiner's Iris Gardens

Laburnum

Schreiner's Iris Gardens

Aesculus

Weigelia

Trees. Progress Report.

Laburnum. The flower clusters may not be as long as in an established tree. Still beautiful. Redmond linden. Also growing nicely. Also no sign of flowers. The leaves are lighter green, and larger, compared with Greenspire. Greenspire linden. All are growing nicely. No sign yet of flower buds. Maybe none the first year. I think all of the trees planted last summer and fall will need water approximately weekly this summer. They are mulched as well.

Canby Plant Fair

Saturday we went to the Canby plant fair. Worth the trip. Many people brought little wagons for their plants. We didn't think to do that. Ning bought some tree peonies and an Enkianthus campanulatus. I bought a grafted tomato, "Hawaiian Pineapple" and some chili pepper plants.

Pear grafts. Progress report.

Some are growing better than others.

At the moment, all grafts are growing.

Very few incipient pears on the trees. It may take a couple of years for these to bloom. When they do bloom, the grafts should help the pollination issue.  Establihsed hives may also help.

Strawberry Raised bed.

Ning gave me 2 bales of straw. Not my birthday. Great present. With temps in 80s the plants will grow rapidly. The soil will dry out rapidly, too. A good straw mulch will help.

Beekeeping. Progress Report.

Minor maintenance on beehive. Check top bars, make sure there is room for expansion of hive. Remove the empty sugar feeders. Near the hives, a row of wild white-flowered trees. I don't know what they are. Mild musky fragrance. There were bumblebees as well as a few honeybees on these flowers.

Frosted Fig and Potatoes

Potatoes. I think they will grow back.Frosted fig. Petite negri.Frosted fig. Sal's fig.On Tues night it frosted at the Battleground place. The only damage I saw was to fig leaves, potato leaves, and some damage to new mulberry growth. Disappointing but it could have been worse.

Honeybee on Echinacea / William Blake

“The busy bee has no time for sorrow.”

William Blake

Photo via commons.wikipedia.org public domain photos. apis meliferra carnica on echinacea purpurea flower

Happiness. Robert Green Ingersoll

Happiness is the only good. 

The time to be happy is now. 

The place to be happy is here. 

The way to be happy is to make others so. 

-Robert Green Ingersoll