Surprises Blooms and miscellany

Well as predicted, first the flowers then the pea pods (I know what a daring amount of foresight) They are still young and could be eaten whole, I am tempted to take a nibble now, but I prefer the plump sweet gems inside, so I'll wait.


The potato forest (actually its only about 40 square feet, but it looks impressive from this angle doesn't it.)


Blurry as it is this one deserves inclusion for one reason. I never planted it, in fact I haven't grown strawberries in 3 years. It is growing in the raspberry patch and I mistook it for such until I got a closer look at the flowers one day. Where it came from I don't know but this is probably the most unlikely and welcome "volunteer" I have encountered. Sure there may only be a couple berries but I take it more as a sign from someone somewhere that this whole project is moving in the right direction.



Speaking of raspberries...I got a couple canes from a friend when he moved into his new house and they were taking over the property. I had no idea that raspberries were biennial so I mowed every year. Well after actually taking the time to read about them (after I mowed them again). They are biennials. First comes the primocane straight up from the ground, then next year the floricanes branch out and fruit the second year. Well I thought I had ruined my chances this year but apparently there was a bit of a stump left on one and it fruited!


The first nasturtium flower of the year about a day after its prime, and a minute before I ate it.



My salad bowl as I like to call it. Lettuce up front, a second crop of radishes and carrots, some pole beans for the trellis (third generation kentucky wonders, the first seed I ever saved) and a lone cucumber survivor. We had a freakinsh swing of weather from cold to hot and dry right around the time they were transplanted and the other one succumbed to the nasty conditions.


The garden as it stands now. (You can actually see the tomato plants next to the potatoes now, they took about a week to get used to that spot but they are rolling now.)



Lavender starting to bloom (a tad earlier than I remember from last year)




Yes fennel does bolt, and it looks like this


Feverfew that lives between the lavender bush is starting to flower (and I didn't get a picture, but I picked about half a cup of chamomile flowers and the plants are still covered. Not bad for only 3 plants)