A lot happens in May, the yard no longer looks empty and blooms are in full effect. This month is all about pink and purple flowers. Tulips, Lilacs, Geraniums, Alliums, Sage Flowers, Violets, Bleeding Hearts, and Peonies galore. [Read more…] about The Yard in May
Outdoor Garden
Flower Seeds
My yard is fairly chaotic, new plants sprout up daily and it can be difficult to decipher which sprout is desirable or not. I’m sure I have pulled a few “wrong” sprouts over the years, but that’s okay, managing weeds and a garden is a never ending story. This year I wanted to try to add a few new flowers to the yard. Since I’ve never grown these varieties before and I don’t know what they look like when they’re young, I thought it would be fun to start them from seed first. This way they may have a chance of survival. [Read more…] about Flower Seeds
Lilacs
The Lilacs come out throughout the month of May. There is a row of Lilac bushes or trees spanning through the next five yards to the west of us. They bloom one at a time heading east, with ours being the last to flower, and yes- it smells as incredible as you would imagine. [Read more…] about Lilacs
Starting the Vegetable Garden
What will be in the vegetable garden this year? I picked up my first flat of sprouts the other day and started my potted vegetable garden. This year we are starting off with Cherry Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Chiltepin Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Hot Cherry Peppers, Guajillo Peppers, and Jalapeños. [Read more…] about Starting the Vegetable Garden
The Yard in April
We’ve lived in the same place for 6 years now. When we arrived, it was May and the yard was just beginning to unfold for the summer. The tenant before us had done some planting and landscaping, it was quite nice. I had no idea what was there, but it was a lot of fun to water it and watch it grow. Our yard is full of surprises, there are waves of continuous change over the growing season and I love to spend time with it. Over the years I have spent hours watering it, I’ve pulled billions of weeds and probably some gorgeous intentional plants too, disrupted and relocated many bulbs, allowed weeds to join the party, added more plants, learned about new plants, I have made mistakes, and there have also been many victories. It’s a beautiful yard full of life, at times it is a bit wild and out of control, but I think it’s perfectly imperfect. [Read more…] about The Yard in April
Hello Spring, Hello Turning Moss
Happy Spring! While it may have been snowing most of the day here in Chicago and we may have had blizzards over the weekend, it is evident that spring has indeed arrived. Early blossoms have been sprouting up in the yard and the trees out front are going to bloom any day now. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s time to say goodbye to the dark months of winter and hello to the vibrant start of spring. What a perfect time to turn on to a new path and a set new projects into motion, this marks the start of Turning Moss!