I hate you, Edmonton. I've been feeling a little warmer toward you recently, but that was just Stockholm Syndrome.

may29 (3), originally uploaded by jocelynb.

Hops vine growing on a cool trellis we got from Home Re-Use-Ables. I had never been to this place before -- it's amazing! I'm not sure what this trellis was in its previous life -- two long segments and two short ones. They're just kind of sitting on the ground now in the Back 40. Once I get some paving stones, maybe I'll do something more permanent to attach them.

what's in bloom - may28

what's in bloom - may28, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

From left to right:
Bleeding Hearts - I believe the variety is "Galaxy Red"
Crabapple - Although we don't have many blossoms this year.
What I believe is arctic campion
Lilacs. I am not particularly fond of lilac flowers, but I love the smell at this time of year -- you can catch it on the air sometimes, without even seeing a bush nearby.

Succulents on the steps

Succulents on the steps, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

I put some succulents (plus a couple other things, sweet potato vine and silver falls dichondra) in my tiered pot, and ice plants in the little pots. (Last year they took over my beds, so this year they're contained.) Most of these are perennials, so I'll try to find a post for them in the ground in the fall.

The yard -- May long weekend

The yard -- May long weekend, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

The yard as it looks today. Lots of stuff growing, lots still to do...

New back beds!

New back beds!, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

My neighbour salvaged this fence from the garbage, repainted it, and built a gate across the back of our lots. We are both growing stuff back here, although only the pots on the right are mine-- most of the property is the neighbours'.

seedlings

seedlings, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

This morning I had breakfast with some friends and they brought me these lovely seedlings. I attribute their loveliness to the fact that they have a greenhouse, because that conveniently contributes to my belief that I should build a greenhouse.

The back 40

The back 40, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

My mom and I painstakingly cleared this area out (well... partly) and I built another 36 square feet of raised beds back here. I also cut down about 10 trees in order to let the sun shine on this area. There is still lots to do.

A beautiful story

Once upon a time, there was a glorious Queen of England named Victoria. Victoria loved vegetables so much that she invented a new holiday, Victoria Day, at the end of May, so that Canadian gardeners could plant their gardens.

(I've been so busy over the last week or so that I haven't had any time to think. And Saturday and Sunday were PERFECT transplanting weather here. On Saturday and Sunday it was a bit overcast, with alternating sunny periods and little rain storms. And then today it's raining for real, hopefully helping all those plants get established. I'm going to upload a few photos to flickr though and I'll post them here too.)

In bloom this week: Double-hanging plum

In bloom this week: Double-hanging plum, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

Just saw the first blossoms today!

sort of a garden poem

There is something so satisfying about THIS EXACT TIME OF YEAR
because the baby weed trees in my yard are the perfect size to be weeded:
small enough that they have a single long root, and are easy to pull out of the ground;
large enough that spotting them and pulling them out is satisfying.

an unpleasant wilderness

an unpleasant wilderness, originally uploaded by jocelynb.

A pioneer woman update.

I’ve been pleasantly adrift from the Internet this week as I immerse myself in a giant yard project. The largest looming thing on my to do list for the past two years has been the approximately 180 square foot area between my garage and the edge of my yard. This photo shows the area as it appeared in July of last year. The house’s previous owners had dumped all kinds of crap back there — garbage, plywood, pruned branches from trees, etc. There is a huge compost bin built of rotting wood in the back left hand corner of the picture, which you can’t see because the weeds are so high they cover it completely. ALSO SHOWN! About a dozen weed trees (at the back, against and indeed growing THROUGH the fence), which completely block the sun and drop thousands of new potential weed tree seeds on my yard every summer. AND! Invasive thistles. Which are called Canada Thistle even though they are not in fact a native species. So the place is really mired in a lack of semantic organization as well as a lack of actual organization.

So this week my mom has been here, and we’ve been tackling the wilderness. We have sawed down trees, built garden beds, and carted out wheelbarrows-full of garbage and dirt full of quackgrass. A partial list of other items uncovered in the pile: drinking straws, pop can tops, McDonald’s ketchup packets; a child’s sock; 4 rubber/tennis balls; 2 strands of Christmas tinsel and one piece of rope; a Hot Wheels car; and my favourite, the winner of the garbage-pile sweepstakes, a leaf from a fake plant. SO META. Oh, and a nest full of mice. Gheeegh.

So that is where I have been. Taming the wilderness, like a pioneer woman. “After” pictures to come shortly.