Warmest greetings and best wishes to all the mothers out there! What a well deserved weekend to be pampered and spend time remembering. Mothers handle the heavy lifting of life. This is our weekend.
Here at Winterpast, we’re celebrating the fact that Miss B is out of the hospital and safely back home. As the mother of five boys, she’s earned her place as the Matriarch of the family. We’ll be spending the weekend making sure it’s perfect for her as she continues her recovery.
A special Motherhood Award 2024 goes to Wookie and her six little Wooklets. One week old this morning, they are healthy as they continue to be a very vocal bunch. Wookie hardly leaves their side, caring for their every need. She’s a wonderful mom.
Without other news, here are some pictures of the projects we’ve been working on at Winterpast. Very rarely, I include actual pictures. Today is the day. These are from the gardens of Winterpast and I send them to you with best wishes for a gorgeous weekend.
Mother’s Day is a great day to enjoy some flowers. Enjoy
Back Yard Patio — Left
View from our patio. These plants came from various trips to the hardware store when we couldn’t resist the lure of the garden section. Columbine. Gerber Daisies. Lavender. The very tiny orange Marigolds to the left of the screen were from seeds. The tulips are from bulbs we received as wedding presents. They are planted with a purple pin-cushion plant, which is one the bees love to frequent. The beautiful plant in the cedar planter is Foxglove (Digitalis).
Cherry Tree
This cherry tree is a favorite of our bees. The seedlings above are growing into respectable plants. The alyssum seedlings are starting to bloom. These tiny flowers will feed the bees later in the summer. Four small cherry tomato plants will provide snacks on hot summer days. The interesting red cement tubes are actually painted geological core samples.
Garden Shed and Green House — Potatoes and Seedlings
Three oak 1/2 barrels are full of potatoes. The planters are full of of floral seedlings, including Calendula, Bachelor Buttons, Cosmos, and Shasta Daisies.
Patio — Right
Our beloved bees live behind the chain link fence, built to keep Oliver and Wookie away. The plants in the greenish pot are marigolds, raised from seeds. The bulbs by the flamingo were wedding gifts. Such a thoughtful present for aging honeymooners as they start their life as man and wife.
Greenhouse/She-Shed
Our precious greenhouse! We haven’t named her yet, but this is definitely my She-Shed. 10′ x 14′, it’s the perfect size for two to work. The shelving came from a close-out sale at Walmart. The winds did remove the back window, which now provides for the perfect amount of ventilation for our little building. Our plants are thriving under the 70%-sun-blocking-shade cloth.
One note of caution. This greenhouse continues to be an extreme project that has taken patience. Unless you are living with a craftsman, consider this project a long time before attempting it. Although this looks serene and gorgeous, many hours of repairs and redesign have gotten us to this point. Remember, the price of the greenhouse is only the beginning of a very labor intensive and expensive project.
Garden Bed of Seedlings
This box was last year’s purchase from Costco, deployed this year. The middle section is full of Black-Eyed Susan’s which will grow rhizomes and return next year. There are also Dwarf Sunflowers on each end, Lupine, Echinacea, Bachelor Buttons, and Siberian Wall Flowers. (48 sq. ft.)Our “Banyan” Apricot Tree
Our “Banyan”/Apricot Tree
This is the most beautiful apricot tree in the world, which holds court right in the middle of the Gardens of Winterpast. She’s 20 years old. To Carson’s Apricot Angel from the West — Be ready! We have another bumper crop.
New Seedling Bed
A newly planted bed of seedlings, including Zinnias (regular and small), Echinacea, Sunflowers, and Marigold’s. A few unknowns were planted for fun. For this project, HHH used our small, electric roto-tiller. Not every project needs a farm size tool. This bed is approximately 25 sq. feet.
Our Memorial Garden
Last, but not least, our Memory Garden. Two Japanese Maples, a Rhododendron, and some bulbs were planted in remembrance of our loved ones. It’s nice to have a shady place to rest in the afternoon.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour. I promise to include pictures during the growing season so you can watch our gardens grow!
Happy Mother’s Day!
I’ll be back on Monday!