Sunday, April 21, 2013

Garden Palette

 Playing in my studio
 Lettuce in a planter, picked daily.
The "back porch", filtered sun and perfect for fuchsias!
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Nude for now but getting dressed. This is the main garden entry with the Trumpet Vine.
My garden is my biggest palette, where I put most of my effort, most of my energy and all my artistic talents are tested.  I plant early the things that can be planted early.  I have 70 flower pots each larger than five gallons and the early vegetable crops do well in them.  I plant peas in February followed shortly after with spinach and lettuce and chard, cabbage, then strawberries.  I wait until the weather is warmer and I can til my main garden area.  I measured it today,  it is 31' x 40' enough room for a lot of vegetables.  I will plant tomatoes, of course! and squash and carrots and beets, cabbage, peppers and some odd and ends.  I try something new each year but the focus is always on my tomatoes.  I have saved the seeds from the best tomatoes from last year and have a genealogy of tomatoes that go back almost 25 years.
The pool, looking toward the blueberries and my studio
This area has about 20 pots and a waterfall. The "Mural" is 1/2" concrete board.
New area this year, I have developed the area to the east of the greenhouse.
   My garden is divided into areas and is sometimes the same from year to year and sometimes totally different.  I have two garden entries, like a main arched entry and a servants entry, an area of blueberry plants, a sitting  area surrounded in potted flowers and the concrete slab between the greenhouse and the garden with its own 20 or so pots.  It takes about an hour each day to water these pots by hand and I enjoy that time to commune with them.  I like elevated gardens and have flower pots and planters as high as seven feet off the ground.  My elevated pots are on automatic watering systems and the others I do myself by hand.

Three varieties of blueberries about 6' tall.
I'll keep you updated on this area, it gets really pretty!
   Most of my flowers are the same:  wave petunias because they are spectacular.  I do have some others this year but couldn't tell you their names, just "pretty flowers" and a contrast from my usual.
Blueberries and pots on garden wall.


















I haven't learned how to place the photos in the proper order to go with the story.  Anyway, my garden has begun and the weather forecast is nice for the next ten days!  Lots to do and plenty of time!

4 comments:

Barbra Joan said...

It's beautiful Jerry.
Because 'you know you stuff"..
A lot of work ahead of you , don't overdo... ok ?

Your painting , abstract I like it and I don't even like abstract.
BJ

Jerry Carlin said...

Barbra Joan, I have to get the garden perfect because you are going to see it!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Jerry it all looks so amazing!! Very spring-ish sir!

Rama Ananth said...

I can imagine how beautiful it is going to look. You are a true artist from every aspect.