Garden Full of Life

Caraway thyme in full bloom. Try it in homemade crackers!

I like when my birthday comes because it coincides with all the blooming things in the garden. Yesterday when our ad person from Mother Earth News, Jan Meyers, and her friend, Cheryl were visiting, one of their jobs in the garden was to prune back the taller thyme plants (but not the caraway thyme, which grows close to the ground). (You probably see our ads in Mother Earth News for my Nail Fungus Soak product). When the Orange Spice and Lemon Chiffon thyme plants bloom, it's time to prune them back to prevent die-back. That will keep them producing lots more thyme to harvest rather than letting get scruffy.

Orange Spice and Lemon Chiffon thymes plants after pruning.

Jan pruning thyme, Cheryl watching carefully.

They put lots of the trimmings in brown paper bags to carry back to Kansas in their car. It will dry somewhat on the way and they'll finish drying at home.

Stunning orange iris. Sorry, don't know the name.

This has been probably the best blooming year for iris I can remember in years. In spite of rain and some wind, the irises have held up beautifully.

Anthony tilling fennel bed.

Anthony, our resident WWOOFer, tilled up the last of the empty beds for planting. When this one is finished, the garden will be 95% planted. We're mulching some of the beds but with the recent regular rains, leaving some of the soil exposed to dry a bit.

Little fences don't keep out determined Jack Russels. Molly simply hops over the fence to look for frogs. Cricket checks out the leek bed, below.

Cricket things the hose guard might be a ball.

Chives in full bloom, oregano ready for a haircut in the background.