Here we are approaching the end of May and I have been sadly remiss in terms of reopening this blog for spring, my only excuse being that this has been a month of intensive planting here on the farm and I have found it very difficult to compose with a trowel in my hand. But what a glorious spring it has been: cool and wet, with everything holding long and strong from the daffodils and muscari that carpeted the woodland three weeks ago to the azaleas, alliums and bluebells that are among our chief glories now. We planted a sweep of miniature triandrus daffodils ‘Hawera’, tall purple allium ‘Gladiator’ and short pinky-lavender allium karativiense down by the creek in front of the house last fall, and they have been blooming nonstop, first the daffodils, now the allium, for a full month now. The amsonia, bachelor buttons, and hardy geraniums are currently brightening the perennial borders, the weigelas and mock oranges are getting ready for their heavenly show, and the peonies are just “golf ball size and showing color”, just the way they like them in the flower market, so next week should be a triumph in the peony ribbon.



Of course, as with all things achieved in concert with Mother Nature, every moment of glory will be balanced with a bit of loss or defeat, and this spring is no exception, as we have seen the demise of two of our most true blue perennial stars: the magnificent 75 year old Japanese maple that graced our front lawn, and the ‘Red Delicious’ apple espalier that has decorated the façade of our upper barn for the past twenty plus years. Their time, simply, was up. The maple has been visibly weakening for several years now, it’s formerly lush, burgundy intensity growing more fragile and airy with each new season, and this spring only about a quarter of it leafed out at all. So yesterday, down the great lady came. I saved some of her prettiest branches to keep in a tall vase in the living room for a bit. Luckily she managed to fling off a few offspring before she met her maker, and we have a number of her progeny following in her footsteps on the terrace and down by the stream walk. We have decided not to replace her as the now open vista down to the creek (where those alliums are so perky right now) is a nice change. The apple followed much the same path: a visible weakening over the last few seasons, the entire right side going feet up two years ago, and the middle section giving up the ghost last summer. We’re going to plant a new one this season and trust we’ll be around long enough to see it achieve the roofline of the barn.



In the vegetable gardens, the beds are amended and tilled, and the cool weather crops (brassicas, lettuce, radishes, carrots) are in. Additionally, our bamboo structures for the beans and tomatoes are built in the beds behind the chicken house this year, and they are looking very handsome indeed, although it’s still a bit early for those heat lovers to go into the ground. The triumph of the bamboo structure, naturally, has been balanced by Mother Nature with a galloping case of bursitis in my left shoulder from the overly zealous jamming of canes into the ground and too much working overhead. Humbly, I have learned my lesson: a few aches and pains are surely part of the gardening life and are, generally, ignored, but sometimes it is wisest to listen to your body when it urges you to stop what you are doing. So, as it is the same shoulder that powers my computer mouse, I believe, that is what I will do for now. Welcome to spring and I will see you next month!