2007-05-27 - 8:58 a.m.

..still obsessed with gardening...

It must be a nesting impulse...or I've just become fascinated with gardening. Or both. I spent yesterday puttering around on the porches, plucking out dead flowers and weeds, and trying to resuscitate the hanging plants that we accidentally neglected on the front balcony.

Actually, ever since last summer I've been thinking about the issue of sustainability, and the notion of being able to harvest the fruits of my own efforts. My dream would be to live in a zero-energy house with a full garden. (although where I would get the money to afford such an endeavor in Vancouver is still kind of an open question...).

Anyway, since the likelihood of my realizing THAT dream is slim, I've just engaged myself with the potted plants. And since I hadn't been involved in any gardening apart from keeping my houseplants alive for the last, oh, 25 years of my life...I thought that this year could be a test of what can I actually keep alive? I've been learning a lot of lessons for improvement next year.

For example, plants need water. ;-) I spent yesterday doctoring this neglected hanging plant from the front porch and moved it to where we would pay attention to it. This picture also shows our hyper alpine strawberries, and the lesson in sweet peas: leave them a little room or they turn yellow and die:

Another lesson is that some seeds are happy to cooperate, like this dill, which is just waiting to grow into a garnish for some wild salmon:

And yet, some herbs just cannot be coaxed into cooperation. Like the chives. Either I got a batch of bad seeds, or they just really don't like the idea of being mixed with sour cream and potatoes:

I've also learned a bit of creativity. My whole world is a pot. For example, the lid from this beloved teapot (a gift from H. seven years ago) broke about a week ago. What a great place for basil. Even better would be an herb used in tea. Maybe next year:

Anyway, the back porch garden is blooming happily, and so I've included another photo now that the sun roses have opened:

sigh. makes me happy :-).