If You Plant Sticks in January...

...you might get berries in May!


We did not expect any this year, but there are a few. Next year could be a Berry Good Year. We hope to springboard from success making pomegranate jelly to add boysenberry jam to the cupboards (in jars, silly, not smeared on the cupboards!). 

Here's a picture of the berry patch supports Mr. Last built, complete with arms on which hang the Topsy-Turvy tomatoes.

Look behind the hanging tomato plant to find another surprise...

Strawberries!

This photo was taken 6 or 8 weeks ago. The hanging strawberries were an over-priced splurge from the big box store to make up for my disappointment over failed strawberry plants I put in the ground earlier. And I am happy to report that for the last month we have enjoyed finding a ripened berry or two and plucking them right off for an immediate sweet treat.

Gardening bores some of you to tears, I know. These blog posts are my way of tracking our progress taking a lovely yard and shaping it into our Garden of Paradise. It is a project that keeps us healthy and happy and we prefer to spend what little discretionary time and money we  have entertaining ourselves in this way.

And look at the delights we discover along the way:

Hollyhocks!

I thought I did not like them. But these are so lovely.

And look at the front walk. It's all neat and tidy with gravel to the left with a whiskey barrel planter, and on the right we have a sunflower forest gaining height.

Here's a better look at the sunflower forest. Buds are beginning to form on some of the stalks.

The ballet tutu blossoms are spreading all over the mimosa tree.

And look! The mimosa is sheltering a nesting Robin Redbreast.

We've slowed down improvements in the front yard so as not to disturb the Robin Family. But in a few weeks we will resume the stepping stone progress towards a paver patio behind the olive tree. The gardenia hedge beside the hose bib (the plants are just babies now, but one day they will be a full grown gardenia hedge) replaces a languishing iris bed that harbored an enormous snail population.

That's all for now. Another time we'll look at more of the backyard projects, including the vegetable boxes and the Tater Tower. I know you are quivering with anticipation, but try to be patient.

Patience is it's own reward. But also, when you plant sticks in January and wait patiently until May sometimes you get berries.