Getting Acquainted

Sunset

Last evening, we met with the sellers of the house that we are trying to buy on the land where I hope to garden. It was warm and perfect. We sat on their patio, sipping wine and watching the sun set as bats fluttered high above and kept the mosquitos from bothering us too much.

The owner gave me a little tour of the garden, pointed out planting areas and promised to leave a list of what has been planted. She introduced me to Lenten Roses (hellebores) and cut me some daffodils that are starting to come up. She has been a Master Gardener and the house's previous owner was a landscape architect so I look forward to watching their handiwork unfold through the seasons.

My house in Boulder was new and we started the garden from scratch with imported top soil and organic matter to augment the poor adobe clay soil. This garden has been expertly cultivated and has its own 3-pile cold compost system. I used to use worms I dug up from the garden in a garbage can on the side of the house to make my own compost until the city of Boulder created a citywide program.

The Master Gardeners are teaching composting on Sunday, April 10 at the Mercer Educational Gardens. They'll even provide some horse manure to get me started (if I bring a covered container). That'll make a great start for my first ever vegetable garden.

My first sighting of Lenten Roses

The daffodils are starting to come up