Flowers

A few weeks back, I had the gardening itch. So I went to the store and picked up a few plants to spruce up our front porch and backyard deck. There's something about a bright, colorful flower that can bring a smile to your face, don't you think? My favorites of the group are the dahlia (wedding flowers!) and ranunculus. I wanted to bring a white anemone home too, but no such luck. Maybe on the next flower shop visit!  

What is your favorite flower to grow?

P.S. The flowers must be happy with all this SUN today. Is summer here to stay?! Please say yes.

Mystery Gardener

Dear Mystery Gardener,
First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you. As new homeowners, we're still trying to collect all of the things that apartment or condo living has not required. Exhibit A: lawnmower.

In an effort to not be the neighborhood's weakest link, I have hand cut the front lawn to help the curb appeal. The backyard, on the other hand, was a total and complete jungle. I'm talking, "Honey, I shrunk the kids" jungle.

But last night, much to my surprise, I noticed the front lawn had been mowed! Me-oh-my, I thought to myself and I quickly ran to the backyard. Wowza, this is what I remember the backyard looking like when we visited the open house and fell in love with out little home! That was exactly two months ago and the lawn had clearly not been mowed since. But more than just a mow, someone had weeded!

Mystery gardener, I don't know who you are and I don't know where you come from, but I like you. I'm just going to pretend you were a sympathetic neighbor who saw me hard-at-work cutting the lawn - then decided to fill your random-acts-of-kindness quota. For that, I thank you kindly.

Sincerely,
Petes

P.S. Look at our backyard now!

Green Thumb Peterson

Remember when I told you about my secret garden?

It looked a little like this.


Well, shaZZZZAAAAMMM! Check out how it looks today. (P.S. Like my shadow?)

Pretty, pretty flowers.

I really like flowers. Consider that a hint fellas.

The not-so-secret garden

With the assistance of my mom’s green thumb, I finally planted my little garden outside my apartment last weekend! I have a great little porch with an area in front for a garden – it was previously inhabited by an ugly, dead tree of sorts, but that’s no longer.

My Mom, Dad, Grandma Pete and Lily all came down to visit on Saturday – Steph joined the Peterson clan fun as well. First, we walked to Hale’s for some lunch. Then, we trekked over to Fred Meyer to scope out the flower selection. My only requirements were: a lot of color and long-lasting flowers – gotta make it through the whole summer!

After a laborious process of actually picking the flowers out, we headed back to my place. Steph, Dad and Grandma took the liberty of watching the process while my Mom and I got down and dirty in Miracle Grow. (Lily just started digging a hole next to the tree she was tied to. Apparently, she felt left out.) I was hoping for an overnight miracle, but alas, flowers take TLC to thrive. On Sunday, my Dad called and asked how much I made at the Ballard Farmer’s Market from my plentiful, flourishing, miracle flowers. I told him $62 – that’s right, Miracle Grow works magic. That, or I have a super green thumb...

Getting started

Planter #2 - Dad and Grandma relaxing

Some finishing touches

Ta-da! Garden-riffic!