Always something

I'm always learning and seeing new things thanks to the garden. Today I spent a precious few moments moving around some baby plants, putting down more flower seeds (how on earth can I fit any more in!?), and tidying up the beds.

In that short span an elderly neighbor on his morning walk told me that our garden was a "showcase" and very lovely how we mixed up flowers and veggies. It was very flattering and nice to get that feedback, but then he criticized the neighbors who had recently installed the raised beds as "ugly." I kinda winced, since every gardener is doing their best with the resources they've got to make things grow. One person's weed is another person's flower, that saying goes. I told him I'm thinking of raised beds, because they are the most productive way to farm/garden in a small space. He didn't say much to that comment, except to compliment the garden as it is right now. Then a realtor who had just sold a house on our block pulled over to appreciate the garden and ask me what was growing....It's a lot of fun to be chatting with perfect strangers, just because you have some plants in the front yard.

Interesting social experiment. Plants = human interactions.

The other new thing is a gigantic allium variety I planted last fall that is on the verge of blooming. I got them at Garden Fever, which is the equivalent of a candy store for me. They were very expensive, so I only got 2, which is plenty for the small bed. They are definitely eye-catching specimen plants....The chives are also on the verge of blooming, and the garlic is coming along.