Patio Paradise

I have spent so much time helping make Michael’s yards of gardens look nice that my poor little patio has been all but abandoned so far this year.  I’m never here on the weekends so I tend to forget all about filling up my own planters!

All that has been going on so far is my pre-fab basil plant, which I’ve already been eating from almost every day for two weeks. 

So this week as I was running errands I made a point of stopping by a few garden centers to see what was left for me to pretty up my patio.  I have to admit, I was surprised at just how picked over everything was!  It was tough to find a few good impatiens…my favourite for a pretty pop of colour.

I opted to try out begonias as well this year since they were in good shape.

I went to three different stores to get a selection of four herbs.  All that seemed to be left everywhere were sage and thyme…neither of which I use enough of to warrant growing it!  I was on a mission for cilantro!

It’s a little limp, but I’ll have this little beauty ready to trim for eating in no time!

The chives are starting out pretty straggly too, but I have high hopes.  And this might be the tiniest little rosemary tree ever, but he’s cute.  I think we’ll call him Charlie Brown. :)

Since my planters kept blowing over and dumping last year I needed to replace my spearmint.  This year everything is sitting directly on the deck, instead of my raised shelf, so hopefully no more herb disasters.

I hadn’t planned on growing tomatoes this year since Michael is growing a few plants and I’ll get to partake in his fruit, but I came across this lowly little cherry tomato for only $2 and just had to bring it home.  I have the perfect pot for him, so I guess next week’s errand is to get some extra dirt and build a little home for this guy.

Once planted, this plant will apparently start to produce fruit in around 48 days.  I wonder if that means I’ll have edible tomatoes before September this year!?  Last year I missed out on the major crop because it finally produced in late September as I embarked on my two week trip to Greece.  Bugger.

Now if the sun would just come out and stay for a while I could spend a few afternoons watching my little plants grow and flourish.  Wouldn’t that be swell?!