Sunday, May 6, 2012
The only person I know other than my son who is more passionate about gardening was my mother. She, cultivated plants and trees from cuttings and seeds; nursing ailing plants, manually pollenating flowers, grafting... My son does the same. He has portable seedling nursery beds. Last year's drought destroyed a lot of the hedges and bushes, plants and flowers I had in my manicured garden. My son uprooted all the dead plants and converted our yard and garden into a vegetable garden. He also planted several vegetables in containers. He uses every available container he can find, including plastic containers from the pho restaurant. He is so dedicated, studying each plant's cultivation and maintenance, dutifully taking care of each of them and trying to make use of every planting space available. I am so thrilled. I love seeing something not just beautiful and pretty in the garden but useful and edible. It is all organic. He keeps the vegetables and plant the caterpillars and bugs without chemicals. So far we had a taste of the tomatoes, sweet peas, bok choy, lettuce, kale and peppers. I enjoy spending the evenings and weekends inspecting his garden with him and his sister. This evening I am making vegetable stir-fry with bok choy from his garden.
My son told me that a pumpkin flower only opens for a few hours during the day and then closes because of the heat. He thought that the nectar-drunk bee on the right may have been trapped. We went outside to look at the flower. It had indeed closed (see the photo next to my stalker, the frog further below). I tried to open the flower and found the bee inside. It died from the heat. See what happens when you have too much of anything?
There is just so much beauty in a vegetable garden. I am so glad you have the makings of a master gardener at home and soon will not ever think of buying anything shop-grown.
ReplyDeleteWhen my garden was at it;s peak, I grew leeks, onions and garlic among my roses - dual purpose, they kept the bugs off the roses and were great to eat.
Isn't it wonderful to see family talent come through in the next generation?
Hugs and tsup, tsup, tsups . . .Arija
Cette publication me remplie de joie...
ReplyDeleteElle me ramène à mon enfance et à mon grand-père qui avait un merveilleux jardin. C'était sa très grande fierté. Tu ne pouvais pas le manquer, il était dans son jardin du levé du jour à la tombée de la nuit. Dans on potager tu trouvais des fleurs comme près de ses fleurs des légumes...
Il avait une grande connaissance des plantes à placer les unes à côté des autres pour un merveilleux échange.
Ma grand-mère était comme ta maman ma chère Ces, elle les utilisait pour soigner et soulager. Les fleurs embaumaient la maison...
Tu as beaucoup de chance d'avoir un fils qui ait pris les gènes de ta maman, ceux de l'amour des plantes...
Merci pour ces belles photos.
Je te fais un gros bisou.
Like Arija, I find it "...wonderful to see family talent come through in the next generation..." NO matter WHO is doing the 'seeing'. A wealth of knowledge for either a hobby, or a career, is being built by your son--with support from his nearest family Peeps. God is smiling! (I'm just guessing that!)
ReplyDeletePEACE!
...and I NEVER tire of viewing Ces' nuts--grin!
You draw them, he plants them. But both of you thrive on the nurturing and the thrill of minute details. You have a little bit of Eden right outside your door. That your son's garden brings the family together at many different levels makes me beam with joy!
ReplyDeleteAww, poor honey bee. At least she died with something sweet upon her lips.
Good night, sleep tight. TSUP!
What a wonderful veggie plot! Great that your son has such green fingers!
ReplyDelete