Pip n Milly Creations » gardening

How does your garden grow?

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:37:46 +0000

Out here on the west coast of Canada the winter can be long and wet and the glorious summers are much yearned for during those months. I suspect it would be a little easier to bear if we got more snow, as the rain does get a bit much after awhile. However, I appreciate that I might feel differently about it if I had to deal with snow at this time of year! We have had a chilly spring and the recent arrival of warmer temperatures has been good for the spirit. Last weekend was particularly enjoyable, as it constituted two of my favourite things: gardening and productivity! I love it when everyone feels like getting things done. We recently bought a playhouse for the children and have been planning a Secret Garden area for them, a very exciting prospect for the whole family. Having made a few trips to the Barton & Leier Gallery, we are really inspired to make more of our large space.

In addition to work on the Secret Garden, there is always weeding to be done, things to be tidied, plants to be pruned and seeds to be planted. I’m limited in the extent to which I can do most of that, but I pushed it as far as I could and enlisted Mum’s help to get the veg garden planted. We have decided to add a path this year and are removing strawberries to make way for blueberry bushes, plus we’ve shifted the herb garden over a bit to make it easier to pick without walking on the beds. I always find spring very refreshing, enlivening and invigorating, as do many others. It is wonderful to see the garden coming back to life again! The next few weeks will bring greater beauty every day.

This is the current condition of the garden and I’ve no doubt it will change quickly, as is to be expected at this time of year.

Garden

Garden, Spring 2011

In an ideal world, we would have a studio in the garden somewhere, so I could work out there in the summer evenings! Had better start planning now!

Still here!

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:51:31 +0000

Sorry for the long gap between posts. It has been a whirlwind of activity around here, between settling in to a new routine with the start of kindergarten, playschool, business, job-hunting (DH), puppy-sitting, enjoying the last warm days of summer, playdates, sewing and general home life! We have been getting the house and garden sorted out, ready for the winter months ahead. It tends to rain a lot here, so we don’t spend a lot of time in the garden over the winter, so we needed to create some new storage for the playthings. DH has been occupied with replacing the rotten steps leading to the garden (side effect of building with wood in a rain forest climate!), staining the fence, to protect it from the afore-mentioned moisture, making a gate for the archway he built earlier in the year (in order to keep the pesky deer out of our veggie patch and flower beds), picking up soil for a new flower bed, planting a hedge and generally tackling my “any chance you could do …. list”. He is a superstar.

It has been a very exciting time for my little business, too. The new placemat is a great little product and I am so happy that other people like it too. I am working on a number of new handbags, but I am keeping those under wraps until later in the month. I have an amazing retail opportunity coming up. I will definitely tell you more when it is all confirmed.

Halloween is fast approaching, so when I need a breather between sewing for others, I will be working on costumes for the girls. They have decided to be a witch and a cat this year, teaming up to go as a pair! Last year they were a super hero (OOAK, of course) and a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater (remember the song?). I will, of course, be posting pics of the little cuties when the costumes are done. They both seem to have quite specific ideas of what they want, so I hope I can satisfy them!