Well summer has begun a week ago up here in our neck of the woods, which is in Ontario, Canada. I live in Guelph but was visiting my folks when the summer solstice arrived, and they live nearby in rural Ontario. It was also Father’s Day here the day before, so in celebration of both, on the summer solstice, June 21, my dad and I did a bit of gardening together.
I helped him to plant potatoes, zucchini, and radish. The zucchini and radish were from seeds we’d bought. The potatoes were just from a bag of potatoes that I’d bought to eat but had not done anything culinary with but instead had forgotten about, before finding that they were in an advanced stage of sprouting! So we planted them and if any potatoes come up from them it will be a bonus.
It was a beautiful but hot day on the first day of summer. I always try to take time to reflect during the solstices, and take stock of where I am at in the year, as well as enjoying my connection to the seasons and Mother Nature. If you are looking for a resource on this please check out my free guided workbook (33 page PDF) “5 Ways to Celebrate the Seasons of the Year” in my Free Resource Library. You just need a password, and you can get that here: http://www.fionaharbour.com/library
After finishing planting the potatoes, zucchini, and radish, I helped my mum by trimming some weeds in her front garden and my dad went off to continue working on their raised garden bed that they are building behind the house. With a bit of creativity, ingenuity, and resourcefulness to use the materials at hand, they have designed a lovely rustic raised garden bed that my dad is now building with input from my mum. It’s definitely a team effort and is coming along nicely. I’m not involved in the design or build but am including some in progress photos at various stages here, as I so wanted to share with you as an example of a creative garden pursuit. The wood is from their land. Once it is finished I will include more pictures in a future blogpost.
Raised Garden Bed in Progress - Photo 1
Raised Garden Bed in Progress - Photo 2
Raised Garden Bed in Progress - Photo 3
How the year is going by so quickly! With the official arrival of summer, comes the realization that fall is behind it and then winter is inevitable. I must enjoy every moment of every day of the warmer weather. I have my own plans for a raised garden bed (although not so high as my folks) at my place, and have an old bookshelf that is a bit broken and was never good quality which I think would be a great frame for the raised garden bed. We will need to take the back off of it and I must order some soil to be used to fill it. I’ll also need to figure out a light fencing system for it due to the crowds, yes CROWDS, of rabbits, squirrels and birds around here as well of course as my inquisitive dear dog who also occasionally enjoys digging and gardening on his own terms if left alone in the backyard. He also chases all of the previously mentioned animals and even jumps into my flower bed in pursuit, so the fencing is to as much keep him out of the vegetable bed as the rabbits and friends.
The stores will be open for in person shopping so I will go and browse the fencing options soon. I found it a bit challenging during the lockdown that we had here when I would have had to order online and pick up at the store’s parking lot but I wasn’t sure what I needed and so didn’t want to order online. Speaking of lockdown, we are now in the 16 month or so of the pandemic. I don’t need to remind anyone, but I will, that gardening, time in nature, creative pursuits and mindfulness activities are wonderful and therapeutic ways to deal with stress and anxiety. I’m a bit disappointed that my own raised garden bed isn’t set up and planted already (completely my fault) but better late than never and it will be soon. I’ll just be mindful of what I plant in it and look for the seed packages I have for vegetables which will grow quickly. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying my roses that are blooming, and my new plants that I received as a gift from my folks: Solomon’s seal, periwinkle, Rugosa Rose, Ivy and mint.
And at my folks’ place the heavenly fragrance of the lush foliage and blossoms that greeted me as I walked onto their verandah are a scent that I will always associate with their place. From their verandah we can see the beautiful Marsh Roses that were blooming (see photo above). Also blooming were the peonies, mock orange blossoms, and clematis as well as the Rugosa Roses. Yes, summer is here to be enjoyed!