These sunny April days have me craving the garden.  All I want to do is get my hands dirty and dig in the soil. We’ve planted seventeen varieties of heirloom vegetable, herb and annual flower seeds with about six more to go.  We’ve also established two new garden beds.  I am calling one the pesto garden as it will become a patch of basil.  There is never enough basil.

This year we’re sowing Hudson Valley Seed Co. organic heirloom seeds which we are now selling at The West End Garage. Not only are the seeds heirloom varieties but the packages are little pieces of art that are totally frame worthy.  Each one is designed by a different artist which you can read about inside the envelope.  I love beautiful packaging.

Some seeds were started indoors in the beginning of the month like our squash, tomatoes and zucchini.

Others were direct sown such as the salad mix, beets, carrots and peas.

To free up some space in the vegetable bed, we have created a kitchen container garden on the deck with the direct sow vegetables.  The peas have just emerged and will soon be taking off up the lattice with a tub full of salad below.  It’s nothing fancy but this little setup will be where our June salads are harvested.

I can’t wait to grocery shop from our yard all summer long!  This one lonely kale made it through the cold winter.  And the oregano is back with a vengeance.  As is mint and lemon balm.

Once we get all of the vegetable seeds direct sown or transplanted we’ll shift our focus to the adjacent flower bed which is already offering a show.  First with flowering bulbs and now with perennials which seem to grow an inch everyday.  I plan to focus on companion planting between the flower and vegetable beds to repel some of the more common pests.  Last year we had an issue with cabbage worms.  We’ll be armed with scented geraniums to the thwart the worms.

This period of time, the spring days in the garden, is full of so much promise.  I’m dreaming of June salads, kale smoothies and big bunches of zinnias.  July zucchini bread and August caprese salad.  Roasted eggplant and fresh tomato sauce.  Yum!

What is growing in your garden?