It is that time of year and the summer solstice is here. But it doesn't feel much like summer at all in these parts. It is still raining off and on and very cool. I looked at my blog from this time last year and I found
this post. Roses and potentilla were blooming, veggies were beginning to grow, apples were beginning to form. In comparison, it appears that we are several weeks behind where we were at this time last year.
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| The rosebuds are still tight and not quite ready to open |
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| Only weeds are adorning this potentilla right now |
The good news is that the vegetable seedlings are growing.
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| Nasturtium seedlings are beginning to reach up |
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| Lettuce is sprouting |
Despite how far behind we are in some areas there are flowers who have appeared regardless of the weather.
17 comments:
The pick-your-own strawberries just opened up not far from us. I figured it'd be another week or so before we'd see the gates open this year. It's been a long wet spring but I think things are starting to look up.
It is rather depressing, all this rain and the garden is much slower this year...bugs are worse too.. losing beans, chard and beet greens to leaf miners and slugs. Now that it's warming up, plants will leap ahead quickly I hope, for both of us. Strawberries soon ;-)
Your nasturtiums look very happy.
We have strawberries starting to appear, small and green, but they're coming. Our beets were just starting to grow but the hail storm on Sunday hammered them and I've not looked since. We grow lots of tomatoes and they were covered safe and secure just in time so I think they're doing OK.
I recall three summers ago when hubs was building the screened room (I supposed to say it's detached, lol) and it was the same weather... lots of rain and cool.
I'm reading a hot summer with seasonal rain is coming but when? This is SO Vancouverish weather.
We are warm and sunny now, but because the spring was cold and wet and then cold again and then wet again, everything is way behind. I go back and look at last year's photos too, and what a difference from year to year! Nature perplexes.
and I've got the wood stove going yet again today! Must be some sort of record for us, burning wood this late!
Surely, we'll get some fantastic summer days in compensation, oh please, oh please ...
Liz - strawberries already! oh yum. My favourite time of year. I haven't seen any here yet but I'll look for them.
Bren - I sympathize completely. The slugs are out of control and seem to be focussing in on my new lilies in addition to various seedlings.
Michelle - But this is Vancouver WINTER weather!! That's what gets me.
Laurrie - Having a blog is kind of amazing isn't it? Being able to look back on an exact date and see what state the plants were in. As a garden record there just isn't a better tool.
Kim - if we had any wood left I'm sure we'd burn it! Instead we just ordered wood for next season and are concerned about it having good enough weather to dry! Like you, I'm hoping for some nice weather as compensation.
Marguerite your garden is about the same as mine, I have lupin and lady's mantle flowering but the roses and pontentilla are not yet flowering, there are a few buds showing white on the native dog rose this morning but that's all, we have a northern wind keeping us cool just now but at least most of the rain seems to have moved south,
happy solstice, Frances
It is sad to think that it is the summer solstice and we are still waiting for summer heat and summer sun, I think we are at about the same stage, although because of our amazing weather in March, the plants are confused!
K
I was telling Michael how cool it's been out east and he wants you to know that in less than two weeks time things will really begin to heat up! We're bring the sunshine with us!
PS do you eat your nasturtiums?
We've had really cool weather here, too. However, it's supposed to be 98 tomorrow so our brief bit of spring revisited is over. Your lupines are beautiful. It's too hot for them here. I'm a bit jealous of your lasy's mantle. I had wonderful lady's mantle when I lived in zone 4 but it kept dying in my garden here. Boo-hoo!!
My garden is way behind this year, too. It has been loving all of the rain, but I sure haven't!
Frances - The wind always seems to be the issue here too. Even if the sun is out, when that wind is blowing it inevitably is cold.
Karen - We've had a nice day thrown in here and there as well. Just enough to get seedlings to sprout but then they stopped growing with the cold weather. Thank goodness perennials don't seem to mind. In fact, they seem to be enjoying the constant rain.
Jane - oh good, bring on the sun! I've never actually grown nasturtiums before so I'm not sure what I'll do with them. I like them because they're pretty but they also attract aphids away from your other crops. Depending how they do, and if hubby can be convinced, I may thrown in some leaves with a salad. (The flowers are edible as well but I know he won't be convinced to do that).
TS - As usual I forget that some plants don't like heat! It seems a funny thing. When I first started gardening I thought the warmer the zone was, that you could grow anything at all. I was very surprised to learn that some plants I take for granted would be very unhappy in too warm a climate. So once again, I'm surprised to hear that Lady's Mantle won't grow for you!
On My Soapbox - My sentiments exactly! The dandelions can't get enough of this rain and I can't believe I'm shivering in my house in June.
I'm impatiently waiting for 'beach days' to arrive, as well. But, your gardens are looking quite lovely and 3 cheers for those veggies, toughing out the cooler than normal temps. Love your wild Lupines. :))
I sooooo relate! We're cold, rainy and waaaay behind! The lupines and such are looking good for you!
Oh my gosh I had no idea that date happened ! I must have been befuddled with trying to get the garden under control ? LOL
Thanks for posting this Marguerite, or I would have been wondering when the heck did that happen ???
Joy LOL
Here in Maine, too, things are running a couple of weeks behind last year -- although that is mostly because everything was so early last year. Today, we got some of your weather -- cool and wet. Portland, Maine set a new record today for the coldest high temperature ever recorded on this date. (60F) My morning glories have not progressed at all since they put out their first leaves and I thinned them a couple of weeks ago. Here's hoping that you get beach weather soon. -Jean
It is nice to have photos from the year before to compare if we are ahead or behind ourselves, not that it matters we are still going to do what is needed in the garden. A drive took me to some beautiful lupin over the past few days. Looks like rain again today.
Enjoy your weekend
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