Triumphs and Tragedies

It's a bit silly posting these back to back but the garden is changing so quickly these days I actually have a lot of highs and lows to record.  We'll start with the tragedies as they are foremost in my mind right now.

Has anyone else out there tried to grow pumpkins?  If so, I need your help.  I bought a packet of Early Sugar Pie pumpkin seeds this year and planted them under lights in the house over a month ago.  After several weeks and no action I was stumped.  So I tried again, in a different container, new growing medium, not buried as deeply.  It's been over 3 weeks and still no action.  Where did I go wrong???  I was so excited for pumpkins this year.  I even built a compost/manure heap just to grow them in but these darn seeds won't take.  Was I supposed to nick the seeds?  Did they need a cold treatment?  Is there even a remote possibility that if I plant them directly outside I might get still get a pumpkin?

In stark contrast my cucumber seeds germinated in 3 days time and the plants have been growing well for some weeks now.  That is until I planted them out.  I covered them up on the recent cold nights but it wasn't enough.

I don't really know what happened.  I can guess the weather was a major contributing factor.  We've had cold temperatures, wind and rain this week.  Because my previous seeds germinated so quickly I'm trying again.  Hopefully the next batch will have better conditions when they get planted out and I might still get a few cucumbers this season.

Yet another case of bad luck.  I purchased two Solomon's Seal at the plant sale this year and they were planted out almost immediately and have been doing well until the last couple days.

This looks like rust.  The same issue affecting my hollyhocks.  I had no idea it could affect these plants but they will need to be pulled out today.  I can't have them infecting the other Solomon's Seal planted next to them.

After all those lows I took a morning walk in the dew to find some flowers and raise my spirits.  My new flower bed is starting to put on a show.

Winky Purple White Columbine

Unknown hosta

Buds covering an unknown hardy geranium

Ajuga Chocolate Chip

In other parts of the yard shrubs and trees are making a statement.  After a couple years growing time we are really starting to notice these plants beginning to bulk up.

This lilac was my very first plant purchase when we moved here.  It's now around 4 feet tall and has about a half dozen blooms.  The smell is heaven.

The red oak that came so close to death after voles attacked it has sprouted brand new leaves and is also approximately 4 feet tall.  This tree never fails to amaze me.

Quaking Aspen (Poplar)

There was a small stand of poplar trees on this property when we moved here and we have let them expand.  Poplar trees spread by suckers and can quickly take over but we have the room so don't mind. The suckers are anywhere from 1 foot to 6 feet high now and I spent a moment standing in the grove this morning listening to the wind rustle their leaves.  There is no sound quite like it.  What a wonderful way to start a morning.