Getting our gardening on

This weekend we finally finished up our planting for the year. Yes, I know it's almost the middle of June, but we didn't want to plant anything before our trip for fear it wouldn't survive while we were away, and then it took us a little while to get back into normal life after we returned.

Thankfully, we've had a remarkably cool late spring/early summer so far, so I'm confident we haven't gotten in too late. It also helps that we bought plants for everything because we knew trying to work from seeds just wasn't going to happen this year.

With the exception of the flowers and a few herbs that survived from last year, we were able to get everything from a local farmer at the farmers' market, so everything is local and organic, which was exactly what we wanted. We also got a good deal on the plants (and he threw in a few extras for free) because we're so late.

We planted herbs in pots on the deck: cilantro, oregano, dill, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, and chives. Another pot on the front porch contains mint and parsley.

Then, we have two garden plots. The smaller of the two is up next to the house and was already in place when we bought the house. We managed to get a decent crop of tomatoes and peppers out of it last year, so that's what we planted there again: four tomato plants plus jalapenos, red and orange bell peppers, and a few cabbage plants.

We created the larger plot one weekend earlier this spring when my dad and step-mom were in town. While my step-mom watched B, the rest of us worked on pulling up and replanting the grass, getting compost and fertilizer into the soil, and putting the garden timbers in place. We added the stakes and chicken wire during our planting session this weekend.

This garden includes zucchini, eggplant, kale, chard, two more kinds of peppers, garlic, and more cabbage.

 Up front, we planted a few pots and our little front flower beds with a few annuals.

I love how much cheerier the front porch looks when these pops of color get added.

And of course no project would be complete around here without a little sewing. I've been planning to make a cushion for the front chair since last summer, but I kept putting it off. This summer, I was determined to finish it, especially because I knew it would be such a quick project.

And it was after I finally found the fabric, which turned out to be much harder than anticipated. I ended up at Joann's, and I wish I had gone there first because they have a huge outdoor fabric selection, and it was on sale. Bonus!

The chair looks so much more inviting with a little soft color on it. It'll help add a little character even once the plants are gone. I think I might make a little matching trivet for the plant on the table, too. We'll see.

For now, I'm just glad there are plants in the ground. Grow, baby, grow!