What I did on my vacation

Normally, I don't like to show the gardens until late June or early July when they start to fill in, but there's talk of possible snow this weekend.  If that happens, this is as good as the gardens are going to be, so I figure I might as well show them off now.

Plants still need to mature and grow, and hardly anything is blooming yet.  Please use your imagination.

First, the biggest garden in the back.

Notice the baby apple tree, which I'm very sad to say has become a memory tree for my sister and her boys.  Their dog Maddie died this week at 15 1/2 years old and will be sadly missed.  They're getting ready to move, and since I expect to be here a long time, I told them that Maddie could have this tree in my yard.

The shade garden that I planted last year lost some hostas over the winter... still deciding whether to replace them.  Also, the red bench that used to be there rotted out after many years of sitting outside.  I liked having a sitting place there, though, so I think I'll save the spot.  Not sure if I'll buy or make the new sitter.

The "annual" garden, which houses my favorite flowers... sweet peas and cosmos.

It'll be pretty when they grow up.

The "cat crap" garden was as solution to a problem.   I planted it there to prevent the neighbourhood cats from pooping along the side of the house.  When it fills in, it's going to be a favorite: spring tulips, then peonies, and lilacs.  When I find the right bird house, I'll put it up between the lilac tree and the fence at the end.

In the front, there's the biggest garden

The part of the big garden that's in front of the deck is quite shaded, so I am trying something new there... shade loving plants.

And, the front corner garden.  It was planted specifically to stop Alberta drivers from taking short cuts and cutting across my yard.  (Damn 4 wheel drives.. the red necks around here don't understand that just because you have them doesn't mean you have to use them all the time.)  So far, it's working.

And, if you've managed to slog through all that, I've got one more for you:

Last weekend was bath day for Tallulah's pet rats.