The Embarassment that is My Garden

We have had a vegetable garden every year from the time we moved out to Lavender Rise Acres in 1997 -- except last year. Last year half lay fallow, and half had flowers. We even grew a first prize (red ribbons in Canada) sunflower. The head on it was almost 18". The second prize winner came in at 14". I had no clue that we had grown such a big one!


This year we're back with the vegetables again and of course some flowers. No prize winning sunflower this year though. The Engineer accidently rototilled its offspring this spring. Oops!!

Although the vegetables grow well, the weeds always seem to grow even better. By the time the seeds have sprouted, the weeds are at least double the seedlings' size. Then by the time the seedlings are big enough to see, the weeds are so large you would think we hadn't even planted anything. Then of course between all the other obligations that life throws at us, the weeding usually ends up next to last on the list and this is what our garden ends up looking like.


Hmmm! I'm not sure where the grass ends and the garden begins! That huge beast of a plant is my lovage. It is over 6' tall now. I use its leaves in soups and potato salads. Obviously, we haven't been eating any of either.


Progress is being made, but I'm not too sure how ahead of the weeds we'll stay. The kids even help out with the weeding although some more willingly than others. Our rototiller seized up yet too, so the very front of the garden where I had intended to plant my squashes and cucumbers is an absolute disaster, and if we don't get the tiller fixed soon, there will be no squash at all, but lots of self seeding gourds that will look all the same. Hopefully the Engineer will think to call our local small engine repair mechanic soon, so he can come out and pick up our tiller. Sometimes I wonder... is a garden really worth all the weeds, sun burn and mosquito slapping that goes on?