Topsy Turvy

I planted tomatoes and herbs in the topsy turvy planters. It was not an easy task getting the plants in through the holes without breaking the stems and then filling it up with dirt when you can't set it down because of the plant sticking out the bottom. But they are done and we are hopeful for a bountiful tomato harvest.

In the planters are: red beefsteak tomatoes, anaheim peppers, serrano peppers, curly parsley, rosemary, cinnamon basil, and mint.

I bought "shepherd's crooks to hang the topsy turvy planters on, but the planters were too heavy and BENT them. So I hung them on the swingset for now, but that's not a permanent solution. I'm still figuring out how to hang them. All in all, it was quite an experience in frustration. But I hope that it will be worth it in the end.

I also cleaned up the front beds and planted some more blue plants. I just love blue flowers and so when I see some I must add them to my garden. This is the first time I've seen "Lithodora" a perrenial ground cover with blue flowers, so I planted three of them. And I also got and planted two blue and white columbines.

Blue and White columbine and lithodora in the background

I have a love/hate relationship with hanging baskets on the back patio. I love looking at the flowers through the window from the inside, but I tire of going out to water them everyday during the summer.

I love how the clematis is blooming and finally climbing up the mailbox after six years!

My last outside project was touch up paint. When they put in our new windows in December some of the wood trim was wrecked and the porch swing sometimes hits the stucco. So I got out the two colors of outside paint and did some touch up work. I'm always surprised and thrilled at how good a little paint can make things look.

You can't really tell that I painted in this picture, but I'm happy with the front porch