During our first winter here in Seattle I noticed a large shrub with rose-like flowers that began blooming in February. I had met my first camellia, and I was head over heels. How can you not love something that brings so much color to a dreary, gloomy, rainy Seattle winter? And when I found out that there was one of these flowering shrubs right in our own yard, well, I was downright ecstatic! Now, as it turns out, I don't get to see our own camellia very often as it is located around the side of the house that has no windows. Whose brilliant idea was that, I wonder? But in winters past I've enjoyed visiting the camellias all around our neighborhood. They seem to be very popular here.
Alas, my love affair with camellias has soured a bit since its first hot pink blush. Camellias are less than graceful in their fading. I've found that how a plant fades is as important to me as how it blooms. Camellias fade about as gracefully as overripe pears sitting in the fruit bowl, fermenting, forgotten, and fuzzy.
This is the cleaned and amended bed where we plan to set up the second cloche. You can see the first cloche there on the right. Last Friday, under marvelously sunny skies, we sowed carrots, beets, spinach, orach, mache, lettuces, radishes, mizuna, and pac choi. Today we were hoping to set up the second cloche and sow some more. There is just one itsy-bitsy problem.
THE CAMELLIA KEEPS CRAPPING ALL OVER THE POTAGER!
The love affair is definitely over. I foresee some serious pruning in this shrub's future.
In other parts of the potager, things are just bursting up and out. A few days ago, the rhubarb had only a few red-tinged leaves.
Look at it today! Guess what kind of snack the attendees at next weekend's SAGBUTT meeting will be getting. We've already found a recipe for rhubarb bars, from Folk Art and Foodways of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and Wing Nut is in the kitchen experimenting as I write.
Keeping the rhubarb company at the far end of the potager are the peas, cabbages, and broccoli.
Cabbage
Broccoli
Peas
All the way at the other end of the potager, near the patio, are the shallots and garlic. The bigger ones were fall planted. The areas that look a little bare have sets we planted last week.
Finally, a sneak peek at the baby lettuces under the cloche.
Quick, close the closhe before any slugs get in!
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