Six on Saturday – 6-9-18

I’ve discovered that several garden bloggers publish a post called “Six on Saturday.” Six things, in a garden, on a Saturday. I thought I might post my own edition from time to time. I think my version will be a way to feature little elements from my garden that might not warrant their own blog post but still want to note so that I have a way to remember them.

My initial vision for my garden was one of whimsy and fun. I don’t want to take myself too seriously. I don’t want to make perfection the goal. I want to experiment. I want to collect things I like, but things that don’t necessarily go together. As my tagline says, I’m creating my own a little patch of happiness. Sometimes the things that make me happy are rather random.

With all of that in mind, today’s “Six on Saturday” are:

1 – Terracotta ladybugs. These little decorations have been in my possession for more than 10 years. Brad bought them for my Seattle garden but we moved before I could use them. I have a dozen of them scattered around the garden. I’m so glad I saved them! It makes me smile every time I spot one.

2 – More ladybugs. This little element is part of a garden decoration Delaney bought for me. Despite her lack of interest in my garden, Delaney does want her mother to be happy. She knew I was planning a space that was whimsical and fun, and she wanted to be the first to buy something for my space. This fits perfectly!

3 – First flower. Finally! This tiny bloom – no larger than a nickel – is the first flower from a seed that I planted in one of the hanging baskets. I was beginning to wonder if the flowers would ever bloom. I’ve already made a note that next year I should plant the flowers earlier than the vegetables. The flowers are meant to draw the pollinators, but that won’t work if the flowers aren’t already in bloom when the vegetables need the pollinators to start their work. I can’t wait to see what flowers pop next!

4 – Rain Gauge. This was a giveaway from the water conservation class that Brad and I attended at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. I’ve already gotten so much pleasure out of tracking the rain using this gauge. On Thursday we had a heavy rain and this photo shows the results.

5 – Chocolate Mint. I love how well the herbs are doing. This chocolate mint is lush and growing rapidly. It smells wonderful and is a refreshing treat in ice water on a hot, humid day.

6 – Black-eyed peas. These were a last minute add thanks to my neighbor across the street. Michael says that they grow well here in Oklahoma and he was gracious enough to share some seeds with me. I’m not sure why I didn’t plant them initially because I certainly think of them as a Southern food. If all goes well, I think black-eyed peas will find a permanent home in my garden.

Six on Saturday. I like this idea. I’ll start planning for next week. Come back to see what I find.