I have decided to just go with what works as far as gardening. Nasturtiums, Columbine, Fuchsia, Cornflowers and Raspberry plants. Throw a few veggies in pots and in our raised bed and I am done. Everything else is either too tasty for moose and rabbits or just not hardy enough to live on a mountain.
That said...here is what we had a couple weeks ago. I will post again later in the summer as things grow fast and big here in Alaska... that is, if it grows at all.
Front entry...the nasturtium that I grow each year from the seeds of the plant the year prior. I love them. I do start these in the pots in April in the house and I have decided that those are the only ones I will have hog up my house for that period of time. Everything else will have to wait for the ground to take seeds directly...late May. Fuchsia are hanging in baskets along with white licorice and this year, planted in one of my smaller planters on the front deck. They love it in this area and instead of buying something else ... I went with my motto...just do what works.
Bought a load of gravel too that we extended all the way around to the street, filling in where the potentilla plants are. I surrounded a tree in the back too that just wouldn't grow anything under. Will show more on that when I get the bigger rocks to go around. Yep..rocks....got to love them!
I love these lanterns and inspired by my trip back East last year where my niece had them high up over her entryway...I bought one on my return for our high up entryway. Although I rarely dust it, I love it there, so this Spring I bought one for outside too. Perfect to be there all year long.
I did purchase a Bleeding Heart bush this year ... just one to see how it does over the winter. Rabbits haven't bothered it yet and moose haven't yet seen it I don't think. So will see if I will buy more. Other than that, our fantastic gardeners of a neighbor gave me all these cornflowers last year to go along side a few ferns. They came right up this spring and cross our fingers will fill up this entire area!
Some consider them a weed but I love them.
Speaking of our fantastic neighbors....they have a very hearty Raspberry crop and shared all of these extras last year with us. This year they look great and I think will do even better than our other Raspberry patch as they are in a more favorable spot. Will keep you posted on the crop.
Planted peas and spinach in late May. Had several moose that have not noticed (or plants just not big enough yet for them to have noticed). Cross your fingers.
I decided to make our columbine / chives / thymes area to be more of a rock garden ... so planning to get a few bigger rocks to fill in. Will post on that too when it looks decent.
Of course, our patch of grass looks like junk, but this year I decided to not mess with it .. see what happens. Happy Gardening and if you go with my motto .. it shouldn't be too much work!
