First Planting

Had an old chest - thought it would be a good stand for some flowers.  Like the way it looks as you walk into the garden.

Used an old play structure for my entrance into the garden.  Will be planting some grapevines which in years to come will cover this structure - will take a few years though.  On the left side my son made a trellis out of slats - will take another shot of it once something is growing on it.

So far have planted some Celebrity tomatoes, Manitoba tomatoes and Cherry Roma tomatoes, some basil, summer savory and Lebanese cucumbers in this bed.

This is under the flowering crab apple tree. Day lillies.

A little rooster I picked up at a garage sale and planted some ivy in it.

Planted some mint (to help ward off mosquitos) and some flowers.

The view as you come into my garden.

Starting the garden 2011

Well worked a bit on the garden - still lots to do......a little robin kept me company....

A Visit to Hill Side Green Center - Quyon

Gilles Marcotte, owner of Hillside welcomed me to his lovely greenhouses. I was so excited to see his new way of growing. You can visit at 315 Clarendon St., Quyon, QC

There were Beans ....

Tomatoes......

Row and rows of them and so tall.

And cherry tomatoes too!

Lebanese and English Cucumbers....

Peppers just ripening on the vine.

Red

Yellow

Orange

Also beans and radishes.Here's my friend Venetia Crawford being the taste tester. Delicious!

Most fascinating were the aphids on a plant near the vegetables. Was told that the pests that bother the plants really like these aphids and then don't eat the plants. How ingenious!

There is also a bee box. The bees pollinate the flowers. They used to use an electric toothbrush but the bees are much better at it. Gilles lets then out for 1 hour each day.

Hydroponic lettuce - how interesting

What a great system. Almost looks like eve troughes.

Gilles took one tray out to show me - notice the water coming out the end.

It's a process starting small in spongy holders for four weeks until they are transferred to the big white trays.

At different growth stages

Was great learning all about the vegetables. Thanks Gilles. You can view his site: http://www.hillsidegreencenter.ca/index.htm

I will have to go back and take pics of all the flowers.

Until next time......Happy Growing!