Inch by inch, row by row...

it's an old folksong - that's how the garden grows, inch by inch, row by row. I haven't thought that much was really happening out there. After the irises bloomed and faded, it seemed that nothing much was happening. But I just took a look at the photographs from a month ago and compared them to today. And look! Inch by inch, it's growing.
My tractor's been in the shop for about three weeks now. I borrowed a Snapper push mower from a friend at work. It does a great job, but it's people powered, and I'm the people. Joe arrived this morning a few minutes before I finished the back yard. I'm sure I was the vision of alluring woman - sweaty t-shirt, garden snippers clipped to my pants' waist, hair flying out in all directions from beneath a baseball cap... Ox woman is nothing if not alluring!

As usual, the man arrived with a plan and an SUV filled with stuff for the garden. This time he brought top soil and five pots of hostas.

We spent some time weeding, and then planted the hostas in some emtpy spots. I'd bought fresh basil for a tomato buffalo salad, and it came as a complete plant, including root ball that you're supposed to keep wet in the wrapping to keep the basil fresh. I decided to try to plant it. The oregano, which is the prettiest plant, has begun to flower. I transplanted some of that over by the basil, too. One of my clients, Shirley (fondly known as "Crazy Shirley") sent me a miniature blueberry bush for my birthday. We planted that, as well.Slowly but surely, this garden is growing. Slowly but surely a plan is emerging in my mind, a picture of what I really want to do out there. Now that I have the vaguest idea of what I'm doing, and a better idea of what's already out there, next year will be even more fun than this year has been.