Day 44/365 Marking Time Till Spring....This Is How We Roll

My little personal oasis, The Swing Garden, is all tucked in: fountains covered, rain barrels drained and gutters diverted, gnomes safely housed till spring, and herbs trimmed.

The sunflowers have been trimmed of any remaining heads, and placed in the bird bath, along with clusters of poke berries. The birds sit out at this buffet for hours, picking at every seed and berry. The green under the birdbath is mint. It's on its second growth this season, but will die when the nights get too cold. Next year, it will come back twice as thick.

All the plants (at those who aren't winter hardy) have moved to their winter home in the greenhouse. Temps in there range from 60 to 110, and the plants think it's still summer.

Currently there are ferns, Scottish heather, tarragon, lavender, 3 different varieties of thyme, sage, 2 different varieties of basil, a huge citronella plant, and an long 45 gallon aquarium with the water plants from the fountains. The mandeville is over 6 ft tall and with huge pink blossoms - it's a tropical plant and will eventually move to my mothers basement in late December.

The big tubs on the ground hold a bumper crop of broccoli and cauliflower plants.

On the southern wall, where the majority of sunlight and heat is, is the seedling area. Currently, there are 8" high lettuce -ready to eat, tomato plant starts, freshly planted lettuce beds, 4" spinach seedlings, and transplanted tomato plants that may move in to the house before it gets drastically cold.

Anytime spring seems too far away, I have summer waiting in the greenhouse.