Spending money for 2007!

OK, the snow is on the ground, the temps are subzero, but I have had so much fun with my seed catalogs the past few days and weeks. I finally have all of my decisions made for 2007 and what I am planning, and as of 10 minutes ago everything to put in is purchased! I can't wait until stuff starts arriving.

Here's my plan (and, I am developing a master plan for the overall yard, but it will take several years to get there.) Just this year, I had three focii I needed to work on: Finally putting in my blueberries, expanding the veggie gardens including one for the girls to work, and adding a shade garden in the NE corner of the house next to the fenced yard and fireplace flue.

Blueberries have been my deep desire since we bought this house 2 years ago. I have been saving a spot for them in full sun South of the garage, next to my species rose garden, and near the door to the garage. Eventually they will be surrounded by a cobblestone pathway from the driveway to the backyard along my specific gardens and a long cottage garden hodgepodge next to a short white picket fence. I need to buy bricks to build a large raised bed for the berries once spring arrives - about 2 feet high by 5 feet long and 2 1/2 feet wide. At the base of this bed will be a border bed about 6 inches high to grow my chamomile and calendula in.

Anyway I purchased:
2 semi-dwarf Northland bushes in a jumbo (24") size, hopefully they will produce earlier. The berries ripen early July, are very large, and the bush grows about 3' tall at maturity.

2 dwarf Northblue bushes only available in a small size (9".) Berries ripen in June, and the dwarf bushes only grow 2' high. These are also particularly known for their red sumac-like fall foliage.

I also bought, because I really hope to have berries this season, a potted patio-sized blueberry bush. I'll keep it on the deck and hope the kids don't decimate it, basically.

Next is my shade garden. The spot is lush, fertile... and empty. It also faces my neighbor Sue's place and I'd like something pretty out there to look at. I've ordered:

3 Old-Fashioned Bleeding Hearts (pink) The tall graceful arcs with the stunning heart drop blossoms and pretty foliage.

3 Virginia Bluebells About 2' tall with long bell shaped, lavender flowers

4 Wood Poppies beautiful dark green foliage on a plant about 18" high with gorgeous yellow 2" blossoms

3 Forget-Me-Nots the beautiful cheery groundcover with the perfect, minute little periwinkle flowers with a yellow eye, and

6 Lily of the Valley a well spreading low growing plant with lovely spires of tiny white bell shaped flowers that are strongly scented.

That leaves my fruit, veggies and herbs - for me the most rewarding part of my garden. I will of coure plant my existing bed. I will also add in a 8' X 4' bed for Amy to plant this year inside the fenced area, and will dig and plant a new bed on the East side of the fence for more space. I hope to have a huge harvest this year of both the annual stuff and the perennials like the raspberries. I will purchase as small plants from the local nursery:

Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes
Pumpkins
Strawberries for Amy (Mine are perennials, already there.)
Lettuce
Watermelon
Carrots
Sweet Basil

I have purchased several seed starters and greenhouses, and I will be starting from seed this year:

Green beans (Tendercrop)
Peas (Victory Feezer in both spring and autumn plantings)
Sugar Snap Peas (Super Sugar)
Beans for drying (Jacob's Cattle)
Cucumber (Sweet Salad)
Broccoli (Premium Hybrid)
Honeydew Melons (Morning Ice)
Chamomile
Calendula
Peppermint
Lemon Balm

I also will grow onions (First Edition Hybrid) and garlic (California white) from bulbs.

Phew! That is a lot - but how great it's gonna be, especially when we can harvest all this stuff! I can hardly wait for the ground to thaw. Only 4 months until last frost!