May Potager Palaver

The pollinator lawn is full of pretty blue and purple flowers. 

We have had the coldest, wettest May that I can remember in a really long time. Rains every day so doing a No Mow May is proving to be super simple.

The pollinator lawn changes weekly with the flowers in bloom. It went from spring bulbs of grape hyacinths and squill to Baby Blue Eyes with other blue and purple flowers. So pretty and way more beneficial to the pollinators than dandelions are ; ) 

Here is more about the No Mow May movement for our bees and other pollinators - No Mow May for Our Threatened Pollinators - Dave's Garden (davesgarden.com)

This blog has really pretty pictures and ideas on the best flowers to grow in your garden beds for the pollinators. How to Attract Pollinators to the Garden - Shiplap and Shells

Do you love cottage gardens and the simple hygge beauty of a Swedish garden? Check out this lovely post. TRAVEL GUIDE – SKÅNE SOUTHERN SWEDEN PART III - Lobster and Swan

She posts monthly ideas about cottage style gardening, too, so check those out. Here is one for the month of June, so fairly time appropriate for where we are right now.  Creating a cottage garden - June - Lobster and Swan. Sadly, I cannot figure out how to follow her so that I get these amazing posts in my emails. Sadness : (

Oh, this is a good one! You all know how much I love companion planting : ) 26 Tomato Companion Plants - and 5 You Don’t Want Nearby - Gardening Channel

My mint garden wheelbarrow. 

White and silver wheelbarrow garden for my daughter's wedding. 

A whole bunch of ideas for wheelbarrow gardens! 

Here is a great idea if you have no garden at the moment or no space for a garden... How to Grow Vegetables in Garden Soil Bags (annsentitledlife.com). 

I did something similar a great many years ago when I had a small lean-to greenhouse with a narrow, shallow bed to grow in. I placed the bags right on top of the bed to give me those extra inches so I could plant the tomatoes deeper, and in good soil to boot. It worked like a charm. 

Have you ever wished you had a cutting garden? Someplace that you could harvest flowers from for gifting and for the table in the house? Some place that you could take from that would not detract from your yard? 

We put in a 3' by 40' cutting bed in the potager 3 years ago... best thing I ever did! It attracts bees and pollinators to the garden, hummingbirds to eat all the pests, and I have an endless supply of flowers to bring in from early summer through October. 

Check out this (really long) article with a how-to go for getting started, what and how to grow the best flowers for cutting. She tells you all her ups and downs! How To Start A Cutting Garden This Year - Cottage On Bunker Hill

Here are her favourite easy flower recommendations... 

This was my cutting garden the year that my daughter got married on our property. Lots of purples, silvers, and whites... plus some Love Lies Bleeding, of course. Every wedding needs some ; ) 

Wondering how to grow really great tomatoes? Here are some super tips for you. I especially like the very last one. grow healthy tomatoes: staking and pruning - A Way To Garden

We have been programmed through endless commercials from a certain fertiliser company to think that we have to constantly be feeding our gardens, both edible and ornamental, with plant food. This is not true, not natural, not good organic practice, and absolutely not necessary; it quite literally just helps them sell make more money. If you feel your gardens need food, whether roses or tomatoes, side dress with compost or manure. 

At least the cool weather crops are thriving  ; ) 

They say that the sun is coming out a bit this week, less rain, a bit warmer. 

Keep your fingers crossed! 

Have a wonderful week, hang in there ~ Tanja