Touring the side yard

I love being in the side yard this time of year. The two huge vibernums are blooming, and the perfume they excude is just heavenly.  I smell it when I walk out the door and it just fills the air with a soft, dreamy scent.  After they've finished blooming, which should be one day next week, I'll have to get out there with loppers and cut them back about one third of the way.  That will ensure they have an abundance of blooms for next year, and won't get so huge and scraggly that they won't be attractive.

Continuing in the side yard, there's a small area in the grass that I have dedicated to some of the berries. This might be a mistake, since as sometimes happens, the blackberries and goji berry plant might outgrow the alloted space. If that happens, I'll just find another area for them and do some transplanting.  This is only the second season for the young blackberries, and I'm hoping I get some berries from them.  My sweet Aunt Kathaleen shared some of her plants with me. They are supposed to be those huge, juicy seedless berries. Great for pies and jam.

Opal is hoping for a good crop, too.

This space is also where I planted my goji berry plant. It is so small it fits inside a small tin can and is showing some stress. I can see some yellowing of the leaves. I'm hoping it's rooting down below. I watered it very well, and rain is coming in either tonight or tomorrow, so a good natural drink will be appreciated, too.  I do want this one to make it.

I also have an overwintered pot, with some last-minute onion sets heeled in last fall.  I just put them in, not really expecting any results, but by cracky I'll be pulling these green onions soon, replacing them with some colorful annuals.

The side yard is also where I have a few raised garden beds, and I have radishes, peas, beets, lettuce and maybe some spinach (or swiss chard...I forget what I planted...duh), growing. With the chickens free-ranging, it's going to be challenging to keep them out of it, but we just got some more chicken wire and we'll go free-ranging for some wayward rebar to cut up for stakes. I'll soon have fencing for the plants protection. Chicken wire won't keep anything from getting to chickens. It's purpose is to keep chickens from getting to other things.

There you have it. A short tour around the little side yard. This is the one you see if you come to my house, and drive in the east lane. One goal this summer is to get the old pump replaced. It doesn't actually pump water anymore. I've heard something about it needing new leathers, but a search of Lehman's catalog and website didn't tell me much.   Please pray for the goji plant.  That little darlin' cost too much to die on me now.
Blessings,
Brenda