Gardens

Over the years this Burton family has planted lots of gardens. The California garden grew the fastest but was eaten the fastest by local critters. In Michigan we planted our first successful gardens. The soil left by the older couple we bought that house from was superb. There are pictures somewhere of all the kids (Dan, Joy and Anjuli) behind huge flowers in that garden.
We've planted lots of gardens here in Washington. The garden plot was placed on the site of the burn pile from the construction of the home. I thought the ashes would add nutrients to the soil. Did I note that our land is also on what was the path of the glacier that melted and became the Puget Sound... when it melted it left behind the rocks!
We kind of let things get away from us this spring and started with this last week end.
This week we weeded, roto tilled and planted. The "teepee" above is becoming an annual tradition as Becky creates a place for the grandkids to play while the beans have a place to grow. Look real close and you will see the string is red, green and blue. Probably the funnest teepee yet.

By mid afternoon tomatoes were planted, beans in, etc. We've added yards of new, better dirt, and really missed older kids that wanted to help. Yes, the best part of our gardens are these planting days when the whole crew is out here helping. I've enjoyed the miracles of seeing married children bring their children and spouses out to the gardens and digging in with enthusiasm and vision. Hearing in their voices stories of other gardens and enough understanding to know that when they have homes and backyards of their own they will plant gardens too.


This is a picture of the flower garden. That's Colby's rock in front and Anne and Andrew's rock from Lake Erie in the planters in the middle of the picture. We brought those back last summer. Not quite as many rocks as Uncle John's (see below) but this isn't Utah. The trees are a bit taller though.