Though April has been a very busy month, I've not had much time to pause, reflect, blog (and rest!). This is not a complaint - it is actually a joy. Somehow, in parallel, I've had the privilege of participating in some thoroughly enjoyable events at some amazing venues.....had a really successful and interesting seed starting and transplanting experience.....met many old and some new friends in seedling transactions in my driveway. What I've yet to do is plant my own garden - but that starts today. Needless to say, work on my third book - focusing on our Dwarf Tomato Breeding project - is on the back burner.
April has been workshops at the Well Fed Community Garden in Raleigh, Huntsville Botanical Garden, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and Moore Farms Botanical Garden, and this coming Saturday, at Atlantic Gardening Company (two free workshops on tomatoes - at 10 AM and 1 PM). It has been planting and transplanting and planning. It saw the beginning of annual seedling sales from my driveway (which will continue through mid May - email me for a list if you are close by!). I've had an interview or two, gardening phone calls, and asked to be on Mike Nowak's morning gardening radio show out of Chicago - and invited back to Niki Jabbour's radio show in May. It is planning for what lies ahead in May - workshops at the US Botanical Garden in Washington DC, in Baltimore, at White Flower Farm in Connecticut, and at the Raleigh History Museum.
I am just a few minutes from a visit from Joe Lamp'l (Growing a Greener World TV show) for a final chat before the airing of the episode on my tomato efforts - broadcast nationally (this Saturday from what I understand - watch for details on my Facebook page and Twitter feed and an update to this blog).
April saw the flowering trees, shrubs and bulbs so confused by our unusual weather burst quickly into bloom - we watch our flower gardens daily to see our perennials begin to emerge and bud. The elephant and standard garlic are up and growing well, and we are enjoying the lettuce, chard, beets and arugula planted out last October. We had a wonderful visit from our Texas living daughter Caitlin, and our Seattle girl, Sara, heads home tomorrow.
It has been an exciting, somewhat breathless, memorable month. Spring is my favorite season, and this has been one of my favorite springs. And so - on to more trips, planning, planting (finally!), delightful reunions with gardening friends. We've had some challenging gardening seasons, and there is no doubt the one to come will bring its own particular challenges. Let's face them together and have a great year in our gardens.
