Today I walked through my garden looking for signs of life among the plants.

Last year was a brutal year. The year started out with a drought. Through the summer it worsened to an D3-D4 drought and blazing heat. According to the US Drought Monitor we are still in D2 severe drought conditions.

Most of my plants got torched and barely made it through the summer. I didn’t expect many to survive the bitter cold temps of the winter nor survive the trimming my new puppy gave the trees and bushes.

Pleasant surprises

I was surprised how many plants, bushes and trees are coming to life this spring.

My peach tree, picture above, was beginning to bloom. It’s pink flowers are a promise of a rich crop of peaches this coming summer. Last year’s crop was small and pilfered by thieves just as they were ripening.

The truck of this tree was chewed up a bit this winter by our new puppy, Thunder, but it doesn’t seem to have affected it. My husband was certain that the dog had killed it.

The young apple trees are also in bloom. They were also victims of Thunder. Although, he damaged the apple trees much worse than the peach tree.

All of our trees, except the plum tree that Thunder chewed the top off, have plastic trunk guards now to protect them.

Thunder, also pruned a bunch of my berry bushes, which are potted. That didn’t seem to matter to the gooseberries, aronia berries nor the jostaberries. The blackberries and honeyberries aren’t showing any green yet. I’m patiently hopeful they are just waiting for warmer temps and aren’t dead.

My strawberries are just starting to send up leaves. A few more days and I should have read growth. So far of the five plants in the pot I have them, two look like they made it. Those two will soon throw runners and create more to replace any that didn’t survive.

The flower plants that were killed off during the brutal late afternoon sun are also returning. This was a complete shock to me. I couldn’t water them enough last year to keep them green. Yet, they are back.

Some plants didn’t survive

Others were not so lucky. All of my azaleas that I planted last year are dead. It was likely more due to poor soil conditions that the heat and lack of water, but either way, I won’t be planting those again.

My hydrangea also didn’t make it. This was the 2nd one I planted last year. The first got torched within a couple of weeks of being planted. The 2nd, made it almost to winter before dying. I may try again this spring with a hardier plant.

For a third year in a row, I think my herb garden is not going to return. Except, maybe the chives. They look like they are coming up. The rest are done.

Garden Plans

It’s almost time to plant again. This year I’m putting in a drip irrigation system to help my plants survive the continued drought.

I’m also putting up a fence to keep Thunder out of the raised beds and away from the potted bushes.

I may try a different location for my herb garden. Currently it is in a very large grow bag, but that doesn’t seem to keep the roots warm enough in the winter to keep the plants from dying off. It might be a better location for annuals.

All Praise to God for His Workes

He has made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.

And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in their life.

For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God.

I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever; we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.

That which hath been made, the same continueth; the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-15 Douay Rheims Edition

It is a miracle of God’s creation that something that appears so dead during winter will begin life anew in the spring.

This new life brings joy and wonder at the works of His hands and reminds us that we will never truly die.

Our life will continue after our body gives out and if we choose to follow Him, we will continue for all eternity with Him in Heaven.

All Glory and Praise to Him.

God Bless.

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