A stroll through my first summer weekend

Hello, everyone,

So, did it feel like summer to you this weekend, too? The days leading up to it were wet and cold—and now we’re being treated to warmth and sunshine. Anyone with a garden was surely out there today, uncovering strawberries, pulling weeds, or thinning out the seedlings. That’s pretty much how it goes for me every May. Today, I’d like to take you along on my first summer weekend in the garden.

This afternoon, the temperature here reached a high of 27 degrees in the sun—so it was pleasantly warm.



Here’s a look at my temporary workspace: I’ve transplanted the little tomato seedlings I grew from seed into larger pots. On the left in the tub is “good soil,” and on the right is compost; my plants need a mix of both. The little kids’ chair is the perfect working height for me.



The tomato plant is still small and delicate. But just wait—soon it’ll be a giant and bear lots of red tomatoes :-)



The finished plants then went into the greenhouse, since it’s still too cold for them outside. Here they’re among their own kind and can chat with each other and give each other tips on how to grow better. If you look closely, you’ll see a colorful mix of wild herbs (=weeds), radishes, lettuce, arugula, herbs, and small pepper and tomato plants.



I also harvested some dill and parsley right away for the dressing on my first head of lettuce. The fresh herbs always smell so wonderful when you chop them.



Meanwhile, outside, our never-ending construction project and my husband were calling out to me at regular intervals. I always have to find the right natural stones from the large selection and arrange them like pieces of a puzzle. They’re all lying on the lawn, waiting for their turn.



By now, our lakeside terrace already looks like this—namely, half-finished. Each stone demands its own attention and time until it’s laid just right.



In between, I took some time to walk through the garden with my camera. Every year anew, I admire the splendor of the blossoms and watch the busy bees and bumblebees as they feast on our fruit tree blossoms. They dive headfirst into the pollen and probably think they’re in paradise. Here’s a dive into a sour cherry blossom:



But buttercups are welcome, too:



The pear blossoms, with their red pistils, are a feast for the eyes even without bees:



And to finish up, here’s a glimpse of a few vibrant tulips:



Well, my dears, the bathtub is calling me now. A wonderful day is drawing to a close. But tonight I want to tackle a little craft project. I’m really in the mood for that, too.

I wish you all a lovely Sunday evening and a great start to the new week tomorrow.

Warm regards from Ina

Wowww, Ina! You have such a beautiful garden! You’re already harvesting so many vegetables and lettuces. It’s no wonder they’ve grown so well—you give them so much love. Even the paving stones are lovingly laid in place. Truly unique. I can just picture you sitting in your favorite spot by the pond, enjoying the beautiful atmosphere. That makes crafting twice as much fun.

The flowers and tree blossoms are also absolutely fantastic—a feast for the eyes—and the bees can feast on the delicious pollen. I could watch that for hours, too. Our apple tree is really giving it its all this year.

It was 27 degrees in the shade here today, and I wore very light summer clothes for the first time. It was such a treat to enjoy the garden today.

What a beautiful garden, Ina—even with a greenhouse! It’s a lovely place to be. And look how everything is blooming at your place! You’ve taken some great photos. Thanks for sharing this with us.
P.S. Just a little know-it-all comment: The “buttercup” that the bee is feasting on is probably more of a dandelion, isn’t it? 😏

I’m glad you like my garden. I gave the greenhouse to my husband in 2016 as a gift for his (early) retirement, so he wouldn’t get bored. Before that, we had a small one—in the summer, when it was cucumber season, you always had to crawl in on all fours to harvest them.



Dear Ruth, as a child I always called them “buttercups”—and I just stuck with that… and later on, I’ll start calling them “dandelions” :-)

You’ve got such a beautiful feel-good oasis there, Ina. It’s a great place to be, and even more so with the summery temperatures you’re having right now.
You even have a greenhouse—and such a big one at that. You can really go to town with seedlings, herbs, and so on. Wonderful. Thanks for letting us be a part of it.
It really lifts my spirits to see everything blooming like that.

Here, on the other hand, it was gloomy and foggy, with rain and temperatures no higher than 7 degrees. It just won’t get warm. I really envy you all.
I hope you made the most of the great weather, or maybe even had a barbecue in the garden. That must be wonderful—we’re really missing that right now.

So I wish you all a great start to the new week tomorrow. Stay healthy

Warm regards

Oh, Ina, the size of that greenhouse would really make my father’s heart sing—he’s currently using part of the sunroom for his plants, but by the end of May they’ll be moved outdoors......
Your lakeside terrace is also taking shape, and soon you’ll be able to enjoy it to the fullest.
Our cherry tree is in full bloom, and yesterday, with this wonderful weather, lots of bees were feasting there too.....unfortunately, our apricot tree hasn’t produced a single flower this year; it must have exhausted itself last year, when there was a bountiful harvest.

A garden would be a dream—but the balcony will have to do.

The highlight of our walk yesterday:

Ina, thank you for the beautiful photos. I envy you for your greenhouse. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything yet—not even for tomatoes. We couldn’t even set up a greenhouse anyway, since our property is on a slope.