Wonderful weather can make a great gardening weekend!  Of course, there are lots of fun things to do during nice weather but this weekend was very productive in the garden.  I think because it was the first real “feeling” of summer here in the Intermountain West.  Some of you know what summer is like here but for those that don’t…

Well, the temps are real warm, even hot, (meaning 100) to the point that you would never pass up a cold drink that’s offered, but not humid to the point that you have to have a cold drink.  It  feels like a soft rustling of fresh air around you but not a gust of wind continually beating at your every move.  And my favorite part is the feeling the day will never end… it might be 9:30-10:00 p.m. and the sun has not completely set.  It’s wonderful!

This weekend many plants opened their delightful blooms!

  If you checked in on Friday you’ll see a big difference in the iris and peony in just two days.

Also the only rose I grow at this garden, a true classic, Rosa Glauca, opened its blooms. I have been in love with this species rose since I discovered it during my garden days in Portland, Oregon.   And I recently found out that even Margaret Roach from awaytogarden.com feels the same way! Now that’s a confidence booster!  Anyway, back to Rosa Glauca, it is sometimes called red leaf rose cause the leaves are tinged with red just like the stems.  It is extremely hardy but I suggest planting it in spring (instead of fall) if you are in a Zone 2, 3, 4 or 5 area just to make sure it gets established.  It has arching canes that will get 6-8 feet long so give it room.  To me the foliage color all season and the amazing large, bright orange hips are the best parts of this easy to grow rose.

Oh, and I can’t help but post a photo of Cerastium, ‘Snow in Summer.’  I know it is super common but it is such a happy-looking plant that I smile when I notice it and I love it up against a big rock.  I have to give it just a bit of due credit…

Another good garden thing this weekend included the ‘builder’ fancying up the trellis/cage system for the raspberries.  Last year, we planted raspberries and a trellis system was not critical as they were young.  However, the ‘builder’ started a copper masterpiece but then was distracted with backpacking, fishing and the like and ended up rigging together a wimpy wire thingamajig.  Good thing the ‘builder’ is somewhat of a perfectionist cause now that the raspberries are off to a great start  (one year more mature) he simply couldn’t stand the trellis thingamajig and went back to crafting a copper masterpiece.

 I like how it turned out and think it will do a swell job of holding the raspberry canes.

Finally, some of my edible/ornamental pots are taking off and I can now distinguish the sugar snap peas within the mass of pansies, heuchera and astilbe.  Now, that you have found the trellis, climb, peas, climb!

And on the topic of climbing green goods, I planted pole beans this weekend.  I’m trying ‘Italian Choice’, Santa Anna beans (first time) in a couple of areas.  Some up a trellis of my square foot gardening raise planter bed and some directly in the ground with my 5 minute, homemade trellis system.

No, the little Italian flags are not something that came with the seeds. They are something I’ve had tucked in the pantry for years and I thought it would be fun to use them as plant markers until the beans sprouted.  You know, add a little extra fun to my blog photo and the garden while I anticipate the magical sprouts!

I hope you had a great garden weekend or if not that you do very soon.  I find it so satisfying to the soul…

What do you consider a great garden weekend?  Do you grow edibles with ornamentals?  How do you support your raspberries? Do you grow pole beans and what is your favorite variety?  If you have a minute, share your growing experiences…