Roses, Iris and a Potager

I had promised myself that I would not put in ONE MORE GARDEN! I have SO many to take care of...even though I stuff them so full, they have virtually no elbow room.... little weeds squeeze in wherever they can.. The garden chores are immense and I determined NOT to make more work for myself.

  
With that being said, I recently dug up about 600 square feet of grass and weeds, leveled it off, rocked it off, improved the soil and planted 28 roses....in my new ROSE GARDEN.
(And people wonder why I have not finished my book yet.)

Fourteen of the roses went into this section... the others were dispersed throughout other gardens. Lest you rose gardeners think me insane, allow me to substantiate your opinion  by telling you I have never planted a rose in my life....until now.

 But good heavens, what is a cottage garden without roses??

I chose Old fashioned Fragrant Roses.. Because what is a Rose Garden without Fragrance?

They seem to be off to a good start... I hope I don't kill them all.

 When my ROSE GARDEN grows, it will be weedless..... HUH?

ON the opposite side, here, is a well established shade garden... just over that little brick walkway, it is FULL SUN ...for my roses.... you know, the ones I had never, ever planted till now.
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 Since I was already REALLY dirty, I decided to put in this  dry creek on the shady side, to help with a drainage problem. ( I think I am going to have a back problem if I keep this up.)

   But it looks rather nice, I think.

 

Then as if it weren't enough, we added an additional 300 sq.feet to our little herb garden.

Please note fellow Americans...I just found out that the H is pronounced. I have always said  ERBS. Then I heard Martha Stewart say HERB>>>she would know, right?? And the British always say HERB< they would know... right??
Well, I have been saying Erbs for so long, it has become a real effort to pronounce the H, think I will stick with the Erbs.
  Hmmm, does that mean EIRLOOMS is pronounced HEIRLOOMS?

 Someone must clarify this. 

How do YOU pronounce Herb?

 Anyway, it is no longer JUST a HERB garden but has grown into a Potager.
In this small space of raised beds and trellis for climbers we have: 
Strawberries, 5 different heirloom tomatoes...lovely names like, Stripey Tom and Big Bertha...... cantalope, cukes, all manner of peppers and onions, purple potatoes and yams, broccoli, peas, radishes, beets, carrots and RhUBARB (just because I remember my neighbors rubarb patch as a child, and I intend on making my first rhubarb pie)

 

I love this comination of herbs, fruits, veges and flowers,,,, a perfectly perfect potager.  In a fairly small space. Don't get my wrong, I could have a 5 acre garden if I so desired, but why bother when you can squeeze so much in such a compact spot..

 

 Here the tomatoes can grow up up up.... the squashes too..... the cukes can climb to the skies. and strawberries can pour over the rocks. All the while looking wild and crazy.

Just look at these darling little peas curling round and round.

 And baby Broccoli is as cute as can be!

I popped a few roses along the edges.

  I will to watch the little garden grow right from our porch.

I usually do heavy gardening the first 2 months of Spring, and then it is all about maintenance. We were lucky having such an early Spring this year. Now, I get to sit on the porch, finish my book and be inspired by blooming gardens, buzzing bees, birdsong the about a dozen cackling chicken folk.

I also get to listen to the ear- piercing love songs of two Peabody Boys, who are calling for a fair lady Peahen.

Oh dear, there is just too much barn yard drama around here!
I hope they don't become desperate and and run away( like the Turkey Boys)  before I can make a nice love match for them

The 800 iris I planted 2 years ago are blooming all around!

 I have to say, I am pleased as punch.

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 Okay,  back to the HERB question. I looked it up. In American English and French the H is not pronounced, but British English does pronounce the H.

Now tell me, How do YOU pronounce HERB?