I love planting oats as a cover crop, as they serve multiple functions in my garden. They condition the soil and suppress weeds, and the seed heads are gathered in the immature, ‘milky’ stage for medicine. Milky oats provide a rich, nourishing remedy that supports the nervous system, aiding all those feeling a little run ragged and worn out.
See that crop circle in the middle of the top picture? That’s where I forgot to rake the seeds into the soil when I first sowed them. They just sat on top of the soil and never germinated. Oops! I went back a week later and broadcast more seed into the circle making sure to rake them in well. The seeds germinated quickly, so that the circle is filled in now and caught up with the rest.

​The valerian is blooming. I catch the scent each time I pass. I love the creamy-white flower heads. So do the pollinators! I started the valerian from seed last year and they’ve really taken off. I’ll harvest some of the roots for medicine this fall and replant the crowns. My hope is that valerian will be a fixture in my garden for many years to come.

​Red clover is a short-lived perennial that flowers in its second year. Seeded last year, this patch has grown in lush and thick. Another excellent cover crop, clover is also a nitrogen fixer, adding this essential fertilizer to the soil through a symbiotic relationship between rhizobia bacteria and the roots of nitrogen fixing plants. Medicinally, red clover is a nutritious herb high in vitamins and minerals. Traditionally it has been used to support the female reproductive system and balance hormones, as well as aiding in respiratory issues such as bronchitis and whooping cough and to treat skin conditions and swollen glands. I think the deer have been enjoying the clover too. I see evidence of grazing and areas of flattened clover where the deer have lain down in the patch. That’s ok, there’s plenty for all of us.

These cheerful ox-eye daisies were kind enough to volunteer in my garden this year and I was happy to leave them to flower. I’ve been gathering them and drying them for tea and infusing them into oil to make a wonderful smelling massage oil for sore muscles.

​Remember the freshly dug pond from last post? Well, we got 85 mm of rain in 24 hrs this week, which was more than enough to fill it up. I haven’t had time to seal it with bentonite clay yet, so this water will eventually drain, but it leaves me optimistic about the water harvesting potential of this feature in the garden.

The other exciting thing happening in the garden this summer is the Young Herbalist Apprenticeship program I am running for a small group of 8 and 9 year olds. The 7 of us meet every Wednesday morning for herbal learning, work and play. On this morning the group learned the patterns of the pea family.
It’s such a joy to spend time with children in the garden, exploring and discovering the wonders of the plant world together.
I can’t wait to see what July brings!

The days are long and full. I wake up with the sun and am in bed not too long after the last vestige of light has left the sky. As much as possible, I try to let the weather dictate the rhythm of my days. Overcast days are perfect for putting transplants in the ground. Bright sunshine in the morning calls me out into the fields to harvest clover and daisies. Rainy days mean catching up on household chores and emails.
June feels like a speedy month to me and I’m looking forward to a few blistering hot July days when it’s just too sweltering to move and everything slows down to a crawl. In the meantime here’s a look at what’s happening in the garden right now

​I’m finding my scythe to be an essential tool in the garden. I use it to control plant growth and create my own mulch. Plus, I’m totally prepared for the next peasant uprising! (It was custom made for me, from here.)

​I planted elderberries in this section last year and three balsam poplar trees this spring. Eventually this area will become a shade garden for woodland plants. The growth around the bushes was starting to take over so I scythed the weeds down and applied compost to the base of the trees.

​To keep the weeds under control going forward I sheet mulched the whole 80 foot stretch that marks the boundary of the future woodland shade garden with cardboard and straw.

​As well as suppressing weeds the mulch should remove the need for additional irrigation.

​I’m underplanting the elders and poplars with a variety of herbs. First I open up a hole in the cardboard…

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…and dig down into the soil making room for the seedling. I may or may not add a little extra compost to the hole.

​Then I replace the cardboard and straw and move onto the next one. This is Japanese catnip. I also planted sweet Annie and sage in here.

​This is the wettest spot on my half acre. It’s flooded with spring thaw well into May and gets pretty boggy after a hard rain. They’re hard to spot in this pic, but I planted two alder trees here and will plant two more in the fall. They love the wet, are nitrogen fixers, coppice well and provide wonderful medicine from their bark and leaves. I’ve had a water feature in mind for this site since last year, but never found the time to get the project started. Fortunately I was able to recruit coerce my guy into spending his one day off a week digging a big hole in the ground. He’s really the best!

​He used the dug soil to create a berm behind the alders. I’ll get the berm planted with a variety of things and my hope is that it will act as a sun trap, creating a nice warm microclimate for some more sensitive species.

​By late afternoon he dug all the way down to the water level! The next step will be to seal it bentonite clay and wait for a rain to fill it up. I’m so thrilled to be getting this water feature established. Ideally the pond will provide habitat for a variety of beneficial species, further reduce irrigation needs and create microclimates. I can’t wait!

​Up next: What’s growing in the garden and what I’m harvesting.