It has been the most beautiful and perfect spring and early summer in anyone’s memory, at least in Central Texas. We had no late freezes, no severe hail storms, plenty of rain and generally mild and wonderful weather. The wildflowers have been glorious and long-lasting; garden flowers have outdone themselves; and veggies have been prolific and tasty.

I hope we’ve all enjoyed this wonderful gardening year, because realistically, we probably won’t have another one for many years.

I wish I’d known in advance what a great year it would be. I’d have put my tomatoes out in February and started picking in April! Of course, I’ve already made four batches of pickles and the squash is coming out everyone’s ears, so I don’t think I would have wanted them to start early.

Even though this is the first year in my new yard, everything has done well. The raised beds have young soil, but all the veggies are prospering. The borders are blooming well, even though the @#$%^!! bermuda grass just won’t stay out. The biggest disadvantage to my new yard is that people planted bermuda grass here years ago. It is very happy here and obviously it’s going to be a nuisance for quite a while. My method of attack is to smother it where I don’t want it to be. Layers of cardboard and newspaper piled high with layers of mulch eventually will clear a space. My problem is that I am impatient and want it all done at once. Oh well, one of the lessons of the garden is that good things take time and waiting is part of the process.

In the meantime, I can always keep busy pulling out the runners that creep in from the edges.