From Dog Sledding to Gardening

A tulip that Eric and I planted last fall

The time has arrived to put away the dog sleds and wheeled dog sleds and get out the gardening tools. The sled dogs officially ran their last on trail dog sledding program, for a lucky group of girl scouts, last weekend and can now turn their attention to sunning, sleeping, and relaxing.

The lilacs are blooming

Meanwhile, with the warm temperatures, the dog yard gardens have been kicked into high gear. While not all fruits, veggies and flowers have been planted, Eric and I have made headway in planting several of our spring and summer vegetable crops, window boxes, flowers, fruit bushes, and herbs. Spring has sprung here at Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC.

Three varieties of lettuce, two pepper plants and two strawberry plants

Romaine lettuce

To date, we've planted several herbs including rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, and cilantro. Our mega mint along with our oregano has returned from last year with new vigor. We've also planted shallots from sets (which are just beginning to sprout), three varieties of lettuce, two pepper plants, and two tomato plants including an "Early Girl" and a cherry variety that grows well in containers. The newest addition to the gardens that I am most excited about are the rasberry bushes. Eric and I planted four rasberry bushes including two Boynes and two Lathams. Last summer up at the cabin in Maine, Eric discovered the joys of picking blueberries and blackberries so we've decided to add some berries to the dog yard gardens here in Maryland.

Early Girl tomato

Parsley

The bushes and trees in the dog yard are also in full flower and fill the yard with the most amazing scents from nature. Among the trees are the crab apple, flowering dogwood, and the magnolia. The lilacs and azaleas are also flowering.

The magnolia tree Eric and I got at University of Delaware's Ag Day and planted 3-4 years ago

Some of the dog yard Azaleas are not blooming just yet but....

some are in full bloom

Even though our winter was quite tough with heavy snow fall, we only lost two boxwood bushes at the front of the house and two cedar trees at the rear of the house. All of our other bushes and plants seemed to have survived the long cold winter and even thrived. Eric and I are still discussing what we'll plant to replace the boxwoods.

Okemo enjoys grilling and dining outdoors

Spring is Sprung! Check back for frequent updates on the garden along with updates on all of the sled dogs spring and summer adventures.

Retired sled dog, T-Bone, enjoys the garden