2004
February. This was a rare snow for North Carolina.  The snow highlights the rock walls of the terraces. The snow  weighed down the row covers we were using to over winter some veggies.	April.  Young apple trees are in the foreground.  They are surrounded by bird netting to protect from the deer.  Planted with the apple trees are feverfew, white and crimson clover, mustard and various flowers.  In the raised beds are over wintered Chinese cabbage and collards that have flowered.  These are a good example of the permaculture principle of a plant having multiple uses.  The leaves and flowers are edible, the flowers add beauty and provide nectar for early insects.  Sugarsnap peas are on a trellis in the background.
April. The crimson clover planted around the plum trees and under the mulberry tree is in bloom. Another multi-use plant, crimson clover fixes nitrogen, protects the soil over the winter, adds organic matter, provides nectar, and is beautiful. Annual rye was mixed with the clover to provide additional organic matter and to stimulate nitrogen fixation by the clover.	July. Zinnias, my favorite flower, are in bloom by the pond. Zinnias provide nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds, seeds for finches, and cut flowers for us.  Deer fencing on the left edge of the photo is protecting blueberries from deer.  There is a huge white lotus blossom in the upper right of the photo.  Many parts of the lotus plant are edible.  The elephant ears in the background are one of Hugh's favorite plants.  Uses? Please the man, add beauty and interest to the pond, and possibly food since they are in the taro family.
August.  Our cats love the pond and garden.  There are so many frogs, butterflies and other critters.  The blue flowered bush by the cat is a volunteer of unknown species.  It was pretty, healthy and not in the way so we let it grow.  I removed most of the seeds in the fall so it wouldn't spread all over the garden. The dry stream that the cat is crossing carries water from the shed (shown in the above picture) down to the pond.	November. The view of the pond and rain garden (swale) from our bedroom window.  The irises, swamp sunflower and other plants tolerant to both soggy wet and bone dry have thrived.  These plants are also deer resistant so no fencing needed.  The chairs are on a small rock patio under a maple tree.  What a great place to sit and watch the garden grow! (or nap, see below) Installation of Hugh's greenhouse on the left was just finished.
	October 2003. Caught napping!  This picture, showing the rain garden, unlined pond,  and mulched seating area, included for comparison purposes.