May 10
I had a productive day in the garden.
I pulled some weeds
Then dug some mini hostas to send in a trade to get a Little Red Dragon daylily ...
Then I dug another hosta to send in a trade to get a Little Fred daylily ...
Then I found my Chartreuse Wiggles hosta which I thought I'd lost ...
And my Slick Willy that I thought I'd lost
And possibly the Janet that I thought I'd lost.
June is back with one pathetic eye.
I also found a second Lady Helen that was just shredded by the squirrels but it's alive!
And there are several others that are making their appearance.
Also On Stage is finally poking through!
In other words, two days of warm weather have made some major changes.
Hosta are unfurling everywhere!
I have already planted the Little Red Dragon daylily and am looking forward to seeing that one in bloom. It's a true mini with small fans. It is a lot like the Dragon's Eye but smaller.
I spent a lot of time working with the hosta around the deck and in the mini bed and nursery bed.
Some of the hosta in the nursery area are ready to go back into the garden because they are now big enough not to fuss over so much.
Others are always going to be in the bed because they are minis.
I also have to do some major work on that bed so will be moving out the larger hosta and doing some re-arranging.
The Liberty is just gorgeous this year ... after having battled the slugs it is doing so well and is huge! It's already a favorite.
And I need to get things potted for the Garden Club's plant sale.
I will be busy this week and into the weekend.
Life is being lived.
Gardening In Helen Time!
May 11, 2005
Today was my day off.
I planned to garden until I dropped.
The temperature was in the low 50s ... 20 degrees cooler than yesterday!
I woke up and it was raining.
So, I called my sister-in-law and told her I was coming to kidnap her for the afternoon and Gary (DH) was the driver.
We kidnapped Joan at her house and it had stopped raining there ... so then went out to lunch at an A&W Restaurant that serves delicious chili dogs and draft rootbeer ...
Then to the cemetery to check on the family graves to find out what we needed to get and to talk about how to plant the urn.
Then to a greenhouse where I found some 'Lucifer' dwarf cannas that have brilliant red and yellow flowers for the three deck pots.
I also found some nasturtiums that match the coloring of the cannas.
Then to another greenhouse where I picked up six Dragon Wing Begonias. I'll have to do some creative dividing but they should be fine . They will go in the four pots by the two lion's head benches in the middle of the yard, maybe ... or out at The Dragon's Lair in pots and hanging baskets.
Then we stopped at a McDonald's restaurant for a cup of coffee. It was quite chilly outside.
Then to another Greenhouse where I bought some asparagus fern and some wonderful Tricolor Exotic Geraniums (Pelargoniumx hortorum 'Tricolor') ... The flowers are the standard red but the foliage is multi-colored in yellows, sort of purples, greens ... I'm sure you've seen them. I may just cut off the flowers the foliage is so interesting.
Then back to Joan's where Gary helped her prepare dinner while I planted her eight hanging pots with ivy geranium, zonal geraniums, ornamental millet and asparagus fern.
Dinner was hamburgers with chili ... yes, we are living dangerously to have chili dogs at lunch and chili at dinner! (Smile)
We alsop purchased some lovely pink geraniums and an ivy geranium 'Picasso' (it's burgundy and white striped) and some vinca vine and a spike for the one cemetery urn. We'll plant the cemetery urn sometime this weekend or next week.
When we arrived home I planted the 'Tricolor' geraniums in the garage window boxes and then put them in the three pots that are at the bottom of the deck steps and that I can see from the dining room.
I kept one of the geraniums for near the Dragon's Lair. So when I look out the garden door I'll see those geraniums in pots, window boxes and a hanging basket. I plan to put a Dragon's Wing begonia and one of those geraniums in the large hanging pot by The Dragon's Lair.
Anyway ... I still have to get the Wilhelm Langguth geraniums with that lovely green and white variegated foliage for the green marble pots which I'll purchase locally, and I may just purchase them for the front step pots as well and call it good for the year.
Tomorrow I go to the Owosso Farmers' Market (city garden) for a plant rescue.
I help out at the garden. The city is reconstructing the parking lot from the 18th through the 28th and we need to get all of the plants out of there (that we want) BEFORE that date.
Then comes the job of holding everything over until the work is done.
Along with leveling out the parking lot and resurfacing the lot, they are taking out two concrete raised flower planters that measure about 6 ft by 20 feet and are lowering the center one so people won't scrape their doors against them pulling in or backing out ... I think that it will make it easier for people to drive over the beds ... but what do I know?!
It's really quite the deal because it means the farmers' market will have a nice home after all the work is done.
It just means a lot of prep work for this gardener at a time when all the gardeners are scrambling to get work done in their own gardens.
I work with the Market Master often and help her out so, I volunteered to do the plant rescue and with the weather being cooler for the next week to 10 days the plants should be fine in a holding tub until they can be replanted.
Today was my day off.
I planned to garden until I dropped.
The temperature was in the low 50s ... 20 degrees cooler than yesterday!
I woke up and it was raining.
So, I called my sister-in-law and told her I was coming to kidnap her for the afternoon and Gary (DH) was the driver.
We kidnapped Joan at her house and it had stopped raining there ... so then went out to lunch at an A&W Restaurant that serves delicious chili dogs and draft rootbeer ...
Then to the cemetery to check on the family graves to find out what we needed to get and to talk about how to plant the urn.
Then to a greenhouse where I found some 'Lucifer' dwarf cannas that have brilliant red and yellow flowers for the three deck pots.
I also found some nasturtiums that match the coloring of the cannas.
Then to another greenhouse where I picked up six Dragon Wing Begonias. I'll have to do some creative dividing but they should be fine . They will go in the four pots by the two lion's head benches in the middle of the yard, maybe ... or out at The Dragon's Lair in pots and hanging baskets.
Then we stopped at a McDonald's restaurant for a cup of coffee. It was quite chilly outside.
Then to another Greenhouse where I bought some asparagus fern and some wonderful Tricolor Exotic Geraniums (Pelargoniumx hortorum 'Tricolor') ... The flowers are the standard red but the foliage is multi-colored in yellows, sort of purples, greens ... I'm sure you've seen them. I may just cut off the flowers the foliage is so interesting.
Then back to Joan's where Gary helped her prepare dinner while I planted her eight hanging pots with ivy geranium, zonal geraniums, ornamental millet and asparagus fern.
Dinner was hamburgers with chili ... yes, we are living dangerously to have chili dogs at lunch and chili at dinner! (Smile)
We alsop purchased some lovely pink geraniums and an ivy geranium 'Picasso' (it's burgundy and white striped) and some vinca vine and a spike for the one cemetery urn. We'll plant the cemetery urn sometime this weekend or next week.
When we arrived home I planted the 'Tricolor' geraniums in the garage window boxes and then put them in the three pots that are at the bottom of the deck steps and that I can see from the dining room.
I kept one of the geraniums for near the Dragon's Lair. So when I look out the garden door I'll see those geraniums in pots, window boxes and a hanging basket. I plan to put a Dragon's Wing begonia and one of those geraniums in the large hanging pot by The Dragon's Lair.
Anyway ... I still have to get the Wilhelm Langguth geraniums with that lovely green and white variegated foliage for the green marble pots which I'll purchase locally, and I may just purchase them for the front step pots as well and call it good for the year.
Tomorrow I go to the Owosso Farmers' Market (city garden) for a plant rescue.
I help out at the garden. The city is reconstructing the parking lot from the 18th through the 28th and we need to get all of the plants out of there (that we want) BEFORE that date.
Then comes the job of holding everything over until the work is done.
Along with leveling out the parking lot and resurfacing the lot, they are taking out two concrete raised flower planters that measure about 6 ft by 20 feet and are lowering the center one so people won't scrape their doors against them pulling in or backing out ... I think that it will make it easier for people to drive over the beds ... but what do I know?!
It's really quite the deal because it means the farmers' market will have a nice home after all the work is done.
It just means a lot of prep work for this gardener at a time when all the gardeners are scrambling to get work done in their own gardens.
I work with the Market Master often and help her out so, I volunteered to do the plant rescue and with the weather being cooler for the next week to 10 days the plants should be fine in a holding tub until they can be replanted.
Last edited by hagranger on May 13, 2005 5:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 12, 2005
I am absolutely fatigued from this morning's plant rescue followed by planting the rescued plants.
My day started at 9 a.m. and I finished digging plants about an hour and a half later ... I ran out of containers and ended up sort of stacking plants on top of each other. I thought I would have a helper or two ... but no one showed ...
There were four clumps of peonies and clumps of garden catmint, rudbeckia, monarda, perennial bachelor's button, Speedwell/veronica, iris, Asiatic Lilies, Oriental lilies and numerous clumps of daffodils and other bulbs. And, a huge clump of sedum that filled a dishpan and is now in several additional containers.
I have heeled in most of the stuff into my garden to hold it until after May 28. But I have a huge galvanized washtub filled with yellow iris that I have no room for ... and two 5-gallon buckets of peonies and several pots of sedum not to mention flower bulbs and other stuff.
I just may pot some of this stuff and put it on the garden club's plant sale. And, because the new flower bed is going to be shorter and a bit narrower than the one that is being removed NOT all the stuff I removed will be going back into the new bed. So, I need to find ways of getting rid of the extra stuff.
Most of the stuff is recovering ... and some of the plants don't look like they were moved at all.
There were huge buddleias that were removed before I got there (thankfully) ... I found out after the plant rescue that a nursery came in and got those.
I'm pushing the issue a bit with planting the backyard containers. And I'm praying we don't get another frost ... although we often do around the Full Moon.
The geraniums should be fine with temps into the high 30s at night ... I won't put the Dragon Wing begonias out for at least another week.
I have so much going on I have to get this stuff done when I can.
While heeling in the stuff I moved some of my plants. I moved my Choo Choo Train hosta to the front raised bed ... I needed a yellow in that spot and CCT fills the bill nicely.
And, I planted two daylilies that I ordered and that arrived today ... Dragon's Orb and Best Kept Secret.
And I potted up the one green hanging basket near The Dragon's Lair with asparagus fern one of those "exotic" tricolor geraniums and then punched a few nasturtium seeds into the pot to get those started.
I also planted the 'Lucifer' patio cannas in the three deck 'Greenman' pots and added nasturtium seeds there.
Temps were in the 50s today. Chilly but not to the point of major discomfort and actually I stayed pretty warm being out there most of the day ...
I am absolutely fatigued from this morning's plant rescue followed by planting the rescued plants.
My day started at 9 a.m. and I finished digging plants about an hour and a half later ... I ran out of containers and ended up sort of stacking plants on top of each other. I thought I would have a helper or two ... but no one showed ...
There were four clumps of peonies and clumps of garden catmint, rudbeckia, monarda, perennial bachelor's button, Speedwell/veronica, iris, Asiatic Lilies, Oriental lilies and numerous clumps of daffodils and other bulbs. And, a huge clump of sedum that filled a dishpan and is now in several additional containers.
I have heeled in most of the stuff into my garden to hold it until after May 28. But I have a huge galvanized washtub filled with yellow iris that I have no room for ... and two 5-gallon buckets of peonies and several pots of sedum not to mention flower bulbs and other stuff.
I just may pot some of this stuff and put it on the garden club's plant sale. And, because the new flower bed is going to be shorter and a bit narrower than the one that is being removed NOT all the stuff I removed will be going back into the new bed. So, I need to find ways of getting rid of the extra stuff.
Most of the stuff is recovering ... and some of the plants don't look like they were moved at all.
There were huge buddleias that were removed before I got there (thankfully) ... I found out after the plant rescue that a nursery came in and got those.
I'm pushing the issue a bit with planting the backyard containers. And I'm praying we don't get another frost ... although we often do around the Full Moon.
The geraniums should be fine with temps into the high 30s at night ... I won't put the Dragon Wing begonias out for at least another week.
I have so much going on I have to get this stuff done when I can.
While heeling in the stuff I moved some of my plants. I moved my Choo Choo Train hosta to the front raised bed ... I needed a yellow in that spot and CCT fills the bill nicely.
And, I planted two daylilies that I ordered and that arrived today ... Dragon's Orb and Best Kept Secret.
And I potted up the one green hanging basket near The Dragon's Lair with asparagus fern one of those "exotic" tricolor geraniums and then punched a few nasturtium seeds into the pot to get those started.
I also planted the 'Lucifer' patio cannas in the three deck 'Greenman' pots and added nasturtium seeds there.
Temps were in the 50s today. Chilly but not to the point of major discomfort and actually I stayed pretty warm being out there most of the day ...
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 13, 2005
FRIDAY THE 13th!
I should have known.
I planned to return to the city garden to finish taking the Asiatic lilies and the crocus bulbs out and to search among that nasty perovskia (Russian Sage) to see if I could find anymore salvagable plants ...What's left are lilies and bulbs ... most of the tulips are spent and all they are doing is making those huge leaves indicating that they are too deep and no longer flowering and are too small to flower.
The rescue would have gone quicker had there been help ... but that is usually the way it goes ...
We have 150 members in our garden club and we are lucky to get 25 people to help out with the projects.
I am holding onto the plants until the market master and I and the city decide what will go back in ...
We are NOT letting the Master Gardener CLASSES touch that bed again! The students plant and get their hours in and then DON'T TEND the beds ...
I was shocked by what I saw there. It should never have become that messy.
Take the first three letters of Heaven On Earth ... and what do you get?
FRIDAY THE 13th!
I should have known.
I planned to return to the city garden to finish taking the Asiatic lilies and the crocus bulbs out and to search among that nasty perovskia (Russian Sage) to see if I could find anymore salvagable plants ...What's left are lilies and bulbs ... most of the tulips are spent and all they are doing is making those huge leaves indicating that they are too deep and no longer flowering and are too small to flower.
The rescue would have gone quicker had there been help ... but that is usually the way it goes ...
We have 150 members in our garden club and we are lucky to get 25 people to help out with the projects.
I am holding onto the plants until the market master and I and the city decide what will go back in ...
We are NOT letting the Master Gardener CLASSES touch that bed again! The students plant and get their hours in and then DON'T TEND the beds ...
I was shocked by what I saw there. It should never have become that messy.
Take the first three letters of Heaven On Earth ... and what do you get?
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 21, 2005
I've been gone pretty much since Tuesday ...
I did more plant rescues from the second garden that the city is redoing ... I received a call mid-week that they are delaying the start of the parking lot for another week so that meant that I could get in there are get those other plants out.
Six nice clumps of Stella D'Oro and a nice bachelor's buttons and several rudbeckia and coneflower and lots of iris and I even dug tulips as much as I could.
And crocus and several other clumps of flowers including three small boxwoods.
There are also some I don't recognize ... or at least I'm not familiar with the foliage ... I hope I'll recognize them by the blooms.
Some variegated grass ... a nice clump of it that I divided into five small clumps for my SIL and then I brought a small clump home to put into a pot.
I thought there were some variegated iris but it appears that someone took those before I got back to the bed the second time.
Everything I rescued went to my SIL's house. I have no more holding space and I'm not giving up my vegetable garden.
I'm at least two weeks away from planting tomatoes.
I do have to think about getting them though. The Sweet 100s go quickly at the garden center where I purchase them.
I have buds forming on the roses and usually have the Dorothy Perkins blooming by the first of June ... Some of the whips are 20 feet long this year!
Eden is getting ready to bloom and my grandfather's climbing Blaze appears to have survived.
Saturday went to the cemeteries and planted the flowers at the graves to have it done before Memorial Day.
I've been gone pretty much since Tuesday ...
I did more plant rescues from the second garden that the city is redoing ... I received a call mid-week that they are delaying the start of the parking lot for another week so that meant that I could get in there are get those other plants out.
Six nice clumps of Stella D'Oro and a nice bachelor's buttons and several rudbeckia and coneflower and lots of iris and I even dug tulips as much as I could.
And crocus and several other clumps of flowers including three small boxwoods.
There are also some I don't recognize ... or at least I'm not familiar with the foliage ... I hope I'll recognize them by the blooms.
Some variegated grass ... a nice clump of it that I divided into five small clumps for my SIL and then I brought a small clump home to put into a pot.
I thought there were some variegated iris but it appears that someone took those before I got back to the bed the second time.
Everything I rescued went to my SIL's house. I have no more holding space and I'm not giving up my vegetable garden.
I'm at least two weeks away from planting tomatoes.
I do have to think about getting them though. The Sweet 100s go quickly at the garden center where I purchase them.
I have buds forming on the roses and usually have the Dorothy Perkins blooming by the first of June ... Some of the whips are 20 feet long this year!
Eden is getting ready to bloom and my grandfather's climbing Blaze appears to have survived.
Saturday went to the cemeteries and planted the flowers at the graves to have it done before Memorial Day.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 22, 2005
Morning
I was up early this morning to garden all day … .
I was still in my night gown and house jacket sitting on the deck glider with Gary sipping coffee and listening to the morning sounds and the birds chirping when it started to rain and kept raining.
My Patriot and Minuteman hostas look absolutely gorgeous ... for now. I'm going to pull them this year if they brown out again and get those ragged edges. I have little time and space for plants that look ugly anymore. There are so many other beautiful white edged hostas out there that stay beautiful all season.
One of my hosta buddies sent me a Sunpower and a Thunderbolt and a Rascal and a Darwin's Standard.
Well, maybe the rain will slow down a bit so I can get something done … must away to see what I can get accomplished for the day.
EVENING
After the rain slowed down a bit (around noon) I made a dash to The Dragon's Lair (potting shed) located on the back of the garage.
As I enjoyed listening to the rain and the birds, I was dry and comfortably cool as I potted up the two hanging baskets for the front of the garage. I put in a ‘Tricolor’ geranium and asparagus fern and Creeping Jenny in those pots.
Then, I carefully changed the three hanging pots near the deck into newer pots and then potted up three hanging baskets of Dragon Wing begonias which I hung at The Dragon's Lair.
I also up-potted the hanging basket of those fuchsia colored petunias that I won from the farmers’ market into a larger pot (from a 10 to a 12 inch pot because it was getting a bit pot bound. Should help get it through the summer. It looks wonderful on the deck.
Gary (DH) helped me by changing some of the plant hangers and moving some and changing others. He also painted several of them a flat black and helped me hang the baskets.
I need four more hanging baskets to replace the ones that I'm tossing because they are too big or are worn out.
By 3 p.m. the rains had settled into drizzling now and then and the cooler temperature helped make it easier to work. With the ground softened by the rain, I weeded and weeded. My garden has been invaded by what I believe is called sow thistle. It reminds me of dandelion with a milky sap and then it has this fleshy root that grows under the ground like quackgrass … I am at my wits end dealing with all the weeds this spring!
I moved a large clump of Pacific Blue Edger hosta and split it into two clumps and put the two in the little garden in back.
I then cleaned up the potting shed and stacked pots and tidied up until it was getting too dark to see.
Helen
Morning
I was up early this morning to garden all day … .
I was still in my night gown and house jacket sitting on the deck glider with Gary sipping coffee and listening to the morning sounds and the birds chirping when it started to rain and kept raining.
My Patriot and Minuteman hostas look absolutely gorgeous ... for now. I'm going to pull them this year if they brown out again and get those ragged edges. I have little time and space for plants that look ugly anymore. There are so many other beautiful white edged hostas out there that stay beautiful all season.
One of my hosta buddies sent me a Sunpower and a Thunderbolt and a Rascal and a Darwin's Standard.
Well, maybe the rain will slow down a bit so I can get something done … must away to see what I can get accomplished for the day.
EVENING
After the rain slowed down a bit (around noon) I made a dash to The Dragon's Lair (potting shed) located on the back of the garage.
As I enjoyed listening to the rain and the birds, I was dry and comfortably cool as I potted up the two hanging baskets for the front of the garage. I put in a ‘Tricolor’ geranium and asparagus fern and Creeping Jenny in those pots.
Then, I carefully changed the three hanging pots near the deck into newer pots and then potted up three hanging baskets of Dragon Wing begonias which I hung at The Dragon's Lair.
I also up-potted the hanging basket of those fuchsia colored petunias that I won from the farmers’ market into a larger pot (from a 10 to a 12 inch pot because it was getting a bit pot bound. Should help get it through the summer. It looks wonderful on the deck.
Gary (DH) helped me by changing some of the plant hangers and moving some and changing others. He also painted several of them a flat black and helped me hang the baskets.
I need four more hanging baskets to replace the ones that I'm tossing because they are too big or are worn out.
By 3 p.m. the rains had settled into drizzling now and then and the cooler temperature helped make it easier to work. With the ground softened by the rain, I weeded and weeded. My garden has been invaded by what I believe is called sow thistle. It reminds me of dandelion with a milky sap and then it has this fleshy root that grows under the ground like quackgrass … I am at my wits end dealing with all the weeds this spring!
I moved a large clump of Pacific Blue Edger hosta and split it into two clumps and put the two in the little garden in back.
I then cleaned up the potting shed and stacked pots and tidied up until it was getting too dark to see.
Helen
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
The Old Coot has enjoyed your Journal too.
Seems we are about two months ahead of you, here in S.C. We had a terrible spring. Wet and Cold too long. Killed a lot of O.C.'s Iris (at least they still haven't bloomed, maybe next year. The new ones he planted last fall have done really well, but they were in a more protected area...
Lost a lot of his Liliums too, but those that were in raised beds and got a lot of sun after they came up are doing great. So are his Daylilies and Hosta. Be sure to post us some pictures of you thigies....
WELCOME (a little late but here it is anyway...)
The usually FUNNY and always most FRIENDLY Old Coot named John, a Gardener for the Lord, saying thank YOU LORD for his good friends that share and for the nice rain that has made all his plants grow so well this year
Lost a lot of his Liliums too, but those that were in raised beds and got a lot of sun after they came up are doing great. So are his Daylilies and Hosta. Be sure to post us some pictures of you thigies....
WELCOME (a little late but here it is anyway...)
The usually FUNNY and always most FRIENDLY Old Coot named John, a Gardener for the Lord, saying thank YOU LORD for his good friends that share and for the nice rain that has made all his plants grow so well this year
There may be snow in the garden, but there will always be eternal springtime in the heart of this old gardner - Saying of Old Coot
May 28
This is always a busy time for me.
Memorial Day is this constant juggling act between work and home and parades and planting monuments and such.
Friday we planted some more of the family graves and did some more cleanup or the graves and lifted gravestones and weeded and made sure flags were put on graves and that sort of thing.
This morning (Saturday) I was up early to purchase geraniums for the monuments, then breakfast with cronies and then planted the three monuments using $84 worth of geraniums and two pots of blue speedwell perennials ...
Then home.
After a short breather, I planted the new hosta babies that arrived. Phyllis (Hallson forum) sent me several hosta and a beautiful variegated Helenium. I put Squash Casserole and the Prairie Glow in the front raised bed and put Island Charm in the back swing garden and the Lime Ripple near Lemon Lime and another "citrus" sounding named hosta that I'm too lazy to go look up right now ... well, maybe not lazy, just too fatigued.
The Helenium is GORGEOUS and I'm so happy to get it!
I've been wanting a Helenium for the longest time but was not to the point that I could purchase one because of the other "dragon" things I've been purchasing!
I potted up the four new 12-inch hanging baskets and have one more to go.
One of the baskets went on the south side of the deck and has that exotic orange geranium to match the other three. The other three went on the north side of the garden ... one on the house, two on the mini pergola. The one on the house has an exotic white geranium and asparagus fern, the two on the pergola have the geranium and a yellow/green variegated potato vine ...
The nasturtiums that I planted a week or so ago are already up ...
I also cleaned up the garden some more trashing stuff and cleaning and then organized The Dragon's Lair some more.
I planted the one pot in the sunshine spot with one of the exotic orange geraniums and a Wilhelm Langguth geranium (I have to have at least one in the garden) and this grayish viney looking thingie that looks like moss rose but has red flowers ...
I tossed a couple of pots.
Then I started on the "big" project of digging the new vegetable bed and getting rid of the sod and then bringing back buckets of compost.
I've nearly emptied my second compost bin of compost so will be able to now turn the first bin ...
I feel like GardenWoman! I've been utilizing my compost bins and recycling the gardenage ... I deserve a bit pat on the back ... too bad my arms are to tired to do that!
In other words Gary is going to have a very nice vegetable garden once I get it done.
Today Gary hooked up the little recycling fountain for me that sits on the deck.
It still needs to be moved to a better spot but I'll take what I can get to have that water music.
It's so refreshing to sit with a glass of ice tea and listen to that fountain!
The vegetable garden has been dug down to a depth of about a foot and the sod removed leaving very little soil to assure that weed seeds are not going in there.
Then the compost is coming in and I'll be adding a five gallon bucket of sand that has fungicide powder in it to help reduce any problems from the compost.
And then I'll be digging that again and raking it out and getting it all ready for him to plant.
Today I could only do half of it due to the rain that finally chased me out at about 7:30 p.m.
This is always a busy time for me.
Memorial Day is this constant juggling act between work and home and parades and planting monuments and such.
Friday we planted some more of the family graves and did some more cleanup or the graves and lifted gravestones and weeded and made sure flags were put on graves and that sort of thing.
This morning (Saturday) I was up early to purchase geraniums for the monuments, then breakfast with cronies and then planted the three monuments using $84 worth of geraniums and two pots of blue speedwell perennials ...
Then home.
After a short breather, I planted the new hosta babies that arrived. Phyllis (Hallson forum) sent me several hosta and a beautiful variegated Helenium. I put Squash Casserole and the Prairie Glow in the front raised bed and put Island Charm in the back swing garden and the Lime Ripple near Lemon Lime and another "citrus" sounding named hosta that I'm too lazy to go look up right now ... well, maybe not lazy, just too fatigued.
The Helenium is GORGEOUS and I'm so happy to get it!
I've been wanting a Helenium for the longest time but was not to the point that I could purchase one because of the other "dragon" things I've been purchasing!
I potted up the four new 12-inch hanging baskets and have one more to go.
One of the baskets went on the south side of the deck and has that exotic orange geranium to match the other three. The other three went on the north side of the garden ... one on the house, two on the mini pergola. The one on the house has an exotic white geranium and asparagus fern, the two on the pergola have the geranium and a yellow/green variegated potato vine ...
The nasturtiums that I planted a week or so ago are already up ...
I also cleaned up the garden some more trashing stuff and cleaning and then organized The Dragon's Lair some more.
I planted the one pot in the sunshine spot with one of the exotic orange geraniums and a Wilhelm Langguth geranium (I have to have at least one in the garden) and this grayish viney looking thingie that looks like moss rose but has red flowers ...
I tossed a couple of pots.
Then I started on the "big" project of digging the new vegetable bed and getting rid of the sod and then bringing back buckets of compost.
I've nearly emptied my second compost bin of compost so will be able to now turn the first bin ...
I feel like GardenWoman! I've been utilizing my compost bins and recycling the gardenage ... I deserve a bit pat on the back ... too bad my arms are to tired to do that!
In other words Gary is going to have a very nice vegetable garden once I get it done.
Today Gary hooked up the little recycling fountain for me that sits on the deck.
It still needs to be moved to a better spot but I'll take what I can get to have that water music.
It's so refreshing to sit with a glass of ice tea and listen to that fountain!
The vegetable garden has been dug down to a depth of about a foot and the sod removed leaving very little soil to assure that weed seeds are not going in there.
Then the compost is coming in and I'll be adding a five gallon bucket of sand that has fungicide powder in it to help reduce any problems from the compost.
And then I'll be digging that again and raking it out and getting it all ready for him to plant.
Today I could only do half of it due to the rain that finally chased me out at about 7:30 p.m.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
June 15, 2005
After a horrible week of temperatures in the 90s and near 90s we are finally getting some cooler weather today.
Yesterday it was in the 90s and today in the 70s.
I felt as if I were in Heaven!
There was this deliciously cool breeze all day and some mist floating through now and then that was just enough to cool me down. I worked up quite a bit of perspiration ... no, let me correct that ... I worked up a good sweat a couple of times.
I gardened until the rain chased me out of the garden at about 8 p.m. and it's been raining ever since.
There's something wonderful about watching the evening darken into night and listen to the rain.
I weeded everywhere but the south border and the front raised bed today.
My goal was to eliminate as much of the quackgrass as possible. I eliminated most of it from the front oval. The 'Lucifer' crocosmias all appear to have made it ... and the Asiatic lilies have fat buds on them.
The 'Lucifer' cannas (dwarf varieties) are up about a foot in all three of the deck pots.
All the pots and hanging baskets are a delight.
The Russian Olive is blooming and there is that heady perfumey honey smell in the air. Some people don't like it, but I do. I wouldn't want a perfume of it but it fills the air all around the house with that sweet scent. It's one of my pure delights in spring.
I also moved Elvis Lives hosta from its secluded corner and moved Jade Cascade hosta to a better spot where it can spread out and fill in the space beside the fourth composter. I also raked out and weeded that corner.
I also moved three dwarf astilbes that were being overwhelmed where they were. I may move them again if I move two other large perennials and if I redo the one bed that lies between The Dragon's Lair and the Paddock area.
All of the roses have at least one blossom including Dorothy Perkins who has taken her own sweet time blooming this year. Dragon's Fire and Magic Dragon have blooms as does Rainbow's End and Green Ice is as wonderful as ever with it's pink buds, greenish white blossoms that cover the shrubs.
Even the little yellow rose is getting ready to bloom.
The Eden roses are a delight to the eye and to the senses. Creamy ivory and blush pink. Gorgeous! And a beautiful fragrance.
I also pruned up the roses to remove dried up and dead ends just to make them look better.
And I weeded the wild area with somewhat reckless abandon in an effort to discourage or at least slow down the quackgrass. The baptisia (false indigo) needed some propping up and the orange poppies are nearly past their prime.
Along with my garden chores today, I also gave all the roses a fertilizer boost and the rains are washing that into the soil around them as I type this.
The Black Dragon and Before the Storm irises are on their last bloom.
One of the little red morning glory plants is going to bloom.
Galadriel is blooming as is Pleasant Hours, Stella D'Oro, Irish Elf and one that I think is Annie Golightly but it could also be Little Maggie ... I'm just too lazy to look in my daylily book.
I added several buckets of bio-mass to the composters today. Overall it doesn't look like I did anything so I guess that's a good thing.
After a horrible week of temperatures in the 90s and near 90s we are finally getting some cooler weather today.
Yesterday it was in the 90s and today in the 70s.
I felt as if I were in Heaven!
There was this deliciously cool breeze all day and some mist floating through now and then that was just enough to cool me down. I worked up quite a bit of perspiration ... no, let me correct that ... I worked up a good sweat a couple of times.
I gardened until the rain chased me out of the garden at about 8 p.m. and it's been raining ever since.
There's something wonderful about watching the evening darken into night and listen to the rain.
I weeded everywhere but the south border and the front raised bed today.
My goal was to eliminate as much of the quackgrass as possible. I eliminated most of it from the front oval. The 'Lucifer' crocosmias all appear to have made it ... and the Asiatic lilies have fat buds on them.
The 'Lucifer' cannas (dwarf varieties) are up about a foot in all three of the deck pots.
All the pots and hanging baskets are a delight.
The Russian Olive is blooming and there is that heady perfumey honey smell in the air. Some people don't like it, but I do. I wouldn't want a perfume of it but it fills the air all around the house with that sweet scent. It's one of my pure delights in spring.
I also moved Elvis Lives hosta from its secluded corner and moved Jade Cascade hosta to a better spot where it can spread out and fill in the space beside the fourth composter. I also raked out and weeded that corner.
I also moved three dwarf astilbes that were being overwhelmed where they were. I may move them again if I move two other large perennials and if I redo the one bed that lies between The Dragon's Lair and the Paddock area.
All of the roses have at least one blossom including Dorothy Perkins who has taken her own sweet time blooming this year. Dragon's Fire and Magic Dragon have blooms as does Rainbow's End and Green Ice is as wonderful as ever with it's pink buds, greenish white blossoms that cover the shrubs.
Even the little yellow rose is getting ready to bloom.
The Eden roses are a delight to the eye and to the senses. Creamy ivory and blush pink. Gorgeous! And a beautiful fragrance.
I also pruned up the roses to remove dried up and dead ends just to make them look better.
And I weeded the wild area with somewhat reckless abandon in an effort to discourage or at least slow down the quackgrass. The baptisia (false indigo) needed some propping up and the orange poppies are nearly past their prime.
Along with my garden chores today, I also gave all the roses a fertilizer boost and the rains are washing that into the soil around them as I type this.
The Black Dragon and Before the Storm irises are on their last bloom.
One of the little red morning glory plants is going to bloom.
Galadriel is blooming as is Pleasant Hours, Stella D'Oro, Irish Elf and one that I think is Annie Golightly but it could also be Little Maggie ... I'm just too lazy to look in my daylily book.
I added several buckets of bio-mass to the composters today. Overall it doesn't look like I did anything so I guess that's a good thing.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
Hard to believe it's been so long since I last made a journal entry.
August 14 MORNING
I was enjoying a cool day of gardening.
It was overcast most of the day until just the last hour.
It's 2 p.m. now and I'm inside nursing large blisters on both big toes. Grrrrrr
It's so frustrating.
I was wearing my garden shoes and this is the first time I've gotten blisters from them.
It may be all the walking I was doing pulling weeds and transplanting and digging and such.
I dug several hosta to take to my SIL's ... Knockout is one. If it does not do any better at her house I will compost it. I wish they'd take that hosta off the market. It just melts out and gets ratty when it get older. If you keep dividing it then it stays pretty good ... but who wants to keep fussing with a hosta over and over again ... it's like Winter Lighting that you have to keep dividing to keep its splashed (streaky) self going. Not a good hosta if you have to fuss with it.
I also pulled a Buckshaw Blue and a couple of others that will be going to my sister-in-law's house.
I moved a small Queen Josephine that was struggling in the Swing Garden to the nursery bed and moved a small clump of Pearl Lake from the Deep Shade area to the nursery bed to get it to increase.
The Island Charm hosta was struggling in the Swing Garden ... So, I moved Maraschino Cherry and Raspberry Sorbet from the nursery bed to the Swing Garden because they were HUGE in the nursery bed. Both are about 2 ft across so it was time for them to move out into the garden.
I also refreshed soil in the nursery bed with compost and moved a little Blue Cadet clump there for another year's growth.
I have a daylily bed where the compost needs to be refreshed and the daylilies re-arranged. I moved the Mary Mercer daylily and have several more to go. Some of the daylilies will be dug and moved to Joan's house. I have some lovely daylilies in that bed like Jim's Pick but really don't want to keep them. So, Joan (SIL) is going to benefit.
However, I am resting my feet and will have to bandage them before going back out to finish that project.
I really should move the clump of Veronica Lake hosta that's in the nursery bed, but I just can't bring myself to dig it up. I like it where it is and don't want to move it.
I also moved White Wall Tires to a spot where it can spread out and show off more in the nursery area. It was so very tiny when I got it from Reldon (on Hallson's Hosta forum) and its been slowly increasing. It has now increased to four divisions from the two he sent.
The pink hibiscus are blooming as are the rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' which I have scattered here and there.
I also moved a large clump of a lysimachia that I love. It can be a bully so I had to move it from the south border where it was eating the Lemon Lily. I planted it back by The Dragon Lair where it is replacing the raspberries I trashed several days ago.
Well, lunch is done ... Gary made me my favorite ... French Toast.
I'll type more later.
Aug. 14 AFTERNOON/EVENING
It's 7 p.m. and I'm inside. I have taken a shower and re-bandaged my toes.
I had to come inside. My feet and hips won't let me go anymore!
After lunch, I pulled weeds and cleaned daylilies on the south side of the house and a bit up in the tree peony garden.
It's always a pain to weed along the south side of the house because I have this low growing Bar Harbor juniper and the quackgrass grows up through it. I have to lift the juniper to pull the grass and it is an awkward way to stand ... even with Gary helping me it's hard on the hips and lower back.
I HAVE to get some mulch for the south path. The weeds are taking over right where the step down into the backyard.
I have to do a proper dig and re-mulch but I'm not going to dig the path until I get the mulch.
Then I tackled the Dorothy Perkins rose. It's a rambler and has to be cut back every year after it blooms and the new whips trained along the fence for next year's flowers. It was from my maternal grandmother so I work with it for sentimental reasons.
Either I was extra careful this year or I'm learning how to deal with the whips because I wasn't as shredded as I usually get by the thorns.
I take the four best whips to train on the fence and cut everything else back.
I also cut back the Eden rose dlimber and trained the whips on that climber along the fence like I did the DP.
If you are looking for a nice climber I'd really recommend Eden.
Zepherine Drouhin rose received the same treatment. I like the fragrance and old-fashioned loose flowers of ZD and it is nearly thornless (another plus) and has fragrant flowers. It does, however, get Black Spot so it's a must to keep it cleaned up and sprayed with fungicide.
I had to dig four miniature roses that needed more sunshine. They are the Rainbow's End ones that I purchased a few year's ago and aren't as agressive as the Green Ice miniature roses (which I love) and they were getting overwhelmed in the one daylily bed.
I moved them to the bed by the garage where I added extra compost and I can keep an eye on them.
Two of the roses are doing well, three weren't. And, I have this tiny little yellow one that makes these cute tiny mini cabbage roses and it looks like it's about ready to croak. I hope not, but if it does it does. I've had years of enjoyment from it.
I also moved several plants of German Statice to that bed and a perennial geranium was moved to the deck garden with the daylilies.
After lunch the clouds covered the sun again and it was once again overcast and cool. There's this delightful breeze and it was just ideal for working in the garden.
I dug all the compost from the #1 compost bin and used it ...
So, I'll have to get to work turning the compost bins.
The #3 bin is looking very good, and I may be able to get some compost from it, I hope. I have a lot of holes to fill and areas that need more compost.
Like I said, I'm inside, sipping ice tea and nursing my feet.
My left big toe has a humungous blister. The right big toe broke. Both have bandages on them which is another reason why I came inside. The right one started to hurt, even bandaged and I figured it was time to stop and give them a rest. I sure hope I won't have to do a lot of walking this coming week.
Besides I accomplished just about everything I set out to do this weekend, so I was ready to quit and come inside.
I went outside about 8 a.m., so I did about 10 hours (with rest breaks and eating breaks). Yesterday I trimmed back the squash plants that were eating the paths. They got absolutely humungous! I have about 30 acorn squash out there with more coming and the yellow zucchini continue to produce.
I still have to tackle that daylily bed where the compost needs to be refreshed and the daylilies re-arranged. Once I got outside this afternoon all these other projects were calling and I never did get to that bed except to plant those mini roses.
Well, there's always tomorrow.
August 14 MORNING
I was enjoying a cool day of gardening.
It was overcast most of the day until just the last hour.
It's 2 p.m. now and I'm inside nursing large blisters on both big toes. Grrrrrr
It's so frustrating.
I was wearing my garden shoes and this is the first time I've gotten blisters from them.
It may be all the walking I was doing pulling weeds and transplanting and digging and such.
I dug several hosta to take to my SIL's ... Knockout is one. If it does not do any better at her house I will compost it. I wish they'd take that hosta off the market. It just melts out and gets ratty when it get older. If you keep dividing it then it stays pretty good ... but who wants to keep fussing with a hosta over and over again ... it's like Winter Lighting that you have to keep dividing to keep its splashed (streaky) self going. Not a good hosta if you have to fuss with it.
I also pulled a Buckshaw Blue and a couple of others that will be going to my sister-in-law's house.
I moved a small Queen Josephine that was struggling in the Swing Garden to the nursery bed and moved a small clump of Pearl Lake from the Deep Shade area to the nursery bed to get it to increase.
The Island Charm hosta was struggling in the Swing Garden ... So, I moved Maraschino Cherry and Raspberry Sorbet from the nursery bed to the Swing Garden because they were HUGE in the nursery bed. Both are about 2 ft across so it was time for them to move out into the garden.
I also refreshed soil in the nursery bed with compost and moved a little Blue Cadet clump there for another year's growth.
I have a daylily bed where the compost needs to be refreshed and the daylilies re-arranged. I moved the Mary Mercer daylily and have several more to go. Some of the daylilies will be dug and moved to Joan's house. I have some lovely daylilies in that bed like Jim's Pick but really don't want to keep them. So, Joan (SIL) is going to benefit.
However, I am resting my feet and will have to bandage them before going back out to finish that project.
I really should move the clump of Veronica Lake hosta that's in the nursery bed, but I just can't bring myself to dig it up. I like it where it is and don't want to move it.
I also moved White Wall Tires to a spot where it can spread out and show off more in the nursery area. It was so very tiny when I got it from Reldon (on Hallson's Hosta forum) and its been slowly increasing. It has now increased to four divisions from the two he sent.
The pink hibiscus are blooming as are the rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' which I have scattered here and there.
I also moved a large clump of a lysimachia that I love. It can be a bully so I had to move it from the south border where it was eating the Lemon Lily. I planted it back by The Dragon Lair where it is replacing the raspberries I trashed several days ago.
Well, lunch is done ... Gary made me my favorite ... French Toast.
I'll type more later.
Aug. 14 AFTERNOON/EVENING
It's 7 p.m. and I'm inside. I have taken a shower and re-bandaged my toes.
I had to come inside. My feet and hips won't let me go anymore!
After lunch, I pulled weeds and cleaned daylilies on the south side of the house and a bit up in the tree peony garden.
It's always a pain to weed along the south side of the house because I have this low growing Bar Harbor juniper and the quackgrass grows up through it. I have to lift the juniper to pull the grass and it is an awkward way to stand ... even with Gary helping me it's hard on the hips and lower back.
I HAVE to get some mulch for the south path. The weeds are taking over right where the step down into the backyard.
I have to do a proper dig and re-mulch but I'm not going to dig the path until I get the mulch.
Then I tackled the Dorothy Perkins rose. It's a rambler and has to be cut back every year after it blooms and the new whips trained along the fence for next year's flowers. It was from my maternal grandmother so I work with it for sentimental reasons.
Either I was extra careful this year or I'm learning how to deal with the whips because I wasn't as shredded as I usually get by the thorns.
I take the four best whips to train on the fence and cut everything else back.
I also cut back the Eden rose dlimber and trained the whips on that climber along the fence like I did the DP.
If you are looking for a nice climber I'd really recommend Eden.
Zepherine Drouhin rose received the same treatment. I like the fragrance and old-fashioned loose flowers of ZD and it is nearly thornless (another plus) and has fragrant flowers. It does, however, get Black Spot so it's a must to keep it cleaned up and sprayed with fungicide.
I had to dig four miniature roses that needed more sunshine. They are the Rainbow's End ones that I purchased a few year's ago and aren't as agressive as the Green Ice miniature roses (which I love) and they were getting overwhelmed in the one daylily bed.
I moved them to the bed by the garage where I added extra compost and I can keep an eye on them.
Two of the roses are doing well, three weren't. And, I have this tiny little yellow one that makes these cute tiny mini cabbage roses and it looks like it's about ready to croak. I hope not, but if it does it does. I've had years of enjoyment from it.
I also moved several plants of German Statice to that bed and a perennial geranium was moved to the deck garden with the daylilies.
After lunch the clouds covered the sun again and it was once again overcast and cool. There's this delightful breeze and it was just ideal for working in the garden.
I dug all the compost from the #1 compost bin and used it ...
So, I'll have to get to work turning the compost bins.
The #3 bin is looking very good, and I may be able to get some compost from it, I hope. I have a lot of holes to fill and areas that need more compost.
Like I said, I'm inside, sipping ice tea and nursing my feet.
My left big toe has a humungous blister. The right big toe broke. Both have bandages on them which is another reason why I came inside. The right one started to hurt, even bandaged and I figured it was time to stop and give them a rest. I sure hope I won't have to do a lot of walking this coming week.
Besides I accomplished just about everything I set out to do this weekend, so I was ready to quit and come inside.
I went outside about 8 a.m., so I did about 10 hours (with rest breaks and eating breaks). Yesterday I trimmed back the squash plants that were eating the paths. They got absolutely humungous! I have about 30 acorn squash out there with more coming and the yellow zucchini continue to produce.
I still have to tackle that daylily bed where the compost needs to be refreshed and the daylilies re-arranged. Once I got outside this afternoon all these other projects were calling and I never did get to that bed except to plant those mini roses.
Well, there's always tomorrow.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
Aug. 28
Sometimes gardening isn't about plants. Sometimes it's about the critters that come to visit or to raise their young or who sort of drift through the garden on their way to someplace else.
A couple of summers ago I watched a hatching of spiders. The summer sun was just right and I was sitting in the shade of a McIntosh apple visiting with my 80-something friend Liz who happens to be the master of the Owosso Farmers' Market. Anyway these silvery threads were sparkling in the sun and at the end of each was this tiny little spider bidding farewell to its home in the apple tree. This was the first time I'd ever seen this in person, although I knew that it happens yearly. Soon the silvery threads seemed to be everywhere drifting slow on this gentle zephyrs. Some were caught by gentle updrafts and were whisked upward and away. Some never made it outside the yard. But for several minutes the air was full of dancing silver threads.
Last summer mourning doves seemed to be everywhere. There was one pair that were named Fred and Ethel. Fred had a couple of feathers that were out of place on his head and the feathers remained that way for most of the summer. He was named Fred because of the way Fred Mertz treated Ethel on the show ... always seemed to be yelling at her about something or other or pushing her to get going. Ethel liked to take her time at the birdbaths and feeders.
Recently, I had just finished watering and filling the bird baths and went inside. Within minutes there was this lineup like patrons at the Roman Baths as dozens of sparrows jostled for position. Suddenly there was this flurry of splashing and chirping as two locked beaks and for a moment I thought they had somehow linked permanently. Seconds later they were sputtering and splashing separately ... obviously they'd come to some sort of mutual agreement.
And, this past weekend and this weekend wild turkeys have come to visit my sister-in-law's birdfeeders. At first I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Four hens and about 15 young ones. Barely a sound except for some gentle sort of click' cluck' sounds. They have come several times now either early morning or late evening ... and they never stay very long ... always on the move to somewhere else.
On the gardening front I have moved a few more hostas to my sister-in-law's place. I still have a large shade area to fill in and am re-organizing my gardens to make more room and moving and dividing hostas to take to her place.
All of the daylilies are done blooming except for an unknown orange sherbet colored one that continues to bloom and bloom ... sometimes into October for me. I hybridized it with one of my early flowering ones called English Witch that flowers early and continues to bloom almost until the unknown orange sherbet ... the cross took and now I have to remember to harvest the seed. I also crossed it with other daylilies. Nearly all those crosses failed, but some took. Who knows, I may get back into hybridizing again.
Well, must away ...
Sometimes gardening isn't about plants. Sometimes it's about the critters that come to visit or to raise their young or who sort of drift through the garden on their way to someplace else.
A couple of summers ago I watched a hatching of spiders. The summer sun was just right and I was sitting in the shade of a McIntosh apple visiting with my 80-something friend Liz who happens to be the master of the Owosso Farmers' Market. Anyway these silvery threads were sparkling in the sun and at the end of each was this tiny little spider bidding farewell to its home in the apple tree. This was the first time I'd ever seen this in person, although I knew that it happens yearly. Soon the silvery threads seemed to be everywhere drifting slow on this gentle zephyrs. Some were caught by gentle updrafts and were whisked upward and away. Some never made it outside the yard. But for several minutes the air was full of dancing silver threads.
Last summer mourning doves seemed to be everywhere. There was one pair that were named Fred and Ethel. Fred had a couple of feathers that were out of place on his head and the feathers remained that way for most of the summer. He was named Fred because of the way Fred Mertz treated Ethel on the show ... always seemed to be yelling at her about something or other or pushing her to get going. Ethel liked to take her time at the birdbaths and feeders.
Recently, I had just finished watering and filling the bird baths and went inside. Within minutes there was this lineup like patrons at the Roman Baths as dozens of sparrows jostled for position. Suddenly there was this flurry of splashing and chirping as two locked beaks and for a moment I thought they had somehow linked permanently. Seconds later they were sputtering and splashing separately ... obviously they'd come to some sort of mutual agreement.
And, this past weekend and this weekend wild turkeys have come to visit my sister-in-law's birdfeeders. At first I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Four hens and about 15 young ones. Barely a sound except for some gentle sort of click' cluck' sounds. They have come several times now either early morning or late evening ... and they never stay very long ... always on the move to somewhere else.
On the gardening front I have moved a few more hostas to my sister-in-law's place. I still have a large shade area to fill in and am re-organizing my gardens to make more room and moving and dividing hostas to take to her place.
All of the daylilies are done blooming except for an unknown orange sherbet colored one that continues to bloom and bloom ... sometimes into October for me. I hybridized it with one of my early flowering ones called English Witch that flowers early and continues to bloom almost until the unknown orange sherbet ... the cross took and now I have to remember to harvest the seed. I also crossed it with other daylilies. Nearly all those crosses failed, but some took. Who knows, I may get back into hybridizing again.
Well, must away ...
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
-
wishiwere
- Posts: 6029
- Joined: Jan 05, 2004 11:05 am
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Central Michigan
- Contact:
One day, you'll need to put this into a book, Helen. I've enjoyed reading your adventures in the garden! Thanks for sharing that joy! 
You have an art for drawing with words what you see in life!
You have an art for drawing with words what you see in life!Jane (from the middle of the Mitten state)
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
My hosta list: viewtopic.php?t=39540
Miss your weblog 
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
ANOTHER GARDEN YEAR
April 11, 2006
If the weather stays this way (in the 70s) I may be able to get in the garden tomorrow.
At this time of the year in Michigan the temperatures are so up and down that its difficult to "plan" time outside.
I'll be doing the final rake-off in the next couple of days which means the official start of the 2006 Gardening season for me.
I've been reading Poor Richard's Almanac for fun.
April is the month of The Full Egg Moon, whatever that means.
I always start the month of April with the words: "Time for garden spring cleaning ... no fooling!" This year will be no different for me.
April on my garden calendar is my organization and cleanup month. It's the time check tools and sharpen tools and check the lawnmower too.
I also find time to work in the garden books and take the time to do all the little notations on the plants from the previous season.
April 11, 2006
If the weather stays this way (in the 70s) I may be able to get in the garden tomorrow.
At this time of the year in Michigan the temperatures are so up and down that its difficult to "plan" time outside.
I'll be doing the final rake-off in the next couple of days which means the official start of the 2006 Gardening season for me.
I've been reading Poor Richard's Almanac for fun.
April is the month of The Full Egg Moon, whatever that means.
I always start the month of April with the words: "Time for garden spring cleaning ... no fooling!" This year will be no different for me.
April on my garden calendar is my organization and cleanup month. It's the time check tools and sharpen tools and check the lawnmower too.
I also find time to work in the garden books and take the time to do all the little notations on the plants from the previous season.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
APRIL 20, 2006
Spring is sproinging! The early spring narcissus are beginning to fade as are the crocus and the mid-spring daffodils and hyacinths are up and blooming.
I have English Wood Hyacinth scattered about the gardens. The individual florets are more widely spaced than the hybrid hyacinths and I think there is more fragrance.
The Mayflowers (geranium something-or-other) is really filling in as are the crabapples. Judging from the tiny little flower buds and the number I'm seeing this year I should have another spectacular showiing this year!
I have hosta up all over ... fingers breaking ground all over and reaching toward the sun. And, Sagae is unfurling! That's nearly two and one-half weeks earlier than last year!
Lancifolia is already up and unfurled and several others
are up and some are unfurling!
It's such a joy for me to see them! When the hosta start coming up I know that winter is past and another Michigan summer is on the way.
I don't know if I've ever said that I help take care of two "city" gardens. Actually they are two raised beds that belong to the city of Owosso and are tended by myself and the 84-year-old Owosso Farmers' Market manager named Liz (short for Elizabeth).
She is very active for her age and I hope I'm that active and mentally sharp when I'm her age.
In the past couple of weeks Liz and I have been finalizing the plan for re-planting the beds.
Last summer the city re-paved and re-did the raised beds (concrete curbing) and they dug out all the old soil from the beds (which is why I had to do a plant rescue) and then replaced the soil with this terrible gravelly stuff that looks like the scrapings from the parking lot!
We have a lot of work ahead of us.
Spring is sproinging! The early spring narcissus are beginning to fade as are the crocus and the mid-spring daffodils and hyacinths are up and blooming.
I have English Wood Hyacinth scattered about the gardens. The individual florets are more widely spaced than the hybrid hyacinths and I think there is more fragrance.
The Mayflowers (geranium something-or-other) is really filling in as are the crabapples. Judging from the tiny little flower buds and the number I'm seeing this year I should have another spectacular showiing this year!
I have hosta up all over ... fingers breaking ground all over and reaching toward the sun. And, Sagae is unfurling! That's nearly two and one-half weeks earlier than last year!
Lancifolia is already up and unfurled and several others
are up and some are unfurling!
It's such a joy for me to see them! When the hosta start coming up I know that winter is past and another Michigan summer is on the way.
I don't know if I've ever said that I help take care of two "city" gardens. Actually they are two raised beds that belong to the city of Owosso and are tended by myself and the 84-year-old Owosso Farmers' Market manager named Liz (short for Elizabeth).
She is very active for her age and I hope I'm that active and mentally sharp when I'm her age.
In the past couple of weeks Liz and I have been finalizing the plan for re-planting the beds.
Last summer the city re-paved and re-did the raised beds (concrete curbing) and they dug out all the old soil from the beds (which is why I had to do a plant rescue) and then replaced the soil with this terrible gravelly stuff that looks like the scrapings from the parking lot!
We have a lot of work ahead of us.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
April 21, 2006
I'm still working on the layout for the Owosso Farmers' Market beds.
One of the beds is about 15 feet wide by 40 feet long and the second one is about 15 feet wide by about 20 feet long.
Both are in full sun so planting hosta or anything that needs a lot of water is out of the question.
In my garden hosta points and fingers are everywhere!
Choo Choo Train is unfurling.
I do have some major concerns about frost, especially with the hosta up and unfurling so early.
Hopefully the fact that I'm surrounded by so many houses will help keep the temperatures up like in the past. When my gardening friends outside the city have had killing frosts I have been spared due to the houses around me.
There is no way I can get out in the gardens for the next couple of days, not until the temperatures get up above the 30s.
I nearly froze yesterday doing a story on an outdoor historical village! Frozen fingers!
Well, it was quite cold enough to freeze my fingers but it sure felt like it!
It's not raining today. It rained most of the morning yesterday and then cleared up but was cold. It rained last night, enough to make everything wet and the air damp.
This morning it's chilly and damp but the sun is shining and it's supposed to get into the high 50s ... we shall see.
If it does warm up a bit I'm going to try to get out in the gardens and try to do some more cleanup.
Stuff needs to be picked up and straightened up nothing too physical.
I found some April Old Gardener's Tales:
On April 08: "If kites fly high this day; fair weather comes your way"
On April 12: "On April's Twelfth Day scatter poppy seeds where you may"
On Maundy Thursday: "With Maundy Thursday come and gone Winter will not last too long"
On April 15: "Winter's debris must go if you want Spring to show"
I'm still working on the layout for the Owosso Farmers' Market beds.
One of the beds is about 15 feet wide by 40 feet long and the second one is about 15 feet wide by about 20 feet long.
Both are in full sun so planting hosta or anything that needs a lot of water is out of the question.
In my garden hosta points and fingers are everywhere!
Choo Choo Train is unfurling.
I do have some major concerns about frost, especially with the hosta up and unfurling so early.
Hopefully the fact that I'm surrounded by so many houses will help keep the temperatures up like in the past. When my gardening friends outside the city have had killing frosts I have been spared due to the houses around me.
There is no way I can get out in the gardens for the next couple of days, not until the temperatures get up above the 30s.
I nearly froze yesterday doing a story on an outdoor historical village! Frozen fingers!
Well, it was quite cold enough to freeze my fingers but it sure felt like it!
It's not raining today. It rained most of the morning yesterday and then cleared up but was cold. It rained last night, enough to make everything wet and the air damp.
This morning it's chilly and damp but the sun is shining and it's supposed to get into the high 50s ... we shall see.
If it does warm up a bit I'm going to try to get out in the gardens and try to do some more cleanup.
Stuff needs to be picked up and straightened up nothing too physical.
I found some April Old Gardener's Tales:
On April 08: "If kites fly high this day; fair weather comes your way"
On April 12: "On April's Twelfth Day scatter poppy seeds where you may"
On Maundy Thursday: "With Maundy Thursday come and gone Winter will not last too long"
On April 15: "Winter's debris must go if you want Spring to show"
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
April 23, 2006
"If rye is tall enough to hide a crow; expect a good harvest to grow."
I'm finding all these really neat garden sayings so I've been incorporating them into my garden calendar.
The tree peony and the crabapple tree buds are swelling and soon I'll be having a magnificent display in the front garden.
It's been raining on and off these past few days.
Today it's raining so my gardening plans are on hold.
Gary's (hubby) has been helping rake things out this year when he can.
All of the "dragons" -- hosta and daylily and others appear to have made it through the winter.
Every year there is a shallow-rooted weed that covers teh garden beds and has lovely purple-y pink flowers. By the time I'm ready to work in the beds they have browned and withered.
The sugar maple in the neighbor's yard (I wish I owned that tree and yard) ... has just unfurled its leaves and they are so brilliantly green that it almost hurts the eyes to look at it.
The lilacs are also getting ready to open.
My two crabapples open a bit later than the neighbor across the street so for about six weeks there are crabapples in bloom.
This spring was the leap year for all the little clumps of tulips and such in the front oval bed.
The Monsella tulips are getting ready to open. They were at their peak for three seasons and this year are not doing as well. Tulips should increase and get better over time, not decraese.
The Kauffmania Water Lily tulips have been open for about a week now.
Personally I prefer narcissus. They develop and increase and I don't have to dig them every three years or so to "re-set" them.
"If rye is tall enough to hide a crow; expect a good harvest to grow."
I'm finding all these really neat garden sayings so I've been incorporating them into my garden calendar.
The tree peony and the crabapple tree buds are swelling and soon I'll be having a magnificent display in the front garden.
It's been raining on and off these past few days.
Today it's raining so my gardening plans are on hold.
Gary's (hubby) has been helping rake things out this year when he can.
All of the "dragons" -- hosta and daylily and others appear to have made it through the winter.
Every year there is a shallow-rooted weed that covers teh garden beds and has lovely purple-y pink flowers. By the time I'm ready to work in the beds they have browned and withered.
The sugar maple in the neighbor's yard (I wish I owned that tree and yard) ... has just unfurled its leaves and they are so brilliantly green that it almost hurts the eyes to look at it.
The lilacs are also getting ready to open.
My two crabapples open a bit later than the neighbor across the street so for about six weeks there are crabapples in bloom.
This spring was the leap year for all the little clumps of tulips and such in the front oval bed.
The Monsella tulips are getting ready to open. They were at their peak for three seasons and this year are not doing as well. Tulips should increase and get better over time, not decraese.
The Kauffmania Water Lily tulips have been open for about a week now.
Personally I prefer narcissus. They develop and increase and I don't have to dig them every three years or so to "re-set" them.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 1, 2006
It's a typical Monday!
Today is May Day.
This is the month of The Full Milk Moon.
"Nothing is more fiar than a sunny day in May."
One garden quote that I found recently I've included on my daily calendar. "It is not how busy you are, but why your are busy ... the bee is praised, the mosquito is swatted!" I love it! Too bad the author is unknown and I wished I had written it!
In the Old Gardener's Tales I found:
May 5: "And so begin the 'crabapple days'"
The crabapple tree just outside of my office window is loaded with tight pink and ivory flower buds. It’s been fooling a few of the birds like the bluejay and the grackles that think the round buds are actually mature pink crabapples. It’s been fun watching them pick at the flower buds and realize that they are not the tasty crabapples they thought they were.
I took some photographs of the buds at night, illuminated by the light at the front steps. A beautiful sight when I'm working late or up early to get some quiet time to work.
I’m determined to take as many photographs as I can of the house and gardens since this is my last summer in this garden. I have spent 23 summers in this garden and this is my 24th season.
My husband has been ill since November 2004 and has not been working. We will be selling the house and moving into something more affordable.
I have mixed emotions about this and have to admit that I've spent more than a few nights crying about it.
But, life must change and at least I'm being pragmatic and practical about it.
Many more of the hosta are up and unfurling. We are about two weeks ahead of where we were last year at this time. Choo Choo Train, Sagae, Minuteman and many others like Lancifolia are up and unfurled or unfurling.
The bright golden yellow tulips are blooming their heads off. My two remaining Rip Van Winkle daffodils are blooming. There was one blossom last Spring and this year I have two …
Several years ago someone came into the garden and stole all but one of the bulbs ... so the clump that was stolen is on its way back. It took a couple of years to beef up but it’s now blooming and there is a second one! I plan to move this to Joan’s house for safekeeping.
The red and yellow Monsella tulips are just blooming. I’ve taken photos to remember how they looked in the spot by the dark green mailbox.
It's a typical Monday!
Today is May Day.
This is the month of The Full Milk Moon.
"Nothing is more fiar than a sunny day in May."
One garden quote that I found recently I've included on my daily calendar. "It is not how busy you are, but why your are busy ... the bee is praised, the mosquito is swatted!" I love it! Too bad the author is unknown and I wished I had written it!
In the Old Gardener's Tales I found:
May 5: "And so begin the 'crabapple days'"
The crabapple tree just outside of my office window is loaded with tight pink and ivory flower buds. It’s been fooling a few of the birds like the bluejay and the grackles that think the round buds are actually mature pink crabapples. It’s been fun watching them pick at the flower buds and realize that they are not the tasty crabapples they thought they were.
I took some photographs of the buds at night, illuminated by the light at the front steps. A beautiful sight when I'm working late or up early to get some quiet time to work.
I’m determined to take as many photographs as I can of the house and gardens since this is my last summer in this garden. I have spent 23 summers in this garden and this is my 24th season.
My husband has been ill since November 2004 and has not been working. We will be selling the house and moving into something more affordable.
I have mixed emotions about this and have to admit that I've spent more than a few nights crying about it.
But, life must change and at least I'm being pragmatic and practical about it.
Many more of the hosta are up and unfurling. We are about two weeks ahead of where we were last year at this time. Choo Choo Train, Sagae, Minuteman and many others like Lancifolia are up and unfurled or unfurling.
The bright golden yellow tulips are blooming their heads off. My two remaining Rip Van Winkle daffodils are blooming. There was one blossom last Spring and this year I have two …
Several years ago someone came into the garden and stole all but one of the bulbs ... so the clump that was stolen is on its way back. It took a couple of years to beef up but it’s now blooming and there is a second one! I plan to move this to Joan’s house for safekeeping.
The red and yellow Monsella tulips are just blooming. I’ve taken photos to remember how they looked in the spot by the dark green mailbox.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
Friday, May 5, 2006
I spent most of the day inside rather than outside.
I am such a slug this year with the garden!
I plan on working on it tomorrow.
I have to pot up stuff for the annual garden club sale and get other things ready to move to the Farmers' Market garden.
We've been cool for the past several days which has been great for holding the magnolia and now crabapple blossoms.
My crabapple trees that I see from my office window is loaded wth blossoms again this year. You can barely see any green leaves. The little crabapple is slowly losing its flower petals. It's been marvelous on our block for three weeks or more with the neighbor's across the street crabapple blooming first and then my little crabapple starts and finally the one outside my office windows.
I always hope it will be a bit on the cool side during The Crabapple Days of May.
My garden is suffering a bit from my lack of attention, but I have mulched the front so well that there are very few weeds.
At the end of May I'll purchase the annuals along with the
monument flowers and get the hanging baskets and pots done.
I can usually count on one or two light frosts up until the end of the month. But I need to get the Civil War monuments planted
I'm not purchasing any new hosta or daylilies until things get settled with the house.
I'm hoping the weather holds for tomorrow. I plan on spending the entire day working in the garden.
My 'frowzy sisters' tree peonies are fat with buds. They are nearly identical white tree peonies and produce these big full blown double blossoms. I've knicknamed the "frowzy sisters" because they look so over-blown and sort of loose and ill-kept.
And the little seedling tree peony is up about 18-inches this year.
My son, Ian, said he loves to come home with the crabapples now blooming. The scent is sort of like Ivory soap with a hint of jasmine. Really strong and sometimes overwhelming.
My woodland poppy, a gift from a gardening friend, is blooming its yellow head off and some of the small dwarf iris are blooming.
I spent most of the day inside rather than outside.
I am such a slug this year with the garden!
I plan on working on it tomorrow.
I have to pot up stuff for the annual garden club sale and get other things ready to move to the Farmers' Market garden.
We've been cool for the past several days which has been great for holding the magnolia and now crabapple blossoms.
My crabapple trees that I see from my office window is loaded wth blossoms again this year. You can barely see any green leaves. The little crabapple is slowly losing its flower petals. It's been marvelous on our block for three weeks or more with the neighbor's across the street crabapple blooming first and then my little crabapple starts and finally the one outside my office windows.
I always hope it will be a bit on the cool side during The Crabapple Days of May.
My garden is suffering a bit from my lack of attention, but I have mulched the front so well that there are very few weeds.
At the end of May I'll purchase the annuals along with the
monument flowers and get the hanging baskets and pots done.
I can usually count on one or two light frosts up until the end of the month. But I need to get the Civil War monuments planted
I'm not purchasing any new hosta or daylilies until things get settled with the house.
I'm hoping the weather holds for tomorrow. I plan on spending the entire day working in the garden.
My 'frowzy sisters' tree peonies are fat with buds. They are nearly identical white tree peonies and produce these big full blown double blossoms. I've knicknamed the "frowzy sisters" because they look so over-blown and sort of loose and ill-kept.
And the little seedling tree peony is up about 18-inches this year.
My son, Ian, said he loves to come home with the crabapples now blooming. The scent is sort of like Ivory soap with a hint of jasmine. Really strong and sometimes overwhelming.
My woodland poppy, a gift from a gardening friend, is blooming its yellow head off and some of the small dwarf iris are blooming.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!
May 6, 2006
Today is the first day of the Owosso Farmers' Market season.
The market is held every Saturday from the first Saturday in May until the last Saturday in October. October is National Farm Market Month and the OFM is one of the oldest in the United States.
Today is the first day of the Owosso Farmers' Market season.
The market is held every Saturday from the first Saturday in May until the last Saturday in October. October is National Farm Market Month and the OFM is one of the oldest in the United States.
A day without laughter AND gardening is a day wasted ... oh ... and be kind to your children ... they will choose your nursing home!