Wrapping up another weekend...

We finished up the new flowerbed this week.  I say “we”, but (as usual) I have to give most of the credit to my hubby for doing all the hard work!  He picked up the edging and another truck load of mulch and had the edging nearly complete by the time I got home from work on Thursday.  We finished up the rest of the bed before dinner and spent the next few days admiring our work.  I was amazed at how quickly the salvia perked up and claimed its spot in the garden.  The daylilies, for the most part, are holding their own; with a couple still lolled over but still nice and green.  The bed runs 40 ft. in length and 4 ft. deep.  Until the daylilies spread we have room for a few annuals for an added pop of color and depth along the front of the bed. 

 My husband is teasing me with the thought of another bed along the back fence – but for now the thought of weeding yet another bed has caused us to slow our process and give it a little more thought.   By “slowing” you know that it’s my husband’s idea… I’d be half way through with it already if it were up to me!

We had a nice surprise visit from a ruby-throated hummer who was sampling the salvia just 6-7 feet away from where we stood.  Such a gift those are to any garden.  We did find an infestation of Sawfly larvae on the “Sunny” Knock-Out Roses so we’ve got to stop them before they do too much damage.  A gardener’s work is never done!

Saturday it rained all day resulting in nearly 3 ¼ inches of rain – for which the new plants are grateful, I’m sure.  Sunday we had a mixed day of clouds and sunshine but only a quick shower in the early morning.    It made for a relaxing day with plenty of time for scouring the internet for ideas and studying growth habits of newly planted treasures!

Unexpected Gifts

Wow!  Now that’s what I call an awesome day!  We started off our day without any definitive plans; just easing into the morning.  I slept in; while the best husband in the world rose early, as usual, and started his normal routine in the quiet hours of the day.  We had breakfast and moved out on the patio to enjoy the day when a neighbor came dragging over a huge piece of cardboard filled with 3 huge clumps of Stella de Oro with purple Salvia coming along for the ride.  Oh joy!!!  We get free plants!!! I love it when someone shares a plant – not only because it didn’t cost us a penny… but because it will forever be a reminder of someone who was kind enough to share.  Double blessing… followed by years of blessing; both sight and smell!  How can you go wrong?  

So, we eyeballed the yard searching for the perfect spot that would guarantee full sun and where we’d be able to enjoy them readily.  We were thinking about just putting the three of them at the end of a flowerbed where we’d recently removed a huge Hemlock tree but I urged my husband to come with me to look at another option.  We’ve got an area to the west end of the pool that doesn’t have a flower in it.  Just grass and various weeds – and more of the latter than the first.  I suggested us centering them in between the fence sections to add some interest to that spot of the yard.  Much to my surprise, he thought it was a great idea.  I’ve got to say he’s like most men and does not exactly enjoy mowing around plants… so I was somewhat surprised. 

I began to look more closely at the plants to try to determine how many we could separate these three into without harming the plant.  By the time it was all said and done we had 13 Stella de Oro and 8 Salvia… just enough to complete the long run of the fence in that area!!!  Woo Hoo!  They are going to look fabulous!  Bear in mind we must now weed and mulch around them and add an edge or border before it will be done… but since we didn’t have time to plan we felt it best to get them in the dirt while we had the hours to devote to the project. 

I can hardly wait to see them bloom!!!

We also planted a Bleeding Heart in a bed alongside the driveway that is shady and needs a spot of color.  Transplanted an unknown plant that was out of place to a new home and planted 4 tomato plants for my lovely hubby.  Bless my sweet husband’s heart – before the day was done he had dug 27 holes for planting and somehow made it look nearly effortless.  What a guy!

So here I sit on the patio, weary from a day of work, surrounded by the smell of the wisteria and the sound of various songbirds.  Life is sweet my friend… almost as sweet as the iced tea that is just far enough away from the keyboard to prevent catastrophe!  Blessings to you and yours!

SPRING! I knew you'd come again!

Spring, like the absent blogger, is back and hopefully has been missed!  This past weekend was so needed!  So appreciated!  My soul has longed for spring’s beauty; the sights, the sounds, the smells and the everyday miracle of the rebirth of all things dormant.  This weekend my husband and I worked like young folks with strong backs!  We opened the pool Friday evening to find water that was clean, but not sparkling and worms, worms, worms!  We replaced the sand in the filter and scooped up all the worms; wishing that they were so plentiful in our flowerbeds and then followed that up with a good vacuuming. 

Saturday we pressure-washed the concrete surrounding the pool and didn’t stop there.  We then washed the patio and sidewalk until they were almost a blinding white!  While he pressure washed the patio I nabbed the clippers and began cutting the dead out of the boxwoods behind the house.  Sadly, once the dead branches were cut away we were left with a freakish row of boxwood that screamed for something more drastic.  After slight convincing, we pulled out the big guns and WHACKED the boxwoods nearly down to the ground.  We watered them with added hormones, vitamins and a light fertilizer – said a prayer and now it’s up to them!  If they’d like to stay… this is their opportunity to shine! 

I then convinced my sweet hubby to dig-up and transplant a struggling crepe myrtle that has never done well in its original space.  If you know much about my style of gardening… you know that much of it is based on moving things around… never planting anything and just leaving it be.  My yard must look like a giant chess board from above… constantly changing.  We chalk this crepe myrtle’s poor performance up to it being located too near a propane exhaust pipe from our house.  It now has a chance to thrive at the other end of the sidewalk where it will be much appreciated once it offers privacy and a splash of color!  I said to my hubby Sunday that I feel for the plants that are selected by us... until then... they've got just as much chance at survival as the others on the shelf.

Today my hubby must have been thrilled to see me off to work so he could finally get some rest.  I told him tonight that when you hear people say that a younger woman can wear out an older man you have no idea that they mean by yard work – until you’re in too far invested in the relationship to turn back!  He’s my love…  and one heck of a yard-man!  LOVE HIM, LOVE HIM, LOVE HIM!