Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Still not knitting

But we did a lot of work outside last weekend, putting our economic incentive check to good use. We planted two holly bushes and a spirea, dug a new flower bed and mulched, mulched, mulched. We lost our willow tree, partially to heavy ice this winter (the same ice we had trouble with at the refuge) and partially to high winds a few weeks ago:
I really love willow trees; we had 2 giant willows on the farm when I grew up. They were great for climbing. Of course, what made them great for climbing -- the low, heavy branches -- also made them susceptible to breaking apart in harsh weather.

So we went to the nursery and decided to put in 6 or 7 new trees: a willow in place of the fallen one, a tulip tree, 2 Cleveland pears and 2 cherry trees in the back and maybe a cypress. I'd like a sycamore for the back yard; the woman at the nursery turned up her nose at that idea. "They're just a mess," she said. I think we'll do it anyway. Sycamores, too, have a special place in my memory, as my dad's parents had two huge sycamores in their yard.

I ordered grape, black and red raspberry, gooseberry and blueberry plants from a nursery in Oregon; I think we are going to try to build some sort of arbor with the fallen willow tree branches.
I also ordered several peony plants and iris roots, which will be sent in the fall. It will be much easier to work up the flower beds now that I have this:
Isn't that beautiful? It made short work of making the new bed; it's fairly lightweight and easy to start, so I'll be tearing up the whole yard soon.
My little pot garden on the back porch is looking good, although we drowned one of the pepper plants using a pot with no drainage. (My agriculture degree does me no good whatsoever.) I put in 4 more lavender plants and two rosemary, and an astilbe and a coral bells in the perennial bed I am redigging. Our timing has been poor for a vegetable patch this year -- whenever we have time to work it up, it's far too wet down in that corner of the yard. But I'm not giving up yet.
Happy gardening.
Peace.

No comments:

Post a Comment