What are you working on?? Part 2

Gee, I left my amaryllis outside all summer....just brought it in, & cut off the greenery...will repot soon.

Hope to see pix when ready.

I have been busy, and sulking...lol. I started to redo what the destruction team destroyed. And my parents, they are oh so supportive (said with heavy sarcasm), "Why did you plant so many plants again?" Yep, not, "It looks nice," or "Pretty selection," nope...the above. I like it, and more importantly my neighbors like it, so PLLLLLL to the parents :-)

Trying to redo the one bed wasn't so bad, it's the other bed that is giving me problems...I have an over abundance of plant material to chose from...this normally wouldn't be an issue for me, but there are only so many Pulmonarias, Heucheras, Heucherellas, Brunnera, Hellebore, and of course my Hosta collection to go in one place. Now, it's deciding where/what to plant. I keep promising "before and afters," I hope to get to them today.

I must be having some sort of "empty nest" syndrome, or I'm a tad crazy...lol...Long story short, I have taken in two baby kittens, both are tuxedos, and are brother and sister. So, Theta still has her kitten/cat friend Ivan, I still have Doofy, now I have Ahzuzu and Leggo on top of that. I was officially animal "tapped," now I definitely am animal "tapped." Pictures will be forthcoming of the kitty siblings too.

Just a smidge busy. Didn't help that the 3-11 shift where I work was down 3 full time CNA's, so for almost 2 months, 7 weeks to be exact, I worked all 12 hour shifts, from 7p-7a, I averaged almost 123 hours a payperiod, for almost 4 pay periods (we get paid every two weeks!)

Now, I'm back to my normal 11-7a!

And out to shuffle around some hosta and other plants!

WOW

Yes - wow is right! Congrats on the new kitties, Thom, and the better hours. Can't wait to see the kitties.

that is a lot of cats thom - good luck with the hosta shuffle!

This is the right bed before the destruction...

This pic is from the new porch, of the above bed, taken from the "back" angle where the other pic was taken from the front...pretty much everything up to the two JM's, and the Buddha was destroyed.

This is a better "before" pic of the right bed...shows the destruction of more tree/shrub material.

Hope things are going to settle down to a more normal routine for you now. Certainly looking forward to before and after views and pics of new kitties too. You have had to make a lot of adjustment but it sounds like things are looking up and getting settled a little for you. Good luck with the hosta and heuch choices and don't forget the pics.
Also looking forward to the amaryllis pics pixie and Robin. I left mine out last year and they got frozen and turned to mush so all of yours will be a treat to see.

This is the "after" of the left bed...can't find a "landscape" shot of the before...There were 3 JMs in there, a mature Contorted Filbert, a Winter Hazel, a host of peony, hosta, hellebore, and other perennials, gosh knows how many bulbs, my small cluster of Martagon lilies my friend James got my for my bday a few years back...pretty much all gone.

I'll be planting today when it warms up and dries out a bit. Rain coming!

Here are the two new members to my family of furkids...yep lots of kitties, and 2 more litterboxes...They all keep me going so, for that I will be more than thankful, and they will more than likely never know it...lol.

They have almost identical markings, Ahzuzu is larger (he's the male), he has a large black spot on the back of his one leg, and two smaller black spots on the other leg, Leggo, is the smaller of the two (she's the baby sister) she has a small black dot on her chin, other than that, they look like twin kitties.

Barring any losses over winter, I should have a whole slew of potted up perennials to bring to the next RU. I hope they all make it. I know for a fact I will not be able to cram them all into this space...Even if I edit and move stuff, there is just no room.

I'll take a few more pics of the afters today. It's nice to edit, but on this scale, holy bajeepers...it's like 4 new beds...all over again! I guess that is the silver lining though :-)

Cute!!

Sorry did not mean to post in the middle of your pics. Computer seems slow this am and I didn't do the preview button.
Wow a blank slate really. I do like the new porch and your color scheme is very appealing I think. Looks good so far and you know it will get tweaked as all gardens do. Don't forget to post updates too.
Cute little kitties. They sure will keep you going.

Sweeeeeeet

are those rose glow barberries?

Bill, yes they are. For whatever reason, I either have really good luck with them, or they end up looking like crap o la, and I remove them. There is a Coppertina on either side of the walk up to the porch, a dwarf/low growing yellow Thuja in front of the Coppertina, then to the left/right of the Coppertina is a Rose glow barberry. The bed that is almost done, goes, backrow r to l, Coppertina, Rose glow, sunny knock out, rose glow, sunny knock out, and I believe it's a Crimson King JM...not 100% sure, it's one I got at a "save me before I'm composted" sale about 5-6 years ago.

Behind these plants I'm adding a walking path, that will be about 2' wide, then from the other edge to the porch is where I'm adding the hosta and other shady perennials...this is where my dilemna is at...the other plants that were there, were tall enough to shade the front of the porch, now, not so much. Most of the white edged, middled hosta will scorch/burn, as will some of the other yellow variegated varieties, I think the hellebore, heuchera/-ella, brunnera, and pulmenaria will be fine, the hosta, not so sure, only time will tell.

Wow, busy busy...hope things settle down for you. Cute kitties.

My gosh, Thom, you've been busy! The new garden looks great....I really like the color scheme. And the kitts are very cute....

really like the rose glow - for mine i trim them down in the spring (and deal with the thorns) - let them grow all year really like the tall branches with the variegated color they shoot off.

Hemhostaholic...

Lovin' the JM's, and the kitty-cats are adorable!

I did it
I win I win
Taaah dahhh
Thanks
http://smilebox.com/playBlog/4d546b314e6a49794d6a593d0d0a&blogview=true

Dont fall asleep. I have no choice about the music until I figure out why my choice didnt work.

This message was edited Oct 14, 2010 2:05 PM

Nice! Some really beautiful garden shots in there JoAnn. Just lovely and the music is very relaxing and does not distract from the pics. Good job!

Thanks Pat
Its my first attempt.

Yay!

Very nice, Jo. Thought you would have picked a hip hop tune.

I had to buy a subscription to get access to more than the awful music they had.
Besides Lounge and Jazz, they had Italian, I think it was peasant dance music to an accordian,Just not suitable for garden scenes.
Maybe next season when the poppies are blooming I'll do something RAD.

Good for you, JoAnn...you are such a techie! I have no speakers on this computer, so can't comment on the music....

Ohhhh gawd no speakers.

Or when the cannabis is in?!!!

snikkkker

Very nice Jo - I liked it

That was awesome Ge!

thanks everyone.

Thom, thanks for the pictures of all your new work. I sympathize as we just replanted an area that we had planted 30 years ago that had to be all dug up with an excavator to rebuild rotting timber retaining walls and stone steps. Now done after a long and messy summer. I know yours will be wonderful. Handsome cats to say the least. What a handful, but a joy.

Ge1826, you amaze me. I love the music paired with the photos, at least that music. I did wave in your direction while visiting the Finger Lakes from Sat until Weds. Lovely.

I need to get home to do more of the fall chores, but got 90 % of the greenhouse plants back into it from their summer on the porch and decks before I left. I am going to eliminate a few big planters next summer as by moving the stairs down to a terrace during the reconstruction, I need a few less planters as I now have lined the walk to the new stairs with Japanese maples and dwarf conifers. I will use them to plant container veggies and summer herbs in, so they won't not get used, but just won't have to be taken inside in the fall. I have too many plants. Do I hear a second? Patti
Patti

Thanks Patti. It would have been great to see you. I grew up in Ithaca. It really is a beautiful spot.

Yes, I have too many plants, but I love them all!

Finally finished the kitchen makeover. As you may have guessed from my web name, I'm very fond of rocks, so of course had to get "granite" for my new counters. Most of the rocks they market as granite almost surely are not (grain size too small, composition different, mode of occurrence different), etc. Regardless, it is really hard to pick what you want from 4" squares of samples, knowing that the actual stone will have patterns and colors you don't see in a small piece. So we traveled to where they do the manufacturing to pick out an actual slab. Ended up with so-called Costa Esmeralda, which may be a gneiss, and may be from Italy, Iran, China, or Brazil, depending on whom you believe or maybe on where you buy it. Anyway, the color is pale green and the patterns are beautiful and will distract me from cooking. Also have a new kitten, who loves to join me in the garden and chase leaves while I move perennials around.