Garden Projects #4

fess up - i promise not to order it:)

From that rustic garden site.

i have the site bookmarked - did check them out closely and would have ordered an arch there if i had known about the place

have decided to stay with the one i got from plow and hearth - is not tall enough because of where it is installed - think i can fix it by mounting it higher in stone - have a bit just big enough with my hammer drill that will be wide enough

Invoice says large rustic gate and 4 ft sections.

Bill likes the stone part. Sounds like a interesting solution.
I am considering an arch on oits side for a curved section of Clematis.

That sounds very clever, Jo!

Now to find space

Sounds really pretty, Jo!

Been busy this week with various things outside of gardening so I have to catch up. Today, despite the misty rain, DW and I have been out catching up with gardening. Ground is not that wet so we ended up planting and mulching. Attended a plant swap Thursday evening. Ended up with a Foxglove, 2 primrose, 2 sundrops, 2 salvia and one that looks like a phlox. Of course named varieties are not to be had. Lucky to just have them identified at all. Anyway it was enjoyable. Hope everyone enjoys the long weekend.

OMG is it hot out... can't do June planting with July heat!!!... not like me to cave so early in the day.. but wow every inch of my clothes was soaked .. and I had it... took a shower and will go back out once it gets dark.. goofed around with Randy and asked him to set up flood lights up so I can work out there overnight.. LOL

59° & quite cloudy. I had been hoping to take iris seedling pictures today; so hope we get some sun to make the colors show correctly.

Allison - I feel the same way but I'll head back out to do containers in the shade of an umbrella. The sun does make it feel like the worst of summer. Need to find more shady jobs or invent some!

I often work with the house lights on at night. It's peaceful and nobody disturbs a person with a trowel working at night.

A friend has a big portable halogen light that she just loves for night work.

I'd love to be able to do that, but we have black flies until around Fathers Day. I have more bites than brains. Nighttime is impossible, and so is watering.

Holy feaking crap!!!!! Hubby chose today to help me plant that berm, took 4 hours to get some weeds out, plant what I had so far and mulch. I'm dying!!!!

omg... nuts to do all that today

Jen - you've won the "freaking crap!" Award!!! Your prize.....free admission to DonnieBrook's RU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

LOL

It's cool and cloudy here 63 got 3 rhodies planted today and cow manure spread on the garden. Toyota Tundra....can't say enough about how tough this truck is. We put over a ton in it the other day then DH filled it up w/cow manure 2 days in row. Both loads of cow manure weighed approx. 2800 pounds each load. Need a tough truck? Buy a Toyota Tundra!! BTW, this truck is over 9 years old and has had this kind of treatment every year since we bought it.

Also picked up astilbe "Montgomery", Heucherella 'Alabama Sunrise', Tall Bearded Iris 'Spartan' and Euphorbia polychroma 'Bonfire'

Good job, Celeste!!!!!!!!

Songs - that stone is beautiful. and so are the plants. nicely done!

FlowAjen, Can't wait to see "our" berm.... I am sort of claiming part of it for all us DG pals. Your cool Berm project has kept us all busy thinking about it this winter, so looking forward to more pictures. Nice he was willing to help. Hot today in Jersey? Cooler in Vt today, so a good day to spend at more nurseries. Expensive day, but really fun. Patti

Lots of columbine blooming in a bed & on the corners of the gravel drivway. All its own idea.

Wish I had cow manure. Leaf compost is all thats available here for a decent price.
The town gives it away but $50.00 to have 2 yards delivered

I have heard our towns is usually full of weeds & PI

Where arent there weeds?
I just expect them. Neighbors with the Black Raspberry weed bed just weeded and laied down barrier cloth plus I see stakes for tying up the canes.
It might look descent there this year.

but when getting compost.. you would think it would be compost.. and not weeds

When the town collects leaves in the fall they sort out the sticks and krap people are not supposed to mix with them.
They compost the leaves for a year and then offer to the residents for free. We hilr a guy to bring a "load"
The household vedg matter we compost in a black box , always produced tomatoes ,pumpkin,squash.
I have to believe there are stray seeds in leaf compost. I believe I am further ahead by composting than not as it smothers many weed seeds that happen in my garden.

Town mulches were tested by Organic Gardening a few years ago and the things found were not good news - lots of battery acid, plastic, glass, etc.

Tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers should never go in any compost. Neither should bones, fish, meat, etc. Dairy, cereals, tea and coffee are fine.

Tomato seeds can flourish after going through a town's sewer system so compost does not kill all weeds and seeds unless you make sure it reaches 160 degrees, using a compost thermometer.

Hate to disagree but our town is fussy about that stuff.
They wont pick up leaves unless they are loose at the curb,they wont pick up grass clippings because of the pesticides and artificial ferts used by landsacpers.
If we are found to be hideing unacceptable items in the debris.They wont pick up at the house and the home owner is fined.
I am confident about our compost.
On the other hand I had a landscaper bring composted topsoil when they removed the 8 junipers and I was planting in that area and found a purple condom.
You can never tell what goes on at the dump!!! LOL

I was going to mention how many of that item was found in the town mulch but I didn't!

A friend started what she called a compost pile with her bad tomatoes, zucchini, etc. and what a mess she had the next year. Must have had thousands of tomatoes all over her gardens to remove.

OMG yes.I have melons popping up in containers.

I learned my lesson I don't get mulch from the town either...but of course it's now run by a private company. What I would do is get some and then treat it with weed killer and let it sit awhile before using it.



Ok, here's the berm...remember we're not done with it but just with what I had on hand to plant, I have a small sand cherry that is going on the other end. Also have to edge it, but looks MUCH better than the dirt pile

very nice job jen.

just beautiful.


Jan

nice start, Jen!

Bravo, Jen!! That looks great!

good work Jen!!

You put a lot of work into that, Jen! Looking good......Jo, you are too funny! Our town doesn't offer anything, nor does it pick up anything....but it remembers the taxes.....