Oh yeah, animals taking bites out of veggies is a pet peeve of mine too. It is very frustrating. We had never had a gun in our home until two years ago when there were a several ground hogs destroying much of John's garden. Not sure if any are in residence this year or not, but we will see when things start coming in I suppose.
Ssgardnener, I only have one lonesome Foxglove and can't remember what I have done in the past with the dried and dead parts after blooming, but more than likely, I pinched it back because I hate having to look at dieing plants. Wow, the high temperatures of the past several days has really been sucking the life out of some of the plants. I was out watering again last evening a the edge of dark. Seems like it is that time of day before I have the time to do it. Ran out of time before I was able to do the pots in the back yard, so will do those later today also.
Anyway.....always good to read what folks have going on. I believe that Terri would get the award for the greatest amount of work in her yarden. You certainly do things on a large scale Terri. John was mentioning just recently how convenient it would be to own a Bobcat. He has rented one in the past when he needed one, but has some future projects that may make purchasing one a good idea.
Anyway.....thanks to all for sharing, very enjoyable reading.
Ruby
Yarden maintenance May into June
Those tasks were big, but using that equipment makes it easy vs back breaking, labor intensive - things that would take days/weeks manually take about 3-5 hours! I think my so called "easy" planting and weeding tasks were ten times the effort that those big tasks were LOL!!! We own a tractor, but the other equipment is what Mike uses at work and has access to for home projects when needed - great benefits - forget the healthcare, give me equipment HA HA HA!
Yay for equipment!!!
Honestly, I'm so urban I don't even know what a bobcat is!
ssgardener---
Once the Foxgloves are done--and you have collected any seed--you can chop them down as far as you want.
I would not dig up and throw away the whole clump.
Why? Because many of the seeds may have fallen down inside the old clump--and they will grow into new plants.
Just like the Rose Campion. Do not pull up the old clump. Self-seeders drop seeds right down most of the time.
Happy---
Had to laugh....You not knowing what a Bob-Cat is.....Ahem....They are big, wild cats that live in trees.
They are like mini-leopards--just have NO spots....just joking.....
A "Bobcat" is a serious piece of farm equipment that digs into the ground--like uprooting trees.
Can also dig up dirt by the Shovel-full and dump it somewhere else. Kind of like a power-shovel.
http://www.google.com/search?q=bobcat+tractors&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=gL&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=eT3FT8nTH6i26QHSmejECg&ved=0CLsBELAE&biw=1280&bih=830
Gita
Thanks, Gita. I would bulldoze my house with that baby.
Some dogs like ripe tomatoes, but they usually pick one and lay down somewhere to enjoy it. I have to ban the hens from the garden after the tomatoes start to redden, they take a test peck from each one. Grrrr! Terri, you go girl, now take a couple of pics. I promise to take some of my new garden fence.
Foxglove has quite a history in medicine and myth, from Juno's conception of Mars, to the treatment of heart and kidneys, and is still the source of digitalis. Foxglove tea added to a vase of cut flowers is reputed to make them last longer. Ric
WOW Terri, now I REALLY want to see pictures of all that work you guys got done!!!!!!!! Did you get any "before" pictures of the pile of fill dirt, and then "after" pics of how it looks now? We'll just HAVE to see pics of the tables and chairs are you've got set up now... heck, I want to see ALL of the new areas!! =)
I got some stuff done over the weekend, but nothing nearly as much as you did. I finally got that driveway side bed cleaned up, and MY GOODNESS, I had no idea how many volunteer Dianthus I had until I cleared away all the weeds!! Had oodles of blooming Shastas, but upon closer look I realized I just didn't like how the foliage looks so WHACK, away they went! Got all the (EVIL) Holly leaves raked out of there, weeds pulled, and the driveway (next to the bed) hosed down. Now it looks a lot more bare (barer?), but cleaner. I think I'll dig out all the questionable looking Shastas and put Cosmos in there instead. ... Oh yeah, remember all the "Chaste Tree" seedlings I had? Well, turns out I am Ms. Pollack Extraordinaire, and they are Cosmos, not Chaste Trees!!! ACK!!!!!!!! I just DON'T remember sowing Cosmos seeds!!!!! Good Heavens, I need to have my head examined!! < =/
Anyway, a pic or 2 of "before" cleaning the bed, and "after". It needs help, I know, I just haven't been focusing on it this year like I used to.
Heh heh, you can see my Lone Bachelor Button there too. Maybe too many weeds for too long, they're not really volunteering like they did last year. I hope the Dianthus "volunteer" some more! =)
Looking good!
Holly leaves are evil- dry ones are lethal to rake or step on. Reminds me I still haven't trimmed back my corner holly bushes that are really too big for their spots now. Of course, now they are loaded with the lush pretty new growth, that I would be cutting off- grr.
Thanks Gita for the info on the Bob Cat. I was wondering how I was going to explain what one was. Having been a country girl all my life, it was only a few years ago that I learned what one was myself. In order for John to build a garage away from the home, he needed to dig in to the mountainside behind our home. He rented one and kept it busy for quite a long time. There are talks of eventually doing some more land removal to change the course of our driveway and that is why there is talk of possibly purchasing one or at least renting one do that later. Sitting here giving more thought to this, I now realize that the need for one in the future is only needed because the dirt from the first project is what is now creating the problem of installing a new driveway. This time, the soil will have to be trucked out of here, there isn't any where else for it to go. Oh gosh.......I see another major project down the road.
I left the computer for a bit after reading today's posts and now I have forgotten all that I read other than the Bob Cat conversation. I will close with wishing everyone a happy gardening day.
Ruby
Here are pictures of one of the tasks tackled last weekend. The first shot is "before" and was taken at the 2011 swap - notice the dirt pile in the background and the sloping tent canopies. Area where the tent canopies were is now larger and flat. Those are David&Pat's (greenthumb99&ecnalg) cleomes in the urn planter. Also, the stepping stone garden in the "before" picture has matured significantly since last year. It is filled mostly with plants from you guys.
This message was edited Jun 1, 2012 6:08 PM
Terri--
I took almost the same picture last year.
Her it is.....Gita
Wow, aspen. I really wasn't THAT bad last year, but the new area is very nice!!
I like that it is flat now and that the dirt pile is gone. I keep making areas that make perfect break spots where I can comfortably sit or nap LOL. Even in this first week, I've sat out there to eat dinner and to read.
Wonderful, wonderful!!! Hooray for break areas.
Rest areas are great. Esp when you actually rest in them once in a while!
Aspen, that it just downright gorgeous.
Sure looks good. It was a beautiful area before but the new level area will lend it's self to other uses.
I am having trouble deciding where to put the new water feature area. I have decided to put it in the back yard. There are only three of them back there now. The new feature will consist of the two pots Critter brought me one with water lotus and the other maybe a water lily and some type of taller plant. A pretty bowl with a small fountain and a couple of potted plants. Not sure which ones I have the wonderful Banana Tree Coleup gave me and the huge Brug that Gita gave me also some other planters. So it will be a grouping of pots I will need to dig in for the basin but everything else will just sit on the ground.
Seeing the pictures of Terry's place is allowing me to re-live the serenity that I felt being there. It is truly a taste of Eden if you ask me. I am glad that you are making good use of the new spot already Terry. Aaaahhhhhh......such a peaceful spot.
Holly, your upcoming water garden sounds lovely. More projects for you and Ric. The results of all your efforts are always perfect.......I also love visiting your home.
You folks all have a great weekend.
Ruby
I'm trying to screw up my courage to take out a small red Japanese maple. It is half sick; one major branch has had sickly leaves for several years, it's all lopsided. There must be something wrong. It's only home grown and not valuable. Taking it out will open up some much needed sun. I need Gita to come and give me a dose of my own medicine (when I told her to kill her Starlings-nest-cherry tree!)
Heehee. Go ahead, Sallyg, you can do it! I am delaying cutting off some branches on a tree that seems to have just a beautiful (to me) weep to them, but they are killers to mow under. I will do it if you do it.
Go for it Sally and Jan - you both can do it LOL! I just braved cutting back the three overgrown rose bushes that were blocking the walkway along the front side of the garage. I have no idea how to prune roses, but cut, cut, cut away I went. I now have scratches and spots of blood up and down my fore arms, and came in to wash up and make some lunch. I have no idea how badly I butchered them, but now the walkway is passable and it looks ok to me. It is a glorious afternoon - cool and breezy. Hope you got enough rain last night Jan. Heavy showers here yesterday afternoon, and then heavier showers and high winds last night. Heading out to eat my lunch at the new spot. Bringing the book Tasha Tudor's Garden with me - one of my favorites - anyone else read this?
I'm ready for a nice break, then a few more weeding chores, then clean up for the surprise 50th wedding anniversary party for my neighbor friend Cheryl that you guys have met at the last two spring swaps. Her four children, their spouses, and her grandchildren are taking them out for a nice dinner, and then the surprise back at her son Mark's house with friends afterwards. I'm heading up early to heat up various things and set the food out for the after party. Fifty years - WOW.
Terri, your place is beautiful, and it has gotten even more so since last year. Having seen it in person, I can attest to how much work you have done and the wonderful results. So much planting and planning.
What a nice surprise for Cheryl. Please give her good wishes from us on their 50th.
Lots of rain came down here yesterday, too, as well as a large oak tree.
YIKES!! Hope it didn't do any damage for you.
Thankfully, no damage. We had 12 closer to the house taken down last year. It did answer the question of what that loud noise was yesterday! Glad you finally got some rain.
The plants are very happy today.
Falling trees are loud. And they fall so fast. We were camping and one fell in the next site. By the time I realized what was happening it was down. I would have liked it if my reflexes were quicker in case i would need to move.
Wow, that's much too close, and when you're camping you're so much more vulnerable.
I agree, Go for it Sally, Well I did a little weeding and planting. Some of Happy's plants have found a home in the shade beds and potted up a couple of water plants as well as the EE's that go in that black pigs trough on the patio. Got some cannas in, up potted a few plants and some of the GH plants are now in the ground. Added 2 more grasses to the rock pile out front, it is looking pretty good for a rock pile and planted some marigolds out there. I have some celosia to add and that area will be all planted. The area behind the Potting Shed is all planted added a few more perinials from the swap out there and then finished off with a Diamond Frost Euphorbia, a few begonias and some salmon colored impatiens.
Holly--
Any signs of growth on that huge brug stump yet????? Hoping...Yes?
If all the little ones make it--you will be in a Brug Jungle....:o)
I have one of the Dr. Seuss stem cuttings rooted and growing well. Anyone lost theirs?
Happy??? No--You lost the "Maya"---right?
Gita
I still need ID's on these 2 plants. No one has replied. Will have to go to the "Plant ID Forum"....
1--has thistle-like blooms--but the leaves are regular leaves. Have it in 2 places. Not sure I planted these??
2--These bloomed and are now done. Low growing...looks like they spread...Any ideas???
Thanks
Gita, # 1 is centaurea dealbata, Persian cornflower http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/312643/
Is #2 a Nepata (catmint) of some sort?
Thank you, coleup! That is IT!!!!
I have NO idea how it got into my "YUK" bed. Wondering if I got it at a Swap
not knowing what it was.....
Gita
Happy--you and I cross-posted.
Thank you for the ID of #2 as well...........Gita
Ecnalg, I am so glad that you were well away from that falling tree - it is so scary when they fall unexpectedly.
Cheryl's 50th anniversary party was very nice. Mark has a wonderful deck and patio area, and the weather was beautiful for an evening outside. Even got a little chilly towards the end. Back in the summer of 2008, there were five of us that spent two full weekends working together to build Mark's deck. The fun and comraderie was one of the best experiences that I've ever had, and that deck was built in no time at all. Apparantly, I didn't "screw" straight and had to be shown the error of my ways - you can imagine the raunchy jokes that ensued LOL...
Looking forward to another gorgeous day to be out in the yard. More weeding and will start mulching - I'm still primarily focusing on the hillside shade garden. The vegetable garden has horrible weeds, but I haven't even started to tackle that yet. If I don't get to it soon, I might as well forget it this year. How late can you plant tomatoes and peppers and still expect any type of harvest?
Coleup---
Now I remember!! Someone gave me some seed for a Persian Cornflower way back.
I must have thrown them in my bed and never saw them come up.
Seems like it took a couple of years...I will let it go for another one and see how it behaves...
Gita
Holly, I bought some of the salmon color Impatiens this year too. So very eye catching. I also found some packets of the same color Celosia and have a pot of both in the urn that sits directly beside where I enter and exit my car, so am delighted each time I leave or come back home. Shoot, much like yourself and many others here, there isn't much space on our property that doesn't have something growing or blooming beautifully. What an absolutely gorgeous time of year this is. Thankfully yesterdays and it looks as though today's weather is also being cooperative in terms of not being too hot to venture outside. That being said, it might mean that I am able to spend a bit more time later today tending the other plants sitting on my porch awaiting my attention. Also lots of bulbs and seeds to go in too. Speaking of which, finally got the Liatris bulbs potted yesterday Pat. Am hoping they do okay in a pot.
Gotta love it.
Ruby
I ordered a whole flat of them this year. I thought I would try doing all one color instead of mixing them up. We will see if they stretch to do the whole front of the house.
Doesn't sound as though you do anything in a small way there, Holly. Oh please share pictures of the finished project. Sounds lovely. I don't know, when I first spied the salmon color I knew I had to have some. Giving that one annual plants shopping trip some thought I am realizing that the Celosia I purchased that day hasn't done much in the way of growth. They are pretty much the same size as the day I bought them. Hmmmm......wonder what they means? I hope they grow and produce seeds because I would love to have more salmon colored Celosia next year.
Holly, I am thinking very loving thoughts to you and Ric for hosting another swap that came off so grand. Everyone had a wonderful time and are all looking forward to more in the future.
Ruby
Opps DG doesn't like PDF's....I'll save and add as JPEG below
This message was edited Jun 7, 2012 10:11 AM
It's those cheap plants we get from the Hobby Greenhouse Assoc. 80 Salmon impatiens for $7.00 of course they are just very tiny when we get them. I have given some away and used some in other areas so I am not sure if I have quite enough to finish the front all in one color. I still have quite a few impatiens left in other colors. I'll take some pictures today.