Garden Projects # 15

wha! that is better than being asked "did you do all this"?

There's no turning back is there? I think my DH is immune to it.

The pile of stone wall and fountain books on my table is now a foot high, all from the library, all at once. We're attempting to outline our project on Google sketch up so we don't get stuck with something we wouldn't want.

Rosemary ,thats the hardest part. You always wonder if Plan B was better. I do 3 -6 renderings and leave them turned face down for a couple of days. Eliminate the ones you dont like after that.
Repeat the process until there is one left.Usually the first 3 ideas are dudds.

Good plan, Jo.....

The creative process is never easy is it?

Funny, Bill. I always ask why there is grass in the middle of mine!

Believe it or not, I just did my planters today! Duhhh. Anyway, the two EEs I got from Bill from Caladiums For Less were larger than pineapples!!

Very cool looking out my second floor windows and seeing clems at eye level!

The clems are awesome this year....this is Ibi, big as a plate!

pretty.. and yes they are.. honeysuckle rock as well

We saw a beautiful waterfall and pond planted with JMs at the New England Nurseries which is on the way to Concord, MA from Bedford. One of the retired contractors I met at the Lexington garden tour told me to go there. They said they install about 10 per week.

You might be interested in our club's iris sale in July 27 at Vermille Farms. there will be beardless irises available.

Thanks! Can you believe I've never been to Vermille Farms? My SIL made a special trip when she was visiting one year from the midwest.

Me neither and I go by within 2 miles of Verrill Farm all the time so I must go too. Patti

Verrill Farm Directions

Our farm stand is located at 11 Wheeler Road in Concord, MA.

If you are traveling West on Rt 2, turn LEFT at the intersection AFTER Rte. 126.
That is Sudbury Rd.

We are 2+ miles on the Right.

Thanks Patti. It ought to be a destination, close to some of my courthouses I frequent with the other outlaws :)

I am collecting ideas for plants cause I know if i get more than one quote going on the walls and water feature right now, my DH will back out. At least our measurements and sketches are probably OK though not done on any 3-D drawing packages this time. My next idea is to check out Bill's pal and see if he doubles the price :) This is not something we think we can do entirely ourselves, because the two contractors we have met said the larger rocks need a particular tractor.

Bad news is that college tuitions that we already know about and rates of college loans have gone up yet again, fewer grants or scholarships, so the appeals process is starting about now. Thankfully DD2 kept her two scholarships, and DD1 has a decent academic scholarship but an amazingly expensive school if they don't rethink and give her the grant again as they had promised.

Plants I admire near water: every kind of dwarf JM, tiny leaved willows, native or Asian, lots of different sedums, some select conifers, arabis, and the tiniest of sedums, I am guessing sedium lydium.

Luckily GD's college in Ohio decided to keep this year's tuition the same as last yr because of the economy.

That is good news.

I cant believe how expensive college is.
It seems college has always been beyond reach for most students.It was like that just after the depression when my dad was going to school.
These days a neighbor of mine took a job as a second income in the house,Her entire salary went to Georgetown University.

Sounds familiar. Two incomes here, not likely to retire at 65. It is unreasonable to saddle a college kid with their entire debt because it would be huge. Kids can get hired for service jobs but it is frustrating to them how little they can make.

They dont make much with a degree as a starter job either.
GS graduated from 5 year Architecture engineering and is working for his father in order to start paying down his school debt.

My son is 25, jobless @ the moment but brilliant in math, science and computers. He won't go to school because he doesn't want us or himself to be in debt. He said it's not worth the stress, even w/ a degree people aren't being hired. :(

My DD Tarsha, 32 in a week , has a good job, goes to Kaplan University . She is on the deans list but her job pays half of her schooling, AND her hubby worked for Kaplan when she started so she gets a discount as long as there is no lapse in her schooling. She said it's the only reason she can afford to go to school.
Oldest DD, Nichole isn't in school @ the moment but was last year and the year before...her work place pays half of her schooling also.

I believe schools like Kaplan are the education of the future and ad good trade schools that teach decent job ethics.
Internship jobs too but pay the kid if he has graduated.
DD #1 spent tons to get a Masters in English lit.Guess where that got her.

Traditional college degrees, especially in 'dead' majors, are just not worth it. Most kids endp getting jobs that don't require a degree. You have to think long and hard these days. What are the kid's interests/strengths vs. job prospects. Then take it from there. Regular degree. Tech school. Apprenticeship. Whatever.

Now, even engineering, which has been immune to the economic problems, is threatened by the proposed immigration bill. There are over one MILLION unemployed engineers in India waiting for a green light to come here. Ludicrous.

Good grief.

All true. Still I wonder what the job market will look like in ten years when most of the baby boomers have finally retired and left many essential jobs vacant.

In my own field, they have made the specialties so refined that a younger person can't ever possibly meet the qualifications. In the 70's there were government grants and traineeships to get that experience. I am very concerned that now even the NSF grants look to be in jeopardy for the kids who want to do

It's certainly depressing....I look at my 3 smart grandkids & wonder if college will pay off for them.......

I don't believe most boomers will be retired in ten years. I think most will be forced to work way past 65. The 'demographic time bomb' often mentioned has been delayed by years due to the crappy economy and multiple market crashes.

True I think that those "boomers" born in the 60's won't be retired, but they are born in the tail end of the generation demographic bump. And I agree that retirement might not mean stopping to work entirely. I know for myself I'm trying to keep up a pretty grueling schedule, and there will eventually be a point when it can't be done.

I retired from teaching, worked parttime for the PO for 5 years, then subbed on & off....subbing is on again for Sept. since I won't have to babysit my grandkids on Weds.

ok I promised some pic's of projects - here is the new walk up the let side of the back yard - there will be a another wall on the left and then I will fill in the beds - if there is enough dirt left over I will fix the top left so it is 4' wide the whole way.

here are pick of two other beds I expanded - really does not do justice to the 30 yards of dirt I moved in this spring

mahvelous!

Nice! The proper use of grass. ;)

here is some of the rock supply

You've been busy, Bill! Looks wonderful.....

Wha, Love that you still find room to create more magic. You must just conjure up rocks and they arrive as no one could physically move that many without a bugdozer .

We finally have rain. I was going to go out and plant some Heuchera liners from Terra Nova that I got from a coop when the sky opened up. Need the rain. I guess taking a herd to the beach is out for the the late morning, but I am sort of happy to have a break, though the weather could clear soon and I would be off shelling with 3 under 6.

Still trying to get the new DG design to function so it is readable without scrolling forever, and that I can use my Journal. Not overly happy to have to spend time on it and being anxious that the years of keeping my journal have been compromised by them wanting a New Look. Patti

patti: I noticed Salmon Classic lily on a list of yours.Just wanted to say you will never be sorry.This is a most forgiving lily,moved every year 3 years.Its the earliest for me but just going out of bloom as other asiatics are starting Mine has been blooming since mid May

Todays pix

Mine are doing the same. But I think you have a much bigger clump and better grown than any of mine. Nice shots.

Until yesterday I could tell you where and when I planted my first ones, but now I can no longer search my Journal to see anything about them, which is driving me nuts. I know that I like them so much that I ordered more this year and they are now it at least three beds to start the lily season off. They are the first to bloom here in Nantucket for me along with L.Lollypop which of course I can also no longer look up either. Pulling out my hair. Patti

patti are you saying I am a bulldozer?