It’s the time of year when big changes happen quickly in the garden and it’s easy for me to forget about them. So I thought I’d do a weekend wrap-up post to just show you what I got up to. Most of these are tiny bits of bigger projects but if I wait until the big picture develops, I’ll probably forget these little moments.
The ostrich ferns in the woods are beginning to unfurl. They’ll be 6 feet tall in a couple weeks.
Much of the weekend was spent fetching some of the wood for the new raised bed vegetable garden. Most of the wood is being delivered, but it was much less expensive to buy the cedar for the bottom course of each bed elsewhere, so we borrowed a truck and spent what seemed like forever getting 30 4x4s. Why does everything take so long?
The plants haven’t been growing much, but the weeds certainly have been, so I spent a few hours chipping away at the weeding. There’s lots more to do, but I can only do what I can do so this falling under the “ongoing project” category.
The greenhouse is at max capacity. Most of these are things I grew from seed (I reuse containers) and a few are annuals I’ve been picking up for containers.
I have a greenhouse full of plants and it’s likely to stay that way for some time. Obviously vegetables and herbs won’t be coming out until the new garden is ready. I’m not foolish enough to make any predictions on when that will be. There’s so much to be done. And it’s really too cold for annuals to be planted out here yet. Frost is not an issue anymore, but annuals do not like to sulk in cold temperatures and I believe they’ll perform better in the long run if they don’t spend a week or more shivering out in the cold.
I did get two things planted, although I had planned to do much more. The first was Hydrangea serrata Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha. This was one of best new plants I saw at California Spring Trials so I was excited to receive a small sample plant from Proven Winners. Unfortunately in my haste to get some things checked off the to-do list I forgot to add some aluminum sulfate when I planted it, so I’ll have to go back and do that in an attempt to keep the blooms blue.
I also planted Syneilesis aconitifolia, aka shredded umbrella plant in a position at the front of the shade garden where I can enjoy it. I’m very excited about this plant so I hope it does well here.
We spent a lot of time laying out the vegetable garden with baker’s string (not the preferred string of choice but what we had in the house), stakes and spray paint.
But most of the daylight hours of the weekend were spent laying out the vegetable garden. The area has been leveled, so we headed out with stakes, string (um, baker’s twine actually, because it was all we had) and spray paint, to lay out all the beds. The design is very symmetrical so I wanted to be precise with the layout. Anything askew would be very noticeable. It’s not in my nature to spend so much time on the planning portions of a project, but I’ve learned that I regret it when I rush things. It took us several hours to get everything laid out, but it was a worthwhile exercise. And it seems a little more real now, so it was a much needed shot of enthusiasm for a project that I really just want to have finished. The next step is to lay the first course of each bed and I expect that will be a bit time consuming but the hope is that we can move pretty quickly after that.
I love the Mayapples. I didn’t plant these and I do nothing to foster them, but they bring me immeasurable pleasure. The greenhouse is in the distance.
As usual, it was a weekend with not nearly enough time in the garden. Summer calls for longer weekends.
Did you work in your garden this weekend?
Love mayapples! Not sure if you are familiar with this blog but the last paragraph was news to me until I read it.
http://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/2015/5/21/mayapple
News to me too!
Doesn’t it feel great to be out in the garden regardless of how much you get accomplished? Your garden bed plot is coming together – can sure understand why you’re anxious.
I’m paying for the neglect due to last year’s big project. So. Much. Weeding. But the weather has been lovely up here so I can’t complain too much! Seeing the new Veg Garden layout is so exciting, I can’t wait to see how it progresses!
I honestly don’t mind weeding too much. Except for the grasses that get into my perennial beds. How do you guys tame them?
Spent Saturday getting ready for dinner guests and then it rained Sunday and Monday. Things are growing like crazy, esp. invasive weeds. We are hiring help to take out a bunch of dead stuff like bamboo and to set some concrete pavers to stabilize our lanterns. Hoping it gives me time to do the fun stuff. Hope the umbrella plant does well for you. I love it. Last year I divided mine into 3 and all three have come up in different spots around the garden. I hate all that measuring but I am always glad we did all the prep work for projects. Luckily Mark is the one who makes sure we do it right. I would barge in and have later regrets. Gardeners just want to play!
One word…. Mulch.
Still a very busy time of year for gardening here in North Carolina. Peonies and Iris blooms are gone but the Roses are beautiful this spring and provide bouquets for the house. The Dayliles are starting to bloom and Asiatics are showing some color In there buds and the Rudebeckias
and Salvias almost opening. It is our thunderstorm weather with heavy downpours every afternoon. Great for weeding but not so good for planting the annuals I have waiting to go in the ground. Gardening is wonderful but so much to do!! Relax and have fun with your gardens.