Thursday, July 29, 2010

Early Morning Edits.

The alarm went off at 6am. I made a full strength cup of coffee to gather my thoughts with. By 7, I was in the yard. For an hour and a half, I pulled plants (Dusty Miller, bee balm, cosmos, Rudbeckia hirta, Veronica spicata, cosmos, Mystic Spires salvia, cosmos, asters, cosmos, and shasta daisies). The remnants went into the gully. I can't even see the compost bin due to the pokeweed in the gully.

Simplifying the plantings and redesigning the beds is necessary. Intentions did not survive the summer. The Crape Myrtle Bed will be replanted this fall with butterfly bushes from the shrub island. When they were only 4" tall, I planted them 2' apart. Oops. In the Crape Myrtle Bed, they'll have room to expand.



The "meadow" is just a patch of weeds with a few cosmos and coreopsis blooms. The weedwhacker will flatten this area soon.



The succulent bed can stay. For now.



Between the potager beds, ornamental grasses will transition into Knockout Roses and Coreopsis Full Moon. The roses will need to be moved. Hybrid Teas and I do not get along. They're being donated to a customer who brings me things each week from her yard. Other perennials like Joe Pye Weed and agastache will be repurposed for the perennial bed.



It's not much, but it is a start. Three years in the making, I'm giving myself until April to "clean it up a bit". It's 79 degrees and sunny.

4 comments:

gld said...

Congratulations on the start!

I spent 2.5 hours weeding three beds. One will be history by next spring.

I did cut way back the perennial mondarda, rudbeckias and shastas. Supposedly they will rebloom by frost. I do see new growth at the base of the shastas even before the trimming.

I am still working on my plans for next year. I already know what beds are almost maintenance free! They will stay.

Disgustingly hot here today.

Betty819 said...

Tom, I'm feeling the same as you. Want to get on with getting everything more organized and in height order. Tired of watering, weeding and the flowers don't seem to blooming at their peak anymore. Maybe it's because I have been negligent about applying Miracle Grow Liquid feed but today they will get an application. At least, the temperatures are a tad lower than they have been this past 6 weeks. I'm surprized that you threw all the "rejects" in the compost pile. Why not pot them up and give away or offer for a plant sale?

Jeff Branch said...

I'm impressed with all your yard work. The only thing I am doing these days is trying to figure out how to keep my plants alive. A neighbor recently planted six ‘Limelight’ hydrangeas – very nice looking and I'm jealous except when I drove by this afternoon, they were wilting like nobody’s business.

I completed a drip irrigation system for one of my beds this evening and I am soaking wet from sweat. It's HOT! Supposed to be near 100 tomorrow.

Betty819 said...

Tom, please add your swing to your Fall or winter projects. It needs help! Like a different type of frame. As handy as you are with tools, I know you'll come up with something smashing and unique!