Hello everyone! Jamie and I got so very much done this weekend in the garden. We’ve been gone a lot lately. We practically wore ourselves out, but just about everything is caught up now. The only time we really have to work in the garden together is on the weekend. We made a pact some time ago that neither would really do anything in the garden without the other working beside him. Even if we choose to work side by side with out speaking a word to each other while we toil, the time in the garden is our time to be together. We do everything as a team, with the exception of on Friday when I usually cut the grass and use the trimmer. I know that sounds ideal to those of you that have to garden by yourselves, let me assure you though; it’s not always cookies and cream. Long about noon when the sun gets hot and we get hungry, it can get pretty vicious sometimes. With all those sharp garden tools lying around it’s a wonder we haven't had an “incident” at some point. For the most part, we work together like well a well oiled machine with each reading the others thoughts.
This weekend we set out over 53 plants, most of them in one gallon pots. That was a lot of holes to dig. Thank goodness the ground was soft so we made pretty good progress. All those pots that have been tucked here and there are finally planted. I’m embarrassed to say three of those pots were from last year! Can you believe that? I know, but sometimes you buy things and you really aren’t sure where you are going to put it and it takes a while to figure it out. We also got all the beds completely weeded and several new bags of mulch put down.
The only thing that we didn’t get done this weekend that needs to be accomplished is the drip system. We need to add another line that will water new beds going in around the garden wall and also a new bed in the front yard. The bed in the front will most likely not go in until next year, but we already have trees and roses planted that need to be watered until that time. We don’t have any plans for next weekend so we decided rather than work ourselves into a tired, sweaty mush Sunday, we would just put it off until next Saturday. It was a little much to do all in one weekend, but we are happy it’s all caught up now. Oh! A special note to Marilyn at Wheelchair Gardener. We were able to find the 'Starship Enterprise' Iris. Jamie bought it for me as an anniversary gift and we planted it this weekend. When you showed me the picture I had to have it, I can't wait to see it bloom!
One of the things we wanted to do was fill the new bed with coneflowers for some good summer bloom. I noticed while reading Darla’s blog that she had the most wonderful purple coneflowers growing in nice sized clumps. I asked her what kind they were so we could add them to our garden and she very generously offered to send us some. She told me these were passalong plants from her mother’s garden. That makes these plants very special and we are exceedingly happy to have them in our garden. So, Darla here’s a picture to show you that the coneflowers are doing very well and are going to be rewarding us with a bloom very soon. I hope everyone had a good weekend.--Randy
21 comments:
Randy, it sounds like a little bit of heaven with those wonderful plants you're growing, but I had to laugh at the "cookies and cream" description about work when you two are hungry. Watch out for flying hoes and hand weeders.~~Dee
LOL, I can hear you two bickering! As you know, Michael rarely helps in the garden anymore so I'm pretty much on my own. However, I think I like it like that. We are opposites when it comes to how we want to do things (and it is usually done his way) and I just work better on my own. I'm not much of a team player.
Thanks Dee! Well, the truth is just the truth. Most of the time we don’t eat a well balanced breakfast like we should. When the sweat starts to sting our eyes and the blood sugar levels start crashing there has been the occasional exchange of words. That’s usually a good time to call it quits and go in for the day. :-)-- Randy
Phillip,
You know how we are! I want to tell you again how fantastic your new project is looking. It's going to look incredible when that mondo fills in.--Randy
And I thought I did pretty well to get some pruning done and plant five perennials. You two are pretty fast when it comes to getting them into the ground.
I enjoy going to my fathers and doing some garden work because he sits outside and keeps me company. Sharing is always the best.
Marnie
Marnie,
I really helped that we were planting in a new bed with very soft, freshly ammended soil. All we had to do was dig with post hole diggers and drop them in the ground. :-) We didn't have to take the time add compost and make the hole larger because the ground was hard.--Randy
I always hate the weekends that you have to be out there in the heat all weekend. In the end though it seems t be worth all of the hardwork.
Jake
I laughed at the idea of you two snarking at each other while doing garden chores. Here, Longsuffering Spouse does the mowing and whippersnipping, and heavy lifting for me, his fragile (huh) wife. He doesn't normally do any weeding, but he loves the plants and says he's afraid he'd pull out something that isn't a weed. It's been done before..by me!
To go along with your Starship Enterprise Iris you really oughta have the Captain Kirk hosta. If it's not too hot in your garden for them, that is.
You guys rock! That veronica looks great and how nice is Darla??
Jake,
You are absolutely right; it is worth all the hard work. We try to get most of our stuff done before noon in this hot weather.
Jodi,
We don’t have enough shade to grow hostas just yet. We do have three that were planted before the storm, one of them does pretty good but the other two usually burn pretty badly by July. We’ll put the captain on the wish list for another two or three years. We’ll have some shade then.
Tina,
I took pictures of the entire bed but the veronica was just too small. I had to just post a tight shot of it. Darla is very nice to do that and we will enjoy her beloved mother’s coneflowers for many years to come. --Randy
What great progress you two have made.....not incidents to report, that's always a good thing....Such lovely words for me..Thanks! The Coneflowers look very happy and healthy...I am so doing the Happy Dance!!!!!!!
I am sure you feel so accomplished by getting all the flowers out of pots and into the garden. It looks great too by the way.
I can TOTALLY relate to plant sitting in the pot for a year! Just waiting for that 'perfect' spot..lol! Daylilies are so easy, they'll even bloom! Gosh, not only planted, but mulched, too! A great accomplishment..congrats!
I get pretty cranky, too when I'm hungry! After thirty years together, Mr I knows to not let me get too hungry. But you won't catch him gardening with me!...Even if you guys occasional snarl, it's wonderful knowing that you created your beautiful Eden together! ...and this bed looks good already! gail
The new plantings are doing well. With the heat we've been having I couldn't consider planting anything right now. Isn't Darla a sweetie. I've got a pass-a-long Walking Iris from her garden. :)
Congrats, Randy... I know you all are very proud of a job well-done. It's hard work but all of your sweat and work will pay off...
Congrats!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
You guys have accomplished so much!
Gardening with your better half -- sounds like heaven.
Darla,
I thought that might tickle you. :-)
Lisa,
We do feel accomplished. I can’t wait until next year to see it when it has a chance to grow in some.
Lynn,
Whew! There for a minute I thought no one was going to speak up and we were going to look like slackers! I’m glad we aren’t the only ones.
Gail,
With all the bickering it is something we look forward to.
Racquel,
We pretty much plant any time during the growing season. We water more than the average folks though, I’m pretty sure. The drip system is set to come on every other day so the ground stays good and moist. Being in full sun we can’t go as long as some people without watering this time of year. Anyway, my point is, I think it’s our frequent watering that allows us to plant now.
You are so right Betsy! I bet you and yours have a nice trip planned somewhere this coming weekend. Take lot of pictures for us.
Sweet Bay,
Gardening with Jamie is very nice. Sometimes we bicker about how we are going to do things, but Jamie always lets me have my way in the end. He’s very tolerant of me.--Randy
You two need to bottle up the energy and sell it. You remind me of a 26 year old.
CIMS-
Jamie is 26 LOL! I have no idea where my energy comes from though. I guess, I know the day will come when I have little energy and I will have to sit all the time. When that day comes I want to know that I did all I could when I was able to. Does that make any sense?--Randy
Oh my, 53 plants? That would take me all year! Good going for you guys!
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