Weekend Projects

Theo wasn't the only Rex to have a good weekend. The Bear's won, so we were a generally happy group, but I also had several happy moments of my own.

First, I was walking through the garden when I realized that my baby trees from the National Arbor Day Society were doing really well. I decided to go online and see if I could identify them (when they arrived, dormant and only 12 inches tall they were unlabelled). In my seacrh I found the society gaurantees their trees grow; I got 10, and only 2 are left. I called, just to se if they'd give me a second chance, even 2 years later... and they did! This coming spring, I'll be the proud recipient of 10 more free flowering trees, and a lilac shrub. So cool. A great start to the weekend.

Then, I got TONS of work done in the garden. I was reading a copy of Midwest Living the neighbors gave me, and I saw there is a place called The Flower Farm just 20 minutes north of me--and I had never been there. Can you imagine?

We went on Friday, and I picked up some new garden pretties, including Sedum Angelina & Elizabeth and a blue spruce variety, Blue Gentiania, tall lavendar aster & Dark Blue Columbine. This shop has a catalog in fine print like a phone book and there are like 8 pages of Hostas alone & incredible prices (like $3 for some perrenials). Paradise for me. I can't wait to go back in the spring. I already started making babies with the sedums, they easily propogate from cuttings.

I cleaned out the vegetable beds, added more than half of the winter protection I'll need to put down over the tender perrenials and roses, and turned the compost pile. I removed some of the dead growth of annuals and such, too. Three whole trash cans were taken back to the city's yard waste bin after my compost pile became too big. I felt very productive.

I also created another flower bed, or rather extended one I created in the spring. I found several $3 trees and shrubs at Home Depot, and I needed a place to put them. I bought an apple tree to help pollinate the one we have had for a few years now. I picked up a "Flame" Maple shrub to add some privacy from the street in the back of the yard. I got 3 Arborvitae for $3 a piece, and lined them up to create a privacy screen from the front sidewalk, and I put a mugo pine shrub in front of the arborvitae, to add some year round color/structure to the bed.

The huge bed I created for the arborvitae was a monster of a job; I removed the sod with a shovel, and then removed soil from the grass by hand; it took me the better part of Saturday to get it all done. Perfect gardening weather here. The boys "helped."

Here's what I'm working with now. I have plans to put 3 David Austin Golden Celebration roses here, as well as the remains of some of the mature perrenials I need to divide in the spring.

Looking from the sidewalk, the existing bed b ythe birdbath was put in this spring:

The new portion only:

Looking from the backyard toward the sidewalk. The Tolleymore Spruce was already there--it looks happier to have friends. It only gets 8 feet high, perfect with the arborvitae as a backdrop for roses.

By Saturday at 4pm I thought I was going to pass out. I was BEAT. I came inside, and vowed to stay out of the garden all day Sunday... but I had a few heaps that needed to be trudged to the city's waste pile. I cleaned up the piles, and found a stack of branches big enough to create the arch I wanted to make for my climbing iceberg roses. I ran inside and grabbed my twine, wire, and clippers, and got to work. The star in the center was on another trellis, but I couldn't resist putting it here.

When I was at the city's yard waste pile I found this wicker sofa sitting beside a trash can covered with other trash items. I had to drag it home. I love it. It's in nearly perfect condition, and I even like the weathered look of the wicker, although I'm contemplating painting it? Love free stuff.