14 & 15 May 2007 — annual frenzy and a revelation

Since annual planting time began three days ago, I have continued to have a growing revelation: it is not good to be too busy.  I actually said no to a job: digging up some large shrubs for a valued client.  I suggested she find someone with more youthful vigor.  It’s not that we can’t work twenty days in a row if need be, but we have to pace ourselves, and if someone else can dig up shrubs, we choose to delegate.  I also called back a potential new client and left a message asking if he’s a plant nut, as only plant nuts could induce me to take on a new job at the moment.  It’s hard to say no, but we have enough creative things to do that I believe we can now focus on that sort of job: beautiful creativity with plants.

(left) The Basket Case Greenhouse  during annual season; (middle) getting a load of tat wonderful manure from the Planter Box…into our trailer with Raymond’s cute front loader; (left) flats and flats of Salvia viridis and Cosmos await us at The Planter Box.

And on we go with the planting of my three favourite annuals: assorted Cosmos, Salvia viridis (painted sage) and Godetia.  Along with the planting comes some more mulching of gardens….I hope we are almost caught up with the mulching routine..  Planting each little 6 pack of plants is painstaking: a little hole, a little bit of Quench to help hold the water, a bit of Dr Earth fertilizer mixed in with the Quench, water in each hole and then the plant.  Oh, and before each 6 pack gets divided out, we burble it in a bucket of water till it stops producing air bubbles. And of course, each garden must be groomed as we go along.

So busy are we with all of this that garden vignettes go by unremarked; I was in the KBC garden for half an hour before I noticed their new hummingbird feeder.  A few vignettes  stood out, though: Oliver of KBC with his ginormous tail and a luscious tree peony at Jo’s.

Meanwhile, all rain here has ceased and a cold dry wind blows, so I’m stressing about getting around to each job and checking on the watering….

And what will be the result of all this planting of the annuals? Here are photos featuring my favourite three:

left: Cosmos ‘Sensation’;  right: Salvia viridis (painted sage) and Godetia paired in Long Beach

Painted sage has the most lovely papery bracts which give it the deep blue, pink, or white colour…like bouganvillea in texture.

I also adore poppies galore and Cerinthe major purpurascens with a passion but they are best from seed as they resent transplanting.

We have bought every one of the tall cosmos available here on the Peninsula so soon must forage in the north coast Oregon nurseries for more.

(end of next day):

After a morning of planting under the street trees in Long Beach (Cosmos sonata and Salvia viridis), we drove to Raintree in Seaside and fit as many plants as possible into a two door Saturn:

Raintree had a glorious Meconopsis betonicifolia for $16; I resisted because would have little time to enjoy it.

Still to go: China Beach Retreat, The Shelburne (waiting for reconstruction of the garden area), Carol’s, Laurie’s, Wiegardt Gallery, Ted’s, Discovery Heights, Diane’s, The Red Barn, the 5-plex cottages, McD’s, Boreas, and Ilwaco street trees and planters.