So much to do! Our business is one crisis after another, it seems. First stop: Marilyn’s where we made some progress but not as much as I had hoped. Having to leave at four in order to dump debris had a benefit, though, because otherwise we would have stayed all day and not made it to Andersen’s.
It’s really more like before to during as we only had time for rough weeding today (big stuff like blackberries, especially).
We are still having problems due to the round up catastrophe. The catmint has not recovered. I cut back HARD and fertilized it in hopes it will put out some nice new growth and not have to be replaced.
I told the neighbour, Don, about the upcoming tour. He has a new garden and I thought, correctly, that he would want to make sure it was spiffing. He then took us on a tour and I realized his garden should be on THE tour. He said next year or the year after, he will be ready!
His son designed and together they built a gorgeous fireplace worthy of Sunset Magazine.
From a large and attractive, partially stone clad (by the same skilled mason son) shop and guest house across the road, Allan got an aerial view of the front garden.
From above, a glimpse to the north reveals just a peek of an enticing garden with a gazebo that might also be garden tour worthy!
Our concern is that Marilyn’s will be tour-worthy after the weedkiller damage. Will the front row knit in with the rest of the garden in time?
At least it will be a good example of a deer resistant set of plants, and I am going to make a blog page that tour goers can refer to for more information and a plant list.
We went to Peninsula Landscape Supply at four thirty to dump debris and get some supplies for tomorrow, to find that they have the most amazing new set of HUGE rounded rocks for sale: river dredgings.
I imagine Judy is going to dream of having one of those!
By five fifteen, we were at Andersen’s RV Park because I had a feeling today would be a good day to weed the garden shed garden, a fairly big project that had only been weeded once or twice so far this year. What timing! We have been trying to get the park ready for the Sisters on the Fly club which I thought was arriving next Wednesday. It turns out the leaders are coming this weekend to prepare and will be parked…right by the garden shed! What a blessing I decided it needed doing today. Now I feel we must return tomorrow rather than Monday for a big weeding…but then what about Klipsan Beach Cottages and Wiegardt Gallery and The Anchorage. YIKES! (Saturday is out because there is an afternoon Peninsula Cash Mob which we will attend at least for awhile.)
Ace staffer Al helped by bringing us a trailer load of mulch so we did not have to wheelbarrow it half a mile (or, well, less, but pretty far).
We did not push the building back upright; I am just running out of time to straighten photos!
We did not have time to re-gravel the path at the east end, but Al says he will do that tomorrow.
The next crisis was to stop on the way home and check the Veterans Field garden because the Columbia Pacific Farmer’s Market is starting up there tomorrow. The garden is getting wind-battered, and a lot of the little annuals that I planted early so there would be a full garden for the May 1st-or-so dedication are looking kind of sad now. When the little dianthus at Basket Case bloom so that I can tell which are red and white, we will add some here.
At eight thirty, we were leaving Long Beach and as we drove past the Lewis and Clark Square planter, Allan yelled “Hey!” and parked the car and trailer. One of a group of kids, maybe 12 year olds, maybe 9 year olds, had pulled an Allium right out as he glanced over. I got out and yelled “Hey!” “Sorry!” said one girl as they all sidled quickly up the sidewalk, leaving the Allium behind. “Hey, that plant cost $5, and it had only ONE bloom for the year and now it’s over!” I called after her. “Sorry, sorry, sorry!” she said, still backing away (from the crazy lady). I actually had the unusual feeling that she heard me. And understood. I could be wrong. And I think the bulb was really only $4. Years ago, I planted Allium albopilosum in that planter and every one got stolen. This year I thought I would try again. I guess it is pointless.
I KNEW as a child not to pick other people’s flowers. For the rest of the summer, the planter will be less than it could have been. Trivial in the grand scheme of the world and life and death and suffering, but if I did not care a lot I would not be trying so hard in this job.
A quick check of the Fifth Street park revealed a large piece of Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’….one of three…broken off on the lawn.
It came from this plant:
and it had a piece of root that makes me think someone was trying to steal a piece to start!
Maybe I will be able to start it and make one for Golden Sands, our lowest budget garden.
By 8.47 we were dopping off a few buckets of pea gravel at Larry and Robert’s garden to set up for tomorrow’s first job. The sun was setting over the Lake Street monkey tree.
Finally at home, I watered a few container plants, and as I walked to one of our water collection barrels, I saw in the driveway of Nora’s house:
They looked at me, then returned to their meal.
Much as with the children earlier, the crazy lady chased them away. But gently, because they are pretty cute.
I am sure they returned (maybe even to our only partially fenced front garden) as soon as we went in the house. I bet they wish they could get to all the good things inside our fence.
I wish I had more time to spend there myself.
I remember my first Long Beach volunteer planter year and some jackass stole all the stock I had planted around the center pole. I was so upset. That was expensive! The public is pretty disrespectful, as you point out. Although, often when I was working at my former planter by the Dennis Company, people would drive by in their cars and call out from their cars to tell me how pretty it was. I do love immediate gratification!
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The compliments outweigh the vandalism but it sure is frustrating when someone swipes or breaks something special and irreplaceable.
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Maybe a letter to the local papers explaining why the plants are there, ie to encourage beauty and respect for the town, young folk might get the message. Even notifying schools in the area about the reasons for flowering plants and the joy they bring might get through to most kids. Kids don’t think at the best of times.
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I think that has been tried but it may have been effective.
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[…] up some plants for Andersen’s garden shed border which I felt had looked a little bare after the previous evening’s weeding there. I also got two Lobelia tupa for Sheila as she and Harold are coming to visit us […]
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