Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Shelburne Hotel
I had a few plant starts ( cyclamens from MaryBeth and Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ from Klipsan Beach Cottages) to plant in the Shelburne front garden. It had been on my mind to get back there and see how the garden is doing. I wish it would “do” faster. I miss having lots of spring bulbs in it. Next year! I took some narcissi from my garden and left them by the kitchen sink, hoping someone could find it useful.
Outside, the only especially maddening weed I found was the dratted Aegopodium, which is thick at the south end and, unfortunately, popping up elsewhere as well.
I was most pleased when one of my most admired local gardeners came round the corner for lunch in the pub and said that the garden HAD gone to weeds but was now looking much better. He had brought two little friends with him.
I am feeling so eager for the plants to start to show.
I planted my baby Sansuisorba ‘Lilac Squirrel’ with Allan’s protective teepee. I found that mine at home is finally leafing out so I could put my new one in here.
Long Beach, Bolstad Beach Approach
We returned to the all consuming task of weeding the beach approach, after doing a small bit of deadheading downtown.
Before driving to the approach, we dumped Sunday’s debris and gathered some mulch.
We began weeding where we had left off. The red buoy is at the end of the gardens.
Befores and afters (mostly Allan’s photos):
We finished one section in two and a half hours and started the next.
Our neighbour Jared strolled by with his good dogs:
Below, see those holes in the weeds? That is where I had planted some Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, of which I have plenty, to try to fill in with something free. Every one has been stolen and I am so exasperated. And furious. This is why, other than shrubs and roses, the gardens look so empty. This is why we can’t have nice things.
I also find much evidence of the theft by digging of narcissi bulbs. Below, evidence that was discarded on the ground after some fool took the bulb and no foliage, apparently. Or someone just pulled the plant apart for fun. Deer do not do this to narcissi.
I am just going to encourage more wild beach lupine. I can’t have anything fancier here.
Sometimes I think about writing a letter to the editor or speaking at Long Beach city council. Then I think that would just alert people to where to find good plants for free.
When I got this far in the second section, I did not think I would make it to the planter. Allan put a cookie on the rock to keep me going. I was not amused, so he placed it where I could reach it. Three ibuprofens later, I did make it to the end.
The afters, (all by Allan), section one:
section two:
Now we have this far to go to the buoy:
at home
In picking narcissi for the Shelburne this morning, I had noticed that a depressing number were tattered by snails, so I had to find enough evening energy to totter around the garden tossing out some Sluggo pellets.
Oh dear, I may have coppiced my golden leycesterias and my smokebush too hard and too soon:
Four beach approach sections to go and then I MUST get the rest of the sweet peas planted.
So sad about those people who steal and destroy plants. You have to wonder what else they do in their leisure time. 😦 But at least you are making other areas of the peninsula beautiful. The Shelburne is going to look amazing this summer!
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Wish you could come see!
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That red buoy never seems to get any closer in your pictures. The cookie! I had no idea that Allan was such a secret smart-ass.
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Oh, he is. I know exactly what you mean re that damn buoy. It is taunting us.
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The plant thieves must be truly infuriating. I would try some public witches spells and curses and then let it be know that a thief has been found in agony (even if that is fake news).
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Excellent plan!
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Grape hyacinth! It is still cool!
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I love it and have quite a few different ones.
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I still think that the old fashioned blue that was so common years ago is still the best, but some of the white ones that look like white versions of the simple blue ones look rad too. I do not like the fancy ones so much, but have not grown them either.
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I have a blue and white called Ocean Magic, and a very dark blue narrow one, and one with a greenish cast over the blue, and a new one that looks like Muscari but isn’t. I’ll take pics and look up the names as they come along. I love the plain old bright blue one. It can be weedy but that’s ok because I always have room for more.
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I remember pictures of ‘Ocean Magic’, but still prefer the familiar for my own garden. Some of the very light blue cultivars would be nice in my mother’s garden. I would probably get only one or two cultivars, and not mix them.
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I have them all mixed up now because I added a mixed bag…just at the port gardens, as I recall. 😉
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Well, that is probably the better way to do it anyway. I don’t do it, but it seems that everyone else likes it that way.
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