Monday, 28 May 2018
at home
Yesterday evening, I sheared all of the Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ to make them less floppy later on.
I bucket watered and fertilized all the container plants with Liquid Dr. Earth. We have been conserving water fiercely for two months, because Ilwaco sets its water rate depending on the water a household uses in April and May and September and October. (We have even been saving bath water in small buckets for flushing the toilet.) If it makes a difference, it may have been worth it. On the other hand, it has been hard to not hose water the garden or turn on the sprinklers. Fortunately, the back yard is still damp underneath. The front is thirsty.
My watering today used up all the water in 7 out of 8 rain collecting barrels, leaving a foot or so of water in the last one.
That took a long time.
I then plunged deeper into my garden to try to get some center areas weeded enough for planting some sunflower seeds (4-5 feet tall ones, not the giant single flowered one). It is probably too late to plant the seeds. (I’m not much of a seed person.)
The befores were taken at 1:30 PM and the afters at 7:30.
The biggest before and after took place over two days, with Allan’s help removing the huge winter blooming honeysuckle.
I was so pleased that the many Allium christophii that I moved to the edge of the center bed did not sulk at all.
I had gone off Lysimachia ciliata and was trying to get rid of it till I learned that Monty Don loves it in his Jewel Garden. I am easily swayed sometimes.
You can see above how well I succeeded in getting rid of it last autumn.
More plants:
I have forgotten the name of this plant:
Skooter tracked me through the jungle all day.
Weeding this bed is next weekend’s first project.
Would this book help?
I think my garden is well beyond “two hours a fortnight” maintenance.
Allan escaped the garden and went boating, which he will share on his own blog when he has time to write it up.
I spent a lot of time thinking about how completely more at peace I feel in my own garden than working out in the public gardens. It continues to be a dilemma, since I do feel public gardens are my life’s mission—but I want to be at home.
Guest photos from our former client Jo, who moved away and is now creating a new garden:
Look here for the beauties of the garden we used to work on with her.
Two hours a fortnight? It must be entirely gravel.
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Agreed!!
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I have a love hate relationship with my lysimachias. Right now I am in love with firecracker, I am sure that will change.
Driest May on record here, my rain barrels are empty. With metered water, every time I use the hose it sounds like a myriad of dollar bills rubbing together.
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It is raining just a bit here. I stood at the window watching a delicious dribble going into a rain barrel. I wish it would pour!!
My mom had a well dug for watering. I think the rules are stricter now. She was secretive about money but she did say it paid for itself in two years.
It’s interesting that Ilwaco may really bill just based on those four months. If true, I could water freely in June-August. I’m not profligate with water except in the garden.
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Lonicera fragrantissima is one of those that I am not familiar with, but have read a bit about in my search for other honeysuckles. I have read that it can be aggressive; but it is honeysuckle, which is supposed to be aggressive. I still like the common Japanese honeysuckle best, and will be growing a red honeysuckle this years, but there are so many that I do not know.
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It is glorious in winter. In a subtle wAy. Blah the rest of the year.
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Blah is expected from honeysuckle, but like blah lilac and blah wisteria, it compensates.
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I like the dark purpl-y leaf honeysuckle vibe. It’s a bit rampant! But the foliage looks good always. Oh and wonderful Lonicera nitida is always shiny.
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WHAT?! I was wondering who would plant that stuff in their garden! Now I know. It does not hold the color well here, and eventually looks like someone spilled coffee on it. ‘Forest Pansy’ redbud does the same, but continues to be trendy.
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I had a Forest Pansy. Loved it. It plotzed.
That purple honeysuckle stays a good colour here.
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Such color lasts better in mild or more humid weather. Purple leaf plum keeps color very well, but is rather passe.
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We have one that was here when we bought this place. It always looks kind of sickly close up.
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Probably for the opposite reason. It likes warm and dry summers, or at least warm summers. It does surprisingly well even in San Diego County.
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