Saturday, 21 April 2019
Instead of the working day we had planned, and thanks to dropping one job, I had a productive extra day in the garden.
I had learned that deer eat Viburnums, so I moved my stunted double file viburnum into the fenced garden, back in the bogsy wood.
I was not able to get good roots. I can tell you that three days later, it does not look happy about its new home. Fortunately, it is not terribly rare so could be replaced if it does not revive, and better yet, it had made two rooted layers pieces….
…that do look happy in their new home.
My other achievement was to gather all the driftwood that Allan had brought me awhile back and use it to finish my privacy fence on the east side, something I have been wanting to do for months.
My garden design desire is always to “stop the eye”. In her great book The Inward Garden, Julie Moir Messervy writes that each person has an archetype of the garden they desire. One is the cave, and that is mine.
I recommend this book and have lent my copy out repeatedly. I mean to reread it next winter.
I had clients whose archetype was clearly The Promontory; even though they did not have much of a view, they kept cutting down all the shrubs around the edges. I felt so uncomfortable there, overlooked by other houses, that I had to let the job go.
Allan mowed the J’s lawn and ours.
I noticed that the old Danger Tree has a big hole in it. I can hear pecking, hammering sounds inside the tree sometimes.
In another snag tree next door, Allan saw the residents going in and out.
Biscuit time for my friends next door:
Another day of puttering, plant sale preparation, and not much weeding.
I am concerned that this wild cucumber vine, with its huge root mass (like a monster coconut)…
…is killing the dogwood that is one of the few shrubs that were here when we moved in. The dogwood was not happy before that. It’s in Allan’s garden. If the dogwood dies, we could expand the front porch sunroom.
I worked more on my privacy fence, with Skooter helping.
”Wait for me! I halp!”
I painted my new table so that it does not show so glaring white from the street…
…and came up with the cunning plan to put a back and sides on it, for further privacy (with which I am obsessed). It’s such a big table that it would be like a mini shed.
Tired out from helping, Skooter just watched.
I had a good long visit when Susie of the Boreas Inn came by; in the good weather, we sat by the new ponds and talked.
I planted my four new clematis, Bees Jubilee, Gravetye Beauty, Duchess of Albany, and Frances Rivis.
I hope to have them clambering up shrubs.
I contemplated removing a not very happy shrub in the front garden…
….but had completely run out of steam.
Allan had gone boating all day. At dusk, just before he arrived home, I had an Easter visitor bearing a gift of egg shaped soap.
Below is a glimpse of Allan’s boating day, when he also went to South Bend for grocery shopping and to leave one his books at Elixir Coffee.
In an art gallery there…
…he saw “Dangerous Toys” made by our friend Joe Chasse.
In Elixir coffee:
On the dock nearby:
We don’t have much hope of getting back to work on Monday because of a rainy and cold and windy forecast. I would not at all mind a reading day.
Great post and photos as always!
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Thank you!
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Scooter looks so festive in his color. There’s a blight killing dogwoods, especially cornus florida. Kousa is resistant to it so far.
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Uh oh!!! The old one we have, don’t even know what kind, has never had good foliage (since we moved in) but it has had such good flowering that it has been spared.
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Because of this post, I’ve ordered “The Inward Garden” (plus a terrific non-gardening book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain”. Please give your friends next-door an extra biscuit for me. When again is your plant sale?
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Weekend of May 25, Fri and Sat. Maybe Sun afternoon too. Do let me know what you think of The Inward Garden. I enjoyed The Art of Racing in the Rain.
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The tulips on the dock are so pretty! I am happy you had more time off work. You accomplished a lot, even with your little helper, Skooter! The green table looks like it will be very handy.
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Thanks! I think all the outdoor tables I have, I got for free.
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I liked the tulips on the dock and the dangerous toys look exciting.
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Ever so thrilling!
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I love the driftwood fence – organic and funky!
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Thanks!
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I need to work in my garden too. It just opened up for me to be able to get in and work. It is already the END of April, and I have not even started!
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I feel the same.
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