Saturday, 13 June 2015
On Friday I had made a resolution to get all the ladies in waiting in the ground, and to not even go to the Saturday market. Two things got me to the market after all: I had hoped there would be the heirloom tomato plant booth would be at the Friday market in Long Beach (it wasn’t) and I wanted to find a birthday present for Seattle Carol. I also am driven by the self imposed commitment to take photos for Discover Ilwaco.
I liked Smokey’s plan for the day.
path to the market through Nora’s back yard
Here’s a worrisome thing: the water in the meander line ditch behind our property is all dried up, so soon.
the meander line today
From August last year (half a block further west, which is also dried up early this year)
looking west, no sign of water
Along Howerton Drive, just across the big parking lot, I assessed the two curbside gardens I walked by, thinking it’s a good thing I picked drought tolerant plants.
Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’
lavender and California poppies
more Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’ and lavender
The garden boat at Time Enough Books needs more water than the curbside gardens do.
The hanging baskets needs water every day. I’m glad that’s not my responsibility. (South side of Port Office)
I did not find the perfect present to send to Carol; I think I’ll go to NIVA green for that; but I did find some Sweet 100 tomato plants.
Saturday market plant vendor
I just love the name of the new-this-year booth, Blue Collar Eats. I need to go to the market hungry sometime instead of right after breakfast (which, for me on a day off, is midmorning).
Blue Collar Eats
I browsed Time Enough Books and got Carol a card, and saw a book I want to read:
Cabin Lessons is the one that caught my eye.
A book won’t do for Carol: she is an avid reader but is also a minimalist and does not collect stuff of any kind.
Meanwhile, Allan had dealt with yesterday’s work debris, and later mowed and strimmed the lawn.
dismantling for firewood the old barrels from Fish Alley
When I got back home from the market, I was exhausted. I hoped that a special drink would perk me up.
Tonic water with Starvation Alley organic cranberry juice and a splash of lemon juice
It must have done the trick, as I proceeded to plant almost all of the ladies in waiting. The only ones that were left over were some 6 packs of painted sage. A vigorous wind made it a little nerve wracking to plant near the alder trees. However, I could not bear to wait any longer, and the wind was not as bad as it had been the previous Saturday.
plants in the ground! in a new raised area under the former danger tree (now a stump)
I added about ten new-to-me hardy fuchsias.
Fuchsia ‘Empress of Prussia’
Fuchsia ‘Black Prince’
As I planted, I caught up on some plants that I hadn’t visited for awhile.
I had almost missed the flowering of this plant from Todd. (Sauromatum venosum)
I had missed its peak of bloom.
That reminded me to have a look at the Japanese iris that had been so beautifully in bud over a week ago.
Iris ensata
closer
Another iris has pale green strappy foliage.
and dark flowers. I can’t remember where I got this one!
I was thrilled to see my Rosa rubrifolia popping up from among the Geranium ‘Rozanne’. I had thought it was a goner.
Rosa rubrifolia AKA Rosa glauca with purple red foliage
I also saw a spooky sight that made me think of Day of the Triffids:
These lights had appeared on the boat half a block away.
Maybe I’m remembering the tripod science fiction series by John Christopher, which I read in my teenage years, because I do know that the triffids were giant plants, not mechanical. The lights were particularly startling when the sun shone off of them, unlike these quieter late evening photos.
telephoto
wheelbarrows full of empty pots
Not to mention empty pots strewn about…
The ladies in waiting section, almost empty of needing planting.
Planting is just about my least favourite garden task, so I was proud of myself for buckling down and getting it done. (One year I actually paid Allan to plant for me on a day when I could not stand it anymore.) Tomorrow, I hoped to be done with all the planting at home (for now).
Tangly Cottage Gardening 