Monday, 22 July 2019
New cat Jazmin is still making my room her territory, still growling at the door and not ready to meet the other cats.
We had checked on the Ilwaco planters upon our return last night and found them wanting in moisture and even, here and there, a bit droopy. So we reversed the polarity of the neutron flow and did Ilwaco watering first. Almost unheard of because it’s better to water in the evening, and the parking is harder during the day. Allan had to do more walking with heavy buckets of water. (I think we will be giving up this planter job at the end of 2020. It is too hard on back and knees. Allan will be 68 by then.)
Ilwaco
We filled our 25 five gallon buckets with water at the boatyard and then I weeded and groomed the planters and street tree gardens while Allan applied the water.

We took time to move the Saturday Market banner, which had been hung up behind a stately Panicum ‘Northwind’ while it was small.

Better to move the banner than have someone cut down the grass.
The thirstiest plant in the planters was golden oregano.

I had some success with calendula seeds under a street tree.
The Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ that I put in the center of each planter (economical for the city because they were free) are somewhat successful. Deer spray has worked to protect them. But some, in both sun and slight shade, have diseased leaves.
Per Google, probably powdery mildew. Maybe. I will try improving the drainage in the affected planters with grit. I had the same problem with a few purple leaved sedums last year. Darn it.
Maybe they don’t like liquid fertilizer.

Long Beach
We picked up our check and tidied the garden at Long Beach city hall.

Uh-oh, we might need to lower that rhododendron so the sign shows.


We moved the van to mid town and separated to water the street trees and some planters (Allan) and the rest of the planters (me).
I realized that I had to trim the police station roses (Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’) where they’d gotten too wide for the sidewalk.
My photos while watering:





Speaking of agastaches, I was pleased to get this email from Annie’s Annuals: “…whether you say “Aga-STAK-ee” or “A-GAS-ta-key” (heck, you can even call it Aga-STASH and we won’t blink..” I say A GAS ta key, on the advice of Bob Nold. This was the first other place where I have found that very proper pronunciation. Even on Gardener’s World, the presenters say Agastashee…. or even Aga-stash. So I was glad to be vindicated.
I noticed another hidden sign, the new sign for the World’s End Pub.
This time it is Not My Problem (unlike the rhododendron at City Hall).
It will show from the intersection. The pub, which will have a pirate theme, is not yet open. I feel bad for them missing the summer trade.
Allan’s photos while watering:


After watering the planters, we weeded half of the beach approach garden because the Sandsations sand sculpture event starts on Wednesday. Allan took all the photos out there.

I am sure the coreopsis are being pulled by people trying to pick the flowers.

Ilwaco
We returned to our Ilwaco watering with our volunteer gardens at the fire station and post office.

