Whoops...it's been a few days since the last blogging. Which isn't to say that there hasn't been garden activity...in fact, Tuesday was nothing but! But it was such a full garden day, that it really sapped me.
Plus, work is busier this time of year and we are approaching the end of the traditional TV show season, so a number of my favorites are holding my attention as we race toward season finales. ("HEROES": best show on television, "LOST": finally paying some story dividends for my three years of attention, "HOUSEWIVES": always fun...)
Tuesday, as I mentioned, was a day devoted to the garden. It was a pleasant day, with cool breezes in the morning. I added a few more seedlings: dianthus (pink and assorted colors) and some snapdragons (yellow, red and pink this year...well, so far, anyhow...) here and there, imagining the pretty pictures they'll make a month or so from now.
I also transplanted some white daffodils (about to bloom; i know, not the best time to transplant, but I always forget when they're done, so now they've been relocated...and it looks like they'll be blooming shortly anyway...so nyah...).
There was also a large clump of what I had come to suspect were alliums too overgrown for blooming. They were crowded up too close to a promising clump of peonies which have not yet bloomed for me--they had to go somewhere else.
Digging them up confirmed their identity, or at least their general family, with the whole back garden smelling of onions for a while. I divided them and replanted in assorted locations, and we'll see what comes of that. I'm hoping for some flowering variety to whom I've not yet been introduced, but anything's possible.
I was giving all that a final watering in, when it started to rain. I had a feeling it was only going to be a passing shower, so I continued on with the hose and indeed, it passed pretty quickly and in a very short time, the sun was shining once again...and all before I was done watering.
During a lunch break inside, I heard a large bird noise outside the window, and glanced out to see a crow in this evergreen bush, where the cardinals had apparently built a nest. The crow's head was tilted back and I could see something white in his beak, which I assumed was probably a cardinal's egg. No photo of that dramatic moment, but here's the scene of the attack.
I felt kind of bad for a few minutes. Those cardinals have been trying real hard for a few years now to find the right place, and it seemed like they were making strides this year. Of course, just a week or so ago, I watched as a mob of crows dive-bombed a hawk or an eagle who was raiding one of their nests...so you know, it's just the Natural Way of Things, I suppose.
After lunch I decided to begin tackling the newest bed in the back garden, being built/dug out around the "foxglove factory." You can see the foxglove forming rows amongst emerging grasses here.
I started by digging in the rock border, then tearing out the grass clumps, being careful to work in between foxglove and some raspberry plants.
There was also some poison ivy vines, which I unwittingly ripped out bare-handed, only recognizing them when it was too late, as they are only barely leafing out. (On that front, I may have a tiny isolated patch or two of rash, which I'm being careful about, but I seem mostly to have dodged that bullet...whew...)
There was also a brief "Sopranos" moment when my digging uncovered this old glove, posed here with one of those foxglove plants.
My recent toilings in other parts of this old garden had revealed a large patch of lily of the valley, and I began transplanting them into the cleared areas, along with a few of the larger, "extra" hosta plants from the garden at the back of the house, which is on my list for renovation later in the season. I also left a space for a bleeding heart which should be arriving shortly.
Eventually, this was the result of my efforts.
Still plenty of grass and Lord-knows-what-else to be dug out, but it's nice to have a project I have begun which I can now return to, making a little more progress with each visit.
In a short time, it'll be cleared out and ready for transplanting of other things...such as some of our irises, who I suspect would love a little more sun. I envision a path of stepping stones weaving through this area, ending at the base of the apple tree (which is off-camera to the right).
Here was the view from our side porch at the end of a long hard day.
We've had a few thunderstorms pass near us this week, and spritzes of rain here and there. Now we're actually getting a nice soaking of rain, which was long overdue. The temperature's dropped off to 45 though, so brrrr...or at least I thought so, until I heard tell of some Adirondack snow showers yesterday.
Here's the first columbine to form a flower, and it's our second blue one (yay!! We've had only one of this color previously...so my seeding efforts are bearing fruit...a ha ha...), nestled against some wonderful ferns.
In the driveway garden, this pretty blue spire has come quietly into bloom. I know there's another name for it which is escaping me. Just now my tired mind is only coming up with "carpet bugle", which may be the name of a different, related variety. I'm sure it will occur to me after some much needed sleep.
Ajuga, that's what it's called!
The back garden at dusk, looking quite tidy and inviting. You can't pick them out easily here, but as I took this, there were a pair of robins as well as a pair of catbirds wandering the paths and leap-flying across the beds, no doubt finding all manner of yummy eats...but hopefully not all the flower seeds I've spread/planted this past week!!
