What you can't see is the Yard Waste bin filled to overflowing, plus three more bags of weeds. The pile of weeds here are from only two portions of the back yard. I'm weeding bit by bit, because any other way is overwhelming and almost impossible.
This next photo shows a recently weeded portion of the back yard:
Yesterday, this portion of land was choking with dandelions, tall grass and dead pine-needles. After I cleared it, I was amused to find out that the portion of land I cleared was flatter than I thought.
The third photo is going to require some imagination:
The largest portion of land holds carrot seeds, chard seeds, and potato plants. The wee plot in the middle holds pumpkin seeds (Lucia picked them out). The plot to the far right has newly planted rhubarb roots. I'm glad I ordered a whole bunch of rhubarb roots on sale-- when I dug up the original ones in the front yard, I found that they had all rotted because I hadn't planted them correctly. Go here for what appears to be good rhubarb-growing advice.
Now for the pretty pictures....
Ever since I placed copper tape around the base of the callalily plant in the front yard, the blooms have flourished. (I said "NO!" to slugs.)
I have several different kinds of trillium on the West side of my house. This is my favorite one:
Thank you, cloudscome, for giving me good photo-taking advice.
Yesterday morning, I was so pleased to see new bleeding hearts after I thought the blooming season was over:
Alas, by the end of the day, they had all fallen off. I thought maybe Lucia had picked them off, but it would have been more like her to bring them over to show me. Lucia is remarkably lacking in guile, which I appreciate. (Yes, I'm knocking on wood as I type this.)
P.M. Update: I just finished making a "fairy garden" for Lucia:
Lucia had gone to bed by the time I completed the entrance to the garden. I've secured it as best I could, but strong winds or vigorous play will probably dislodge it. No matter. If that happens, we'll make another one.
9 comments:
Gorgeous gardens! You are, like, the example of someone doing all the important things of home and self-development that I weep over most folks not having time to do in the modern culture. You are keeping civilization alive!
Thanks, LSM. This kind of gardening really is a part-time job.
Surely...the fairies make fairy gardens? At least that is what my mother told me when I was little. Another thing - how can you be so cruel to slugs? If you put copper bands round plants what will the little darlings eat?
It would have to be...so much work...but how sad not to have many gardens in the world!
I love your calla lilies! It's too cold to grow them where I live and I have such fond childhood memories of them. I tried digging up the bulb for winter for a few years, but I am a very lazy gardener and between those, the cannas and gladilous I finally threw in the trowel and decided to stick with plants I could leave in the ground.
Stefanie: I'm with you on leaving plants in the ground. We're quite fortunate in this part of the country that we can leave our bulbs in the ground.
LSM: The community gardens were my favorite part of Alphabet City in NYC.
YP: No, no, you've got it all wrong. You have to make gardens so that the fairies will visit. Otherwise, the only way you know they've been there is if you find a ring of mushrooms. As far as slug rights go, I didn't realize how insensitive I was being to the wee creatures. By all means, slugs should chomp on my callalilies and rhodies. Bon appetit, les lingots!
My mother in law used to call Bleeding Hearts "Fat Ladies Bloomers" due to the fact they kind of look like a large woman bending over to pick something up. :)
Love your wee fairy garden! How lovely!
I had never heard of copper tape to deter slugs. Much kinder than beer!
I just found a little sign that says "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." This is so true! Yours will be lovely (as will my "English Garden" in Arizona I am sure!).
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