Finally, some Gardening!

Well, the rain finally let up enough for us to work in the garden! It never really quit, but we can handle a drizzle.

We actually started with the four new Roses. Broke out the chainsaw and went to town on the overgrown brush and some gum trees that really needed to go (gotta let those Dogwoods get some light!). Anyway, the section we worked on is just off the side of the driveway, right next to where we park. We actually cleared quite a bit more than what was needed for just four Roses, but we plan to keep adding Roses at the rate of at least a couple per week, until we have a Rose “Forrest”.

I hit the chainsaw and Kay went to dragging off the spoils to our large stick and bark compost pile (actually it’s more of a natural decay than an actual compost pile). All in all, it didn’t take too long. The best thing about doing it is, IT’S DONE!

We then polished off what topsoil we had left in the “wild flower” bed (we’ve really got to get it to full size and thin some of the plants).
Then we planted the remainder of the Verbena in the “feature I can’t tell you about yet” and the “other feature I can’t tell you about yet”.

Planted the other four Don Juan Roses along the “wall”. This thing’s going to be beautiful when the Roses take over (will be next year for full coverage).

Then we planted half of the “Southern Blue” in the “new feature I can’t tell you about yet” that My In-Laws brought us today. I got the edge in for the yellow “Trumpet Vine”, which will be allowed to cover the “new feature I can’t tell you about yet”.

Next I spent a couple hours with the mattock, removing some unwanted from the whole of the garden. I think the thing must have lost a half of a pound of metal on the rocks. Kay went on clean up detail and weed detail. Christina went on “gopher” detail.

After I had done all my back could take with the mattock, I went off to starting some second string seeds.
Started fifty Rancules, thirty Freesias, Sixty second string Tomatoes (Rutgers and Beef Steaks for second string), a hand full each of four varieties of Watermelon (second string), two varieties of Cucumbers, more “Lanterns”, some more Mammoth Sunflowers, the next string of Poppies (I like to continue new plants every month until too hot, then resume the process in the Fall), about thirty or so odds and ends varieties (hand full of each) and transplanted some of the last startings.

I can’t wait, the garden is really going to be beautiful this year (already is and less than a fifth is in bloom).

Kay just pulled up with some more goodies, time to get back to work.