I only had to work 5 hours today. My boss sent me home early, so I used the extra hours to work in the gardens. I have a lot of grass to remove which is a big chore in an established perennial bed. Grass will ruin a garden in one season if it is not kept under control. It is, by far, the biggest chore I have in maintaining my beds. I am relentless in removing it. If a plant is invaded by grass, I will remove the entire plant and toss it. At this point, I have been gardening for years and I have dozens of almost all my plants. If a few must be sacrificed for the good of the whole, I bid them farewell in the knowledge that they have met an honorable death.

Nothing makes me cringe like seeing a blade of grass with seedheads blowing in the breeze. I know if I let those seeds ripen and fall, I will have hundreds more next year. If I don't have time to remove it from the roots, I will at least cut off the seedhead. On my daily stroll thru the yard, I carry scissors for little tasks like that.

My apple tree is in bloom. It is quite beautiful at the moment. Unfortunately all of those lovely flowers will turn to apples which I will have to pick up from the ground this fall.

I just treated myself to a little gift. I ordered P. Allen Smith's new book, Container Gardens. He writes a gardening column in Cottage Living (a magazine) that I really enjoy. His containers are always fresh and beautiful. The three reviews I read on the book were good so I am eager to start reading.

I Must Be One Whimpy Gardener

It was 48 degrees at 9am, so true to my word, I stuck my head out and, not only was it not windy, but the sun was shining, so out I went to finish edging. This area is done. It took a total of 4 wheelbarrow loads (it goes about another 20 feet beyond what you can see in the picture) and was pretty easy work. I was feeling pretty proud of myself for venturing out when it was not quite 50 degrees, until I looked over and saw my neighbor out gardening in shorts and a tank top! Geez, I had on a long-sleeved shirt made out of longjohn fabric and a jacket. I heard some ungodly noises out there and thought it was a bunch of fighting dogs until I looked up and saw a whole slew of geeze flying in formation--like a hundred or so of them--it was quite a site and I wished I had not just put my camera away.

Quiz Time

Who can tell me what this trailing plant is? I am assuming it is something from the same family as the wandering jew houseplant (I know, I know, it is now politically incorrect to call that houseplant by that name, BUT I do not know it by any other, so don't be flaming me). I bought 8 of these "premium hanging baskets" at Walmart, and, of course, the tag does not say what it is. I have discovered that I can cut off pieces and just stick them in the soil and they will take root. I will be sticking this stuff in everything!

Sunday Cooking

I did not find coleus Sedona yesterday, so the hunt is still on. It did rain (finally!) while I was gone. It is only 39 degrees this morning. I really need to get out and do some weeding, but this bod does not venture out in 39 degree weather! I might open the deck door and stick my nose out at about 49 degrees. If there is no wind, I may grudginly bundle up and go out...only because I am at the point of MUST WEED because I have been putting it off for so long. Tomorrow I have to work (yes, I know it is a holiday for most people, but not for me). Tuesday after work, I have to go to yet another meeting in Detroit (that's the 4.5 hour drive again). We will go down Tue. night and come back about 9 - 10 pm on Wed. night. So once again I have no garden time after today until at least Thursday evening. This is my third meeting for the month of May and it should be my last for a while. I do not normally have to go through this torture so often.

Today I do need to cook a few things so DH has something to eat while I am gone. I am planning to make cheeseburger soup (I love that stuff!) and sweet/sour pork with rice. I have already peeled the carrots, & sliced the celery & onion so it will be ready when I am. I just heard my first load of laundry go off, so must go tend to that.

I hope most of you are not working the holiday and have a great long weekend. Please take the time to thank a veteran or at least take a moment to remember the sacrifices they have made for our freedom.

I want this plant, Coleus Sedona, but have been unable to find it in my area. Isn't the foliage outstanding? I am planning on a little day trip today and will check out every nursery I pass. Someone in Northern Michigan MUST have it!

Here are a few more of my newly planted containers. The first three are wall planters and have petunias with sweet potato vine,. The red petunia also has Tradescantia (Purple spiderwort ). The double container is a new one (I have two of them). I have gold marigolds and orange Gazanias (In the pics the blooms have closed for the night- they are an intense orange color). I forgot that Gazanias close up in the afternoon. Since they are closed when I get home from work, I will only be able to see them on the weekends - probably not the best choice. Live and learn.

Finally Getting Some Color

I am lacking energy again tonight. I felt like going to bed, but when I looked at the clock it was only 5:30 p.m.! So I forced myself to go out and do some edging in the rock garden. I worked for about an hour and then took these pictures. I am finally getting some blooms. The arbor gardens have creeping phlox starting to bloom. In the rock garden, ajuga (dark purple),creeping phlox, snow-in-summer (the silver foliage which is not yet in bloom. It will get tiny white flowers.), and primrose (red/yellow).

I am so far behind on the weeding and now the mosquitoes are out in full force. I must have a dozen bites on my neck/face/head. While I was out there a rabbit ran out from hiding in the daylillies and scared the bejeebees out of me. You would think I would get used to that as it happens all the time.

Arbor Gardens Creeping Phlox

Rock Garden shows some color

No Deer Damage

I am so happy to report that the Hinder seems to be working. It has been 4 nights now and no deer damage to the hostas. I sprayed them again tonight. We still have not had any rain, but the leaves are opening and I thought I had better get some on them. Florrie, thank you again, for spurring me on to purchase this. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to stroll the gardens and NOT have deer damage.

The weather has been warming up here--today it was high 70's. Last night I left most of my plants out and tonight I put the tuberous begonia hanging baskets out. It's been about 45 degrees at night, so I hope they will be OK. I can't take much more of the haul-them-out and haul-them-back-in routine.

I have the majority of the containers planted. I need to touch up the paint on a few of them. I like to paint almost all of my containers green so they don't compete with the flowers. I even paint the plastic containers. They do chip off easily, but it is easy to touch them up each year with a can of spray paint.

I am off now to check everyone's blogs to see what you all have been up to.

Barrel Plants

Last night I was too tired to finish my post. I wanted to tell you what plants I had planted in the barrel:

Persian Shield (back middle - should get 3 feet tall). A foliage plant with purple leaves & silver veins. I have not grown this one before.
Celosia -Red foliage plants on each side in the back. They will get red spikey flowers
Celosia - orange and yellow spikey things
Osteopernum - purple daisy
Calibrocha - It is a tiny yellowish petunia- like flower spilling over the edge. I believe it is also called million bells.
Sweet Potato Vine - planted two of these - -purple foliage
Scaevola aemula: Blue wonder, Escabola, Fan flower - Trailing purplish thing in front (I planted this at work last year and it was beautiful)

It was a long day. I got to work at 6:15 a.m., did the daily deposit, labor and left for the meeting at 7 a.m. I got home at 6:30 p.m. At first I didn't feel like planting, but it is a nice evening and I decided to just go out for a few minutes and plant the barrel. It did not take long at all. It is supposed to rain tonight which would be wonderful. We have not had any rain for three weeks. I did not water the barrel because I am just too tired to haul water up the steps. I am counting on the rain to do it for me.

A Day of No Gardening

Yesterday I did not do a single gardening-related thing. After work, I had to get my nails done. The week of planting really did a number on them. Now they are all nice, neat and freshly French manicured.

Sunday I bought a half barrel to replace my whiskey barrel. It has a nice BIG planting area, which I love. I went looking for plants to mimic the bodacious planter (from the contest post below). Of course I could not find any of the plants here. So I will just have to use what I can find in similar colors. Maybe tonight I can get it planted.

My boss and I have to leave at 7am this morning for another meeting. This time it is only an hour and a half drive. It is a regional meeting and our bosses (the BIG bosses (i.e. our hotel owners) will be there. From my understanding there is some human resource stuff happening and that is why I have to be there. I just hope I get home in time to do some planting.

Vacation is Over

I took the past week off to work in my gardens and get my containers planted and I accomplished quite a bit. I have 75% of the deck containers planted. Even though I still have to haul the plants inside at night, I had to get it done because this is the only time I would have to do it.

I really did not do much in the perennial gardens -- I weeded a couple of them and that was about it. With all the deer damage, I have just not been as enthused this year. I did use the Hinder spray last night and there was no new damage to the hostas. Maybe it really will work.

Remember the bag of impatiens I planted two days ago? Well, it is now minus three plants--a baby rabbit ate them. Yes, now I have baby rabbits right under the steps to my deck. I was sitting there this morning drinking coffee and the cute little thing hopped right out in front of me. I had been hearing noises from that area, but thought it was the usual squirrels. Ah, the joys of country life. Well, the Hinder says it works on rabbits, too. So now I will have to spray my container plants.

Tomorrow morning I must go back to dealing with people. Certainly it will be easier than dealing with all the critters around here!

2004 Most Bodacious Container Contest

Aren't these containers spectacular? No, they are not mine, though I wish they were. While surfing this afternoon, I found this site http://avantgardensne.com/bodacious.asp with the winners from their contest last year. The first two would be perfect with my color scheme.