I have done the front beds a number of times but have been slacking off in favour of reading, working, and tending to my four new fruit trees and their accompanying rain barrel. But the excess greenery was detracting from the peonies and other purple flowers so I got my leaning over back put on right and got to work yesterday afternoon. I also broke out my rake to clean up the back patio from all the hedge clippings I dropped on Sunday. I have a nice sorted pile under the lilac ready for transportation to the farm. I am toying with trimming back the other lilac because three lower parts really get in my way when I cut the grass back there, and I’d like to not get knocked on the head/neck by low lying branches when I’m all sweaty and agitated. It has bloomed and now looks like just another green shrub. I think I just might do it this time!
Today’s garden focus is the random mostly empty bed against the back of the house. It’s where the dog digs the most. If I leave weeds in it he doesn’t dig so much, so I have strategically left a handful behind to deter his mining urges. Let us see if they work at all. I don’t think they will. At least not for long.
My main goal is to be able to sit at the patio table and one, not have the hedge look unruly, or overhang into the useable space, and two, not have the beds look atrocious or unkempt while seated and actually looking around. The far bed has trees, ferns, and a tulip like ground covering weed in it, so it looks ok, and purposeful. The one I weeded today just looks like a mess, but I don’t know of any plants that would like that spot. Maybe some shade loving hostas? We have lots of those. Even more Daylilies? I’m not sold on that either. Maybe just scented mulch? Who knows. It’s unlikely I will do anything about it this year. I put the budget into those four new fruit trees. I very likely went overboard. Oh well.
Luckily the thistles haven’t started up yet. They get really nasty in July and August. Long needles and tiny shards that embed in the skin with barbs and are just all around painful. If you have to pull out thistles you reach right down to where the stem meets the ground and twist/pull from there. It’s the least armored spot, but beware it’ll still bite you if your grip fails, and your hand slides up the stem. It’ll git’cha!
I would typically go for more grass and fewer beds. More shrubs and fewer flowers. I’m a lazy outdoorsman. Not much of a gardener once the heat climbs up into the thirties and beyond. No thanks! As I age I sweat more than ever even from mild exertion. I’m certain the pot belly and thirty five extra pounds don’t help at all in that regard either. Ha! Look at me, I’m a pear.
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