have an amazing garden

There are still a few things on the to-do list. The gophers just got the last of the pumpkins and the deer have found the vegetable garden. Whatever it’s way too late in the summer to do much more planting-wise.

And it does really look amazing. Not like a finished garden – still two quite bare spaces, but I think considering how we started this year, I’m really happy with how it’s come.

It is really beautiful.

It’s really filling in nicely. And, for comparison, this link is the same area 2 months ago – the picture marked Last One.

Oh, my back and arms are tired.

I’m slowly getting the flower beds lined with the rocks but it takes a long time while also watching the chum. At least I figured out how to use the red wagon to move a pile of rocks rather than using the wheelbarrow.

Entry path completely done in picture. I’ve started the bits of the herb garden that need it and the junction outside the kitchen window. I’m at the phase in the project where I really really want to keep pushing on it, but life and the comments of my body say to take a break.

We also moved the bathtub today after the chum and I used up all the soil in it for the new herb pots.

It’s all looking really good. I’m very happy.

I want to close this goal. Not that the garden will be grown in, but I want to feel that the rehabilitation phase is over for now and I enter maintenance and tweaking for the rest of the year.

I am not expecting that the shade garden will be complete, as I’m not quiet sure where that is going. Must see how thing thrive and so on and so forth

Here, then, is the to-do list. When all items are crossed off, the garden will be deemed amazing and I will collapse with a refreshing beverage.

• Finish pouncing path
• Do the rock bed lining
• Fix the rocks by the pumpkins

• Window box
• More lavender transplanted by driveway
• A rock rose by the water heater
• The remainder of the prairie sunflowers

• Fill, water, & plant pots
• Sundial
• Mulch
• Rosemary

• Move bathtub
• Place other pots
• Get rose climbers
• Finish water system
• Place bench (es)

Needs to be seated a bit more carefully and I couldn’t do the last bit around the pumpkin bed since that damn bathtub is still there but…..

Let’s see how the chum likes jumping on it when he gets home from school.

as the chum was going to bed he stopped by the open front door. “Look how pretty our garden is! The flowers we planted are looking so beautiful.”

Yesterday I dragged the chum along to the statuary and fountain store. Note to self – Monday mornings are the absolutely best time for such trips. No one else is there and the chum could run the aisles and splash in the fountains without reproving looks.

Ordered the sundial I thought should be the center of the herb triangle. Hope it looks good. I’m so tragic at visualization.

Also bought 4 gorgeous red pots for the herb garden. The idea was for the annual herbs to go in pots (basil, cilantro, parsley, etc..) since they need to be replaced or seeded or whatever. But since they were so cute and on sale and all that, got a big one to replace the current mint holding repurposed drainage thing.

And speaking of classing up the garden, I’m finally ready to move the bathtub out, since the perennials I over-wintered there have been planted. Not sure where the bathtub collection is heading, but not there anyway.

Aside from that, a bunch of time weeding what remains the most tragic area of the garden, the kitchen window section. That soil is just so bad and it really constantly is on the verge of re-meadowing itself.

But the foxgloves are gorgeous there. It just needs consistent mulching and water and all so roots feel like venturing out a bit.

Here’s a shot of that area through the screen. Texture.

• Vegetable boxes are planted.
• Pumpkins are planted in the cut flower bed – gophers seem to have gotten in. Bastards.
• All recent purchased from Harmony are in except the ill advised cilantro
• The water system pump has been repaired. Some plants are getting water. Many aren’t.
• The chum and I did our first fertilizing today. The sprayer still works.

It’s starting to bloom and fill in nicely.

Slowed considerably by the 85 degree days.

A few plants have the flop but I think most were rescued. Lost 1 tree marigold and the lavender by the driveway looks like it may not make it, but I have a lot more starts around the side of the house so I may start that again soon.

I think I’m done for now planting in the bulk of the garden. I need to let it grow and see what happens.

Still need some more edging plants – probably largely verbena.

Next really must be the rocks – both for the path and for the edges. And the water system.

16 to go.

Today I planted everything that I knew exactly where it was going to go: the Buddleia, the evening primrose, the tree mallows, the ferns, the violas, the sun roses, and the elfin thyme.

What’s left is the stuff that I kind of know where it goes- generally – but not specifically.

It’s looking pretty good out there. Once these guys are in, I’m going to do the first fertilizing.

Still really need the jumping rocks though.