English Lavender
Gorgeous weather meant work and play in the garden today. My back is sure to rebel by morning, but for now it feels good to have put in a day’s work.
Lights and Ladders
One of the lights in the towering pine tree stopped working last summer. As we suspected, a small critter chewed through the wire and its housing. It’s hard to fathom the appeal of a few small, low-voltage wires, but there you have it. My husband rented a twenty-foot ladder and did the repairs. I worried and paced the entire time. I held the ladder on his way up, then flipped the switch when instructed. Ten minutes crawl by when you’re busy worrying. I was happy to help him take the ladder back to the van. I’m glad that job is behind us.
Sod: Now you see it, now you don’t
I dug up a pie-shaped corner of sod along the sidewalk, creating a 3 x 4 foot area for flowers. After much deliberation and input from several readers, I decided to plant on the property side of the sidewalk, instead of using the sidewalk strip. I’m still plotting alternatives to the grassy strip, but for now I’ll stick to my ‘flower pie’ project.
It was heartening to see so many plump earthworms as I dug out the layer of grass. Worms are a welcome addition in any garden. I can’t wait to start planting.
Lavender: Shave and a Haircut
English Lavender growing along the deck was in desperate need of a haircut. I pruned away dead wood and undergrowth, then shaped the top along the deck. It looks unkempt for now, but in a few weeks, new growth fill help fill it out. The lavender attracts bees all summer , something I always look forward to. I’m going to participate in the Great Sunflower Project this year, so I’m counting on lots of buzzing visitors.
There is suddenly so much to do as the weather improves and time seems to accelerate. I wish I could slow things down and take time to savor it all. Ah, Spring! I love you so. ♥
Gardening Nirvana 
You’ve been so busy, it’s always nice to get back out into the garden but you’re right, the chores always double one spring arrives. I hope the back is bearing up well and I know exactly how you felt when your hubby was up that ladder!
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Thanks, Eleenie, for your comments and support.
It does double…or triple. I signed with a big client last week, too, so I’m busy on all sorts of levels. Can’t wait to get back out and play in the dirt.
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Send us some of your good weather we are all desperate here to get into the garden! You sound so busy and I am so envious – I even wish my back ached from gardening! We are under a few feet of snow!
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I know quite a few people are still under snow. We are so lucky here. Everything seems to be waking up all at once.
I hope your snow melts soon so you can begin breaking ground.
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I think when the snow eventually melts we will have flooding! Nothing we can do but hang on and hope for better weather soon.
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Ugh! You can’t catch a break. We’re desperate for rain and you have it in excess. Good luck.
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Life is just not fair!
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I laugh when you talk about digging up patches of sod because Jim tried to convince me not to make any more beds, but in one ear, out the other. HA. Have you decided how to plant? Sounds like you have pretty nice soil. Are you planting the same Sunflower variety as last year. I had fun going back to all your links. I like the variety ‘Valentine’..they say they’re pastel. Have all your tulips bloomed now? Am I asking too many questions LOL. We are so garden deprived here, I need a the dirty details….hahaha xOK
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I love all your questions. It’s been an amazing ten days. It seems everything is suddenly in bloom.
The third round of tulips (I only planted five) are just now coming up. Two look great, one is not doing very well and who knows what the (ahem) squirrels did with the rest of them.
The azaleas are all starting to bloom. We have fuschia, light pink, white and variegated. The ivy dinosaur is out of control. I’m going to bite the bullet and move it to the front yard (will need to replant the ivy but it grows quickly). The crows were circling the new dirt/pie. I hope they left me so me worms, and ate the grubs instead.
I try different sunflowers every year. I plan to add a row to the pie shaped bed. I want to buy a lot this year so I have a shot at a good crop. Today my garden green house tent arrived. If it works out, I’ll buy one more, not so much for the greenhouse effect but to protect from marauding squirrels.
The freesias are blooming like crazy, and we have small fruit on the 4 in 1 tree. I need to pick oranges too. All six hydrangeas are suddenly covered in leaves, and the maple went from brown to orange in a week. I wish you were here to enjoy it with me, Boomdee. xx00
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So not much happening? 😉 LOL…….WOW sounds like heaven. I always love the look of Ivy covering walls or fences, yet another thing that’s not hardy here. I wish I was there to enjoy you enjoying it! I just love your passion xo. You need a ‘scare-a-crow’…..California style, like beach shirt, sunglasses. Karen & I made one for Halloween once and for a year it turned up in peoples shower, half under beds, looking in windows….very little investment, lots of laughs and entertainment. I’ll pen a little note to Mother Nature and ask her to save some ‘shazam’ for my visit…counting the days xoxoxo
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