Weekend at the Farm June 13 - 14, 2015

Used the last of the Kiowa blackberries to make a cobbler.  I have a few Quachita plants in the Orchard, they ripen about three weeks later than the Kiowa, so they are just turning black.  They produce smaller berries and the plants are thornless.  Although the Quachita  are a lot less painful, I prefer the Kiowa.

Arrived Friday afternoon.  Rained Friday evening pretty hard for about 20 minutes.

Worked in the Rose Garden Saturday morning.  It was a mess in there.  I pulled up all the Blackeyed Susan plants that were still blooming but fading.  I cut back all the Verbena Bonariensis that was leaning into the paths and threw the flower heads into the wild garden and the bed with the Crinums.  I cut away moss verbena growing into paths.  Weeded around Soncy rose in the front bed. Cut away the last of the Ox Eye daisy flower stems.  Pretty hot out there.

Hitched the trailer to the car and tried to go buy some mulch at Papescapes, but they had their gate closed.  I called before I went to make sure they were open, and their message indicated they were open on Saturday.  Damn country businesses, they close whenever they feel like it.

Helped Bert pick up yaupon and beauty berry that he cut along the trails.  The trails want to grow wild, and it's constant work keeping them clear.

Weeded in the La Marne bed and seeded it with Cleome seeds.  Sowed some more zinnia seeds around the dwarf flowering almonds.

It rained Saturday afternoon which was perfect for watering in my seeds.

Lazed around Saturday afternoon.

Walked the gardens with Bert, and we road around the property.  When we walk the gardens we weed as we walk - so hard to pass by a weed without pulling it up!

Saturday night dinner tomato salad and blackberry cobbler, both from the garden.

Sunday morning was grey and rainy.  I walked around with an umbrella and spread fertilizer around some of my shrubs and elephant ears.  Finally stopped raining mid morning.

Cleaned out the bed that leads to the Boardwalk. Cut away spent Ox Eye blooms, weeded, cut back parsley that had gone to seed.

Weeded here and there as I walked around.

Bert got stung by a wasp.  He is highly allergic, so I stuck him with an Eppi pen - first time I have ever done that.  Seemed like it hurt him pretty bad, worse than the sting.

Ate tomatoes fresh off the vine for lunch.

The Philippine Lilies are getting tall.  They aren't close to blooming yet, it will be about another month.  Every year I have more and more that are bloom-size.  I spread seed every year, and it takes about 4 years before you get some decent blooms.  They may bloom before that, but they aren't much to look at.  The gingers are about to begin blooming.  That is always a colorful time of year.  So pretty, and some of them are wonderful to smell.  Lastly, the Montbretia are loaded with buds and the bright orange color is just beginning to appear.  This will be my best year for the Montbretia.  They spread really quickly, but I really haven't gotten many blooms in past years.  Rain makes all the difference.

Potatoes from the garden for dinner. 

More rain.

Early to bed.