Arrived Friday afternoon. Joined Bert who is living here ever since the flood, and will continue to live here until the repairs are complete. I am living with my mom and dad during the week.
- I have been seeing a lot of Monarch butterflies and butterfly larva which is a good thing since the species seems to be struggling. My intention was to buy several milkweed plants this week at the nursery to further encourage them, but it slipped my mind. I have four or five, most of which have sprouted from seed, but I'd like to plant even more.
- I worked in The Orchard for a bit on Friday afternoon. I pulled up spent poppies and weeds and wildflowers that were flopped over into the paths. I have zinnias and anise hyssop and amaranth that I want to sow as soon as the wildflowers are finished blooming which will be a few more weeks.
- Saturday morning I strolled through the gardens with my coffee, then got ready and Bert and I headed to Kingwood for Zelda's 4th birthday party. Got back to the farm about 4:00.
- Sunday morning I decided to go ahead and cut down and dig up the Kolkwitzia Amabilis in front of the dining room windows. I was going to wait until fall, but decided to do it now. To open up a view of the flowerbed I dug up 10 or so clumps of iris and moved them to other flower beds in the Greenhouse Garden. While I was in the Greenhouse Garden I put down two wheelbarrows of compost around my columbine so the seeds will have a hospitable place to fall and reseed. Those beds are covered with leaves which makes good mulch therefore bad seed beds.
- Drove to the Antique Rose Emporium and bought two Marie Pavie roses for the spots where I dug up the shrubs. They stay to about 3 feet so they won't block the view from the dining room windows. I also bought 3 milkweed plants for the Monarch butterflies and 4 Texas Pink Phlox. I've always wanted some of the hot pink phlox like my Grandma had in her yard.
- I transplanted some perennial rudbeckia that was growing right up against the landscape edging over to some spots nearby but better positioned. Then I planted the 4 phlox behind the rudbeckia, and then I planted the 2 Marie Pavie roses behind the phlox. I still had plenty of room so I planted one of the milkweed at the edge of the bed closest to the porch. That way I can easily glance frequently at it to see if I have any monarch caterpillars munching away.
- I pruned my Mmlle Franziska Kreuger rose because it had fallen all around itself from the weight of itself. New red growth was coming up from the middle of the shrub. It looks much better. This is about the only rose I pruned this year. I decided to let them just do their own thing this spring. In August I will give them a good shear for fall flowers.
- I planted the other 2 butterfly weed in the Star Garden, pulled some weeds, and composted in several spots.
- Swang (swung?) in the tree swing for a long time, Bert pushed me. Strolled around the gardens.
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