Weekend at the Farm November 4 - 5, 2017

Above, this is La Marne rose.  She is pretty in the spring, but she really is spectacular in the fall.

Sam and Charlie's first and third birthday party on Saturday, to the farm on Saturday afternoon.  Bert was hunting with William and joined me on Sunday.

• I did nothing but stroll around on Saturday.  Made mental notes of what I wanted to do on Sunday.
• Ray and Debra came by on Sunday morning.  Deb brought me some native milkweed seeds.
• I pulled up most of the ageratum in the Star Garden that I didn't get to last weekend.  It's dropping its wispy seed everywhere.  I also gave the plants a hard shake over the natural area where the Mexican Sunflowers are blooming right now.  Maybe I'll get some fall color in that area next year - orange and purple are complimentary colors.   Seeded the bare area in the Star Garden with Standing Cypress and Coreopsis.
•  My seedlings are popping up in the Rose Garden (Standing Cypress, Coreopsis, Moss Verbena).  It's a thrill to see it every time.
• I spread seed in lots of places in the Star Garden, the Orchard, and the Rose Garden.
• Watered here and there in the Rose Garden.
• Sprayed paths in the Rose Garden and the Star Garden with herbicide.  Almost out of herbicide, need to get more.
• I sowed several packages of Larkspur (Galilee Blend) in the bed with Carefree Beauty and some poppy seeds as well.  Spread more coreopsis and poppy seed in the bed where B R Cant used to be.
•  The butterflies are amazing.  I had never grown a plant that attracts butterflies more than zinnias - until I began growing Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia).  I saw all at once on a cluster of three Tithonia plants two Monarchs, several of the iridescent blue swallowtails, a Painted Lady, a Giant Swallowtail, several Longtails, a Gulf Fritillary, and a Sulphur.  What a show, and it went on all day long.  If you love butterflies I highly recommend Tithonia (also an excellent reseeder).
• I spent a lot of time in the Rose Garden.  It's so beautiful in there right now.  I raked throughout and did some weeding (although there are not many weeds in the Rose Garden right now.  Pulled up spent zinnias - the big plant that was throwing off so many dark rose-pink flowers is offically gone, I loved her while she was there.  I threw the flower heads in various beds throughout the Rose Garden.  My Butter Pat Chrysanthemums are beginning to bloom.  Their cheerful yellow flowers are a happy thing to look at.  I deadheaded the roses.
• I found some poppy seeds in my seed box and threw those in the bed by the front gate.  I forgot I collected the seed last year.
• Planted 6 or so daffodil bulbs that had worked their way to the surface last summer - planted them in the Rose Garden where Iceberg used to be be planted.  I don't remember what they are, so I'll have to wait for them to bloom.  Planted six or so Ehrlicheer bulbs in the Shade Garden in the bed with the night blooming jasmine.  They also had worked their way to the surface - with the help of the armadillos.
• Mulched around the Belinda's Dream roses in the Rose Garden.
• My Heavenly Blue Morning Glories are in full bloom, so pretty.  And I have a Hyacinth Bean vine growing on the arbor at the entrance to the Orchard, also very pretty.  
• Bert finished the new arbor at the entrance to the Rose Garden.  It looks really good!
• I had a wonderful weekend.  Headed to Houston Monday morning.