Quick Trip to the Farm September 21 - 22, 2023

 

These photos are all of the the very center bed in the Star Garden, the first flowerbed I ever made here.  Mellow Yellow hibiscus, zinnias, Tropicana cannas, cockscomb and Turnera.

I took Friday vacation to come up and do some plantings. We came up together Thursday evening and will return early Saturday for Julia's bridal shower and Nathan's 40th birthday in the kitchen at Brennan's. 

Up before daylight, out at first light.

I planted a half dozen Chili Pequin plants.  These are native perennial reseeding pepper plants.  I planted them in the Kitchen Herb Garden.  It's kind of shady in there, and these little plants are fine with some shade.  They get about 2 feet tall.  I already have 4 or 5 planted in there, so I'm trying to get them to grow en masse.  I need something that will take up space because it's a large area.  I can't keep that area full with annual herbs.  Too expensive.  And too shady for rosemary.  Since it's an herb garden, I like the idea of something in there that's edible.  

Next, I weeded in the Rose Garden for a bit.

Then I set up the new water fountain in the Water Garden.  I scooped out all the water from the water trough and poured it on the surrounding plants.  Then I scrubbed the sides and poured vinegar on the algae.  Bert and I picked up the trough (I think it's 200 gallons) and moved it to the road.  We rinsed it out and I scrubbed some more until it was pretty cleaned out.  We moved it back, filled it up with clean water and set up the fountain.  I really like this fountain.  The solar panel is incredibly sensitive.  The water shoots up really high.  That can be good and bad.  On windy days a lot of water sprays out of the trough and the water level goes down.  The good thing about that is that I can replace the water with nice clear water.    

While I was in there I weeded and pulled out some of the Debra artemisia that was crowding a small Texas Kidneywood.  I planted 2 white lantana under the White Pillar Althea.

Planted 2 thyme in a pot in the Star Garden.  Planted a Mexican sedum in a pot in the Star Garden.

Lastly on the planting, I planted 2 Eastern Blue Star where the snowball viburnum used to be.  That seems like it might be a good spot from a light perspective because I think they appreciate a little shelter from the sun in the afternoon.  The problem will be water.  That spot seems to get missed by the sprinkler system.  I'll have to watch out for that.  I spot watered in the Star Garden as I worked.  I'm still concentrating on the cannas to get a great show during the wedding.  

I dug up 2 cannas growing in paths and moved them to a flowerbed.

I did some raking and weeding for several hours throughout the shady parts of the Star Garden to avoid the hot sun.  While I was doing that, I came upon a Minerva Althea amongst the Diane altheas.  I remember several years ago taking a cutting from a Minerva in town and trying to root it, but my recollection is that it didn't take.  But sure enough, there was one in the garden - about 4 feet tall!  I can only think that it did in fact live, and I planted it in that spot.  I know that I have only purchased one Minerva, and that one is in the Rose Garden.  This is quite a happy discovery.   

Saturday morning.  I rushed through a few things before we had to leave to make it to the shower in time.  I tied up all the vines on my arbors in the Star Garden that were blocking the entranceways or reaching out far enough to be in the way in a path.  I staked a castor plant that was leaning.    I watered my little trees next to the Rose Garden.  

Sunday. I wasn't going to return, but I don't want to end up regretting skipping the entire day.  I drove up early and worked on the remaining pile of gravel.  I want to get the paths covered that people will see when they walk to the back of the house for the ceremony.  

I moved a few Mexican Mint Marigold that had taken root in the path.  I had rolled a cedar log edging piece over them, and they rooted.  That's a $15 value right there, no way I going to just yank it out.  I scared up a baby copperhead while I was in the bed.  I let it live.

I clipped and raked and laid down gravel.  I pulled up some of the cedar edging and re-set it because they sink into the ground over time. 

I'm going to run out of gravel soon, so I finished the front entrance under the arbor.  I dug of the stepping stones and re-set them, then laid down gravel.  Digging out the stepping stones turned out to be bad idea.  The granite ones did fine, but the flagstone all split in half  (which they do in cold weather) and when I set them back, they were rickety. 

I staked a few plants, repotted a dieffenbachia, moved some sprinklers around and headed home.