I've been working diligently on a couple of editing projects for the past few weeks, so now that both of them are done and out of here, I decided to give myself a day off and spend it in the garden. Tuesday was still cold and breezy, but not nearly so miserable as Monday, which was gale force winds and bitingly cold. I have been toodling around with getting the big South Border tidied up and the area under the old apple tree is a terrible mess, so I decided to move my "war wagon" there and spend the day. Got the entire border weeded and tidied (except for a bit near the top, by the Casey Cave area, which I consider part of a different "area"). The biggest improvement was getting all the garlic mustard out. Until I got back into the border, I did not realize just how many mature plants there were. I got out everythign that was in bloom, and I also pulled out a lot of the first-year seedlings. I dont' bother to get all of those out...most won't survive (they tend to crowd each other out) and the ones that do will come out next year when they are mature and blooming and much easier to spot. The South Border is deep, probably 15-20 feet wide in spots, running as it does from my back lawn to the edge of the property. There are a lot of mature trees and shrubs too, so the back part is deep shade and doesn't require much except a periodic going over to remove brambles, poison ivy, and anything big like the garlic mustard and some goldenrod. (I like goldenrod when it's in bloom in the autumn, but this is the "runner" kind that really takes over wherever it gets a foothold. It never blooms in the shade of the trees there, so it really looks bad.)
The front of the bed, where it meets the lawn is where the real fun is. Lots of weeds, mostly ground ivy (Glechoma) and chickweeds, and this mostly because the front of the bed is sunny and the soil is disturbed because I'm always popping in bulbs etc. As I worked my way down the hill, I decided to get two jobs done at once: Get some of the excess ostrich ferns and miniature comfrey out of the Pond Circle and move them to under the apple tree. There's lots of room under that tree, both the ferns and comfrey will spread and shoulder out weeds, and I have decided to drastically reduce their presence in the Pond Circle...they're really starting to take over there! So, everytime I had a wheelbarrow load of weeds for the compost heap (in the woodland garden behind the pond circle), I'd take it down, empty it, and refill it with ferns and comfrey. Got a lot done, but there's still loads more to move around!
Today, I'd like to start applying mulch to the South Border (just along the front). I've still got a good bit on the truck, but I'll need more and I might take a drive up to the recycling center later today and get some. I think most of the mulch up there right now is shredded up Xmas trees... it's at a stage where it's decomposed into dark brown/black and it gives off the most unusual and rather unpleasant smell. Not gagging horrible, just not nice...but there's an added bonus: the hens won't go near it! They don't like the smell either and they arent' flinging it around everywhere as soon as I put it down.
Put a second deer repellant treatment on all the hostas just to end the day...I haven't got netting over them, and I really should do that soon. I've been applying the stinky repellant not just to the hostas but also to other plants near them and at "access points" along the walks. I figure if the deer get a whiff before they even get near the hostas, it may turn them away before they spy the hostas.
Still a bit too chilly for masonry work, so that's on the schedule for the weekend, when it's supposed to be much warmer. By that time, I'll be sick of weeding and it will make a nice change!
I think the Pond Circle beds need a bit of an overhaul. Once I get the excess ferns and comfrey out, there will be open space for other things. Right now, the beds are heavily into bleeding hearts, solomon seal, forget-me-nots (Brunnera), tall alliums, violets (white and blue varieties) and hostas. I'm thinking I'd like to add other shade-loving things for a bit more color. Also, I neglected planting pink tulips in there last 2 years and I really missed them this year!
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