Virginiarose,

Lol! Looked like a flock of birds waiting for a drink! I will have to put that heuchera on my list! Looks very pretty.

Too funny.

Thanks Rose, I am glad you like it. I made a sitting area in the bed under the tree so I can chill out and still see the back door. I made a small coffee table out of a cinder block. LOL.

Sun is up at 6:46 and down at 9:15 today. We pick up 5-7 minutes a day til June 21 then start back down.

I plant stuff that your guys in zone 4-5 plant for the most part. My neighborhood is in a microclimate so about a zone warmer than surrounds. Hill are zone 2-3. A lot of what fails does so due to my ineptitude; water too much, too little, PH, fertilizer. You name it. Our soil is good a good mix and is slightly acidic. Peonies love it along with lilies, dahlias (taken up each fall) iris and lots more.

So zone 5 with a shorter growing season?

Oberon46 said:Sun is up at 6:46 and down at 9:15 today. We pick up 5-7 minutes a day til June 21 then start back down.

I plant stuff that your guys in zone 4-5 plant for the most part. My neighborhood is in a microclimate so about a zone warmer than surrounds. Hill are zone 2-3. A lot of what fails does so due to my ineptitude; water too much, too little, PH, fertilizer. You name it. Our soil is good a good mix and is slightly acidic. Peonies love it along with lilies, dahlias (taken up each fall) iris and lots more.

Sounds a lot like my soil. Does anyone use Lime? Peonies love the soil here also but we do not always get a good cold spell like some like. My Iris act like they are on steroids, but the Lilies and Tulips are in pots so I could control the amount of moisture, plus I have to control the weather. It is too warm here to plant them when they arrive so I stash them in the refrigerator and wait for colder weather other wise they would sprout too soon. This will be my first year with any amount of Dahlia. I usually get maybe one a year and leave it in the ground to rot. This year I am getting about 15 and I plan of lifting them in the fall to store in the garage.

For what it's worth, I use lime to amend my clay soil. But everyone's conditions are different.

I noticed some gardeners around here sprinkle a layer of lime on top of their soil before they till. Our soil is mostly acidic and every one knows it. I recently bought some Dolomite lime to mix with some shredded pine bark, I was using a new recipe for potting soil. I know it is best to have the soil tested but I think it is good to mix a little with the soil outside too. Also Epsom salt is good, our soil is low in magnesium. Epsom salt will not change the pH but is really good in the garden. I read that compost will correct pH so that seems like an easy way out. lol.

Well, raining then pouring here today so I did laundry ( ) - our weatherman just said the *S* word for tomorrow morning...with a high of 36 degrees. Oh and cresting rivers.... Sounds like I need to reschedule my hired helper for tomorrow.

That is a 3 year old photo of my perennial bed - probably July ish. It is getting rejuvenated this season, fingers crossed.

You all sounded very industrious today - glad to hear that one DH pitched in on the rock project. I have a helper inside and out - she is my heart. (almost literally since she showed up in the middle of the road right after my first surgery almost three years ago and hasn't left my side since). Today Sophie supervised me cleaning out the fridge

Please try again with the perennial bed photo. We'd love to see it.

Sophie is a doll baby. Oh my!

SongofJoy said:Please try again with the perennial bed photo. We'd love to see it.

Sophie is a doll baby. Oh my!

Thanks Tee...Sophie is blushing *grin*. Here's a nicer shot of my perennial bed one year in mid June


and the July shot from above

jvdubb said:Went back for more rocks today. This time hubby came with yard tractor and cart. Four trips and we got quite the haul!

Glad hubby and the tractor stepped up!
Good job.

virginiarose said: I made a small coffee table out of a cinder block.

Whatever works!

jerseyridgearts said:

SOPHIE!!!!!

Catherine, your Sophie is a real cutie. Of course she had to help clean out the fridge. Your garden beds in mid summer are simply stunning.

You and Sophie should join us in the About Our Pets thread-

Newyorkrita said:You and Sophie should join us in the About Our Pets thread-

And also on my cubit thread, listed below each of my posts!

I got a couple of thumbs for reposting that pic, but they were really for Sophie and that great pic of her!

Sophie is adorable and your gardens are beautiful! I'm sure you're ready for that view!

everyone in a while someone posts a link and I go look at that Cubits. But then I forget to go back there ever again. I never did hang out much at Cubits, even before ATP.

I did nothing today except pull cinquefoil.
3 HOURS of pulling cinquefoil, separating the Angelina (and an occasional crocus accidentally pulled) from it, and putting the Angelina back where the cinquefoil came out of.



But it's almost done.
It'll try to come back, but I'll pull again when it is small.

Newyorkrita said:everyone in a while someone posts a link and I go look at that Cubits. But then I forget to go back there ever again. I never did hang out much at Cubits, even before ATP.

I know. Neither did I.
But it seemed like a place for critters - didn't find the one here until later.