September 12, 2017

We are supposed to be getting a week of beautiful weather, day time highs in the mid 20's and the night time lows around 7 or 8.  No frost yet. So gardening can carry on.

Today, I weeded the bed in the front of the house, below the living room window. The previous owner seems to have thought that adding straw and bark to all beds was the way to garden. There seems to be endless amounts of the stuff. And many baby maples trying to get a place for themselves. A couple of hours digging and pulling out stuff has left this bed ready for some fall planting. I added 5 bags of black topsoil from the grocery store - great price of 5 bags for $10. I may have to get more of this for the raised beds, at that price it is a real bargain.

I am not entirely sure what I will plant in this bed as it receives no direct sun at all. This is the bed with the sad hydrangea that only blooms on one side. I plan on cutting it right down later this fall and see it if makes a recovery next spring. If not, it will be replaced with another hydrangea to fill the spot.

This bed may just be devoted to annuals that like the shade, such as coleus and impatiens. One plant I read that likes the full shade is browallia, but I don't believe I have ever seen that for sale in the nurseries around here. But then I wasn't looking for it either. I am sure it can be found in a mail-order catalog.

Speaking of which, Vesey's fall catalog arrived last week, and I have ordered a zillion bulbs, daffodils, crocus, tulips, three peonies, and several types of iris. I know that deer like tulip bulbs so I am going to plant those in pots and winter them in the garage, and then bring them out on the steps next spring. I doubt that the deer will come that close to the house.

And this is a picture of the hardy mum that I planted three weeks ago. I think it is just gorgeous. That lovely pink with the golden centre, and the plant is just covered with blooms. I am so glad that this is a hardy mum and should come back next spring.

And this is a plant picked up at the grocery store. The mix of colours, gold and that mauvy shade of pink is just perfect to me. I love that contrast. There is an ornamental cabbage in there, and the rudbeckia can be planted in the garden in a couple of weeks, as it should return.