One thing about having a crappy garden...

...no qualms about cutting flowers for in the house.

Got the Itch

We're back in the yard. Yea!

Here's Jack and Jedd getting busy with their chainsaws...



... and my first pot of 2008!

Five Years Gone

Here's a lesson I learned today: Taking a summer off your yard is like taking five summers off.

I was super sad to discover that the beds I've spent five years building are covered in strong, tenacious Creeping Charlie. After tearing them out carefully, trying to be delicate around the stuff I wanted to keep, I realized there wasn't much that falls into that category.

My roses are finally dead (but that's not too shocking... they've been suffering a slow demise for five summers). My iris, the first thing to pop color into our backyard each spring are also gone. I found only the shells of the root balls of one. They crumbled in my gardening glove.

I'm sad, but I'm also excited. This summer will basically be the start of a brand new garden. And this time, I'll have five years of experience behind me.

Technorati Schmechnorati

I'm not entirely clear why I'm doing this, but from what I hear, "claiming your blog" on Technorati is the best way to increase your readership. And since I'm pretty convinced I have a valid and entertaining perspective on hobby gardening, I'd like it to be seen. So, here goes nothin':

Technorati Profile

P.S. This advice comes to me from blog consulting firm, Purple Wren.

Three Tiers for This Pot

This is my favorite planter of the year. It's three tiers of plain, old plastic pots from the Hy-Vee filled with a multitude of annuals.

I actually did it last, filling it with all the leftover plants I had after doing the rest of my yard. Funny how that happens.

Amazing What A Little Water Can Do

These looked like hell last week, and then I watered them.

One Confused Clematis

It finally bloomed. Today's date? September 20.


UPDATE: Turns out this is not at all unusual, as clematis has a second bloom in the early fall. Huh... who knew?

Therapy

I think I have a soft addiction to weeding. Today, I went outside to take out the garbage, and this is what my driveway looked like 10 minutes later.

Now That's Sad

It's almost Labor Day, and I've still got plants in their flats.

Ever Green, My Ass

So you think you can’t kill an evergreen, eh? Well, I’m living proof it’s entirely possible.

Lock me up. Three counts of involuntary tree slaughter.

Here’s victims #2 and #3. Seriously, I’m on my way to having killed three evergreen trees with in the last two years. The first one died of Miracle Grow poisoning. I had no idea.

These two are trying to recover from their winters in Planterville (Yes, I kept them in pots all season long… without watering them… who waters in the snow???).


At any rate, I’ve recently decided to take my two remaining evergreen trees out of their pots and let them have a go of it in the ground.

I feel it’s just good chi. I mean a tree belongs in the ground, right?

I’m pretty sure these guys are knocking on heaven’s door, but stay tuned… ‘cause you neva know!

Face the Corner!

I read somewhere that you’re supposed to rotate your pots every so often so they won’t grow in an uneven pattern toward the sun.

Well, if this isn’t just the saddest chore of the season.


Feels like I’m putting my flowers in Time Out. Supernanny would be proud, ‘cause they stay put!

Before Baby, After Baby

(circa 2006)

(circa 2007)

Need I say more?