Hosta, Hosta and More Hosta

After watching beautiful Gabriel all day, I decided that, instead of going to the Garden Club meeting, I needed to work in my gardens. I pulled at least ten pounds of chickweed from the Weeping Cherry Garden, as well as odds and ends of other undesirables. The lupin is blooming beautifully, as are a few daylilies. The clematis that is trained to climb up the weeping cherry is teasing me with buds, but is unwilling to fully open. Maybe tomorrow. (This garden is in front on the west side of the drive.

The Pee Gee Garden (that's a hydrangea that is trained into tree form) is full of poison ivy, poke weed, and chickweed. I pulled up most of the weeds but steered clear of the leaves of three. I intend to go out with Round Up and spray the heck out of all of the little starts that seem to reach out and grab me. (You'll find this garden in the front, on the east side of the drive.)

On the east side of the house I started weeding the Wedding Garden which is only about 2' wide but 60' long, but I once again touched poison ivy and had to run into the house. I thought that I was pushing my luck as the evening shadows made plant identification in a shady area almost impossible. (This garden is on the west side of the house, following the line of the woods.)

After a quick shower, I decided to check on the veggie garden. The tomato plants, cucumber and zucchini plants, green peppers, and a few cabbages are doing well. The radishes are gone (eaten by humans) and the peas are gone (eaten by deer and bunnies, curse them.) Green onions will be ready to eat in a week or so, and leeks are doing what leeks do best. I can't wait to cook with them. (This garden is on the east side of the house.)

My Randy Garden, named after my deceased brother, is stunning right now. There must be 40 different varieties of hosta in there. Not all of them are named, but most are labeled. The garden is 10' wide and 30' long, and surrounds oak trees. The hosta have been there for four years and they have filled in beautifully. I have a 'Candy Strip' mini rose that needs transplanted as it gets too much shade here. the 'Lady in Red' hydrangea is covered with buds, soon to be a mound of bright red. I have a flat of red impatiens to plant in clumps where the hosta fails to meet the rock border, and to put in the hanging baskets. My Randy Garden is the only garden that is mature enough so that it doesn't need mulch.

I didn't look at the other gardens tonight, but I sure did enjoy the ones I was able to work in. Hopefully I can get the mulch spread soon in the weed-free gardens, and can get the rest of the intruders pulled out from the other gardens within the next week or so.

Hope you have enjoyed my garden stroll. I'll try to get pics to put on here.

shel