Garden Flames

Garden Flames
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

The vibrant red daylily takes center stage in the garden.

Back to the mulch pile...

After a week of really hot temperatures, and another week of rain... and last week, i just feel like working outside (i think it was the humidity) ... i finally starting using up my mulch pile. The front flower beds near the house will be expanded with undulating beds. One side is well underway and will eventually link the front flower bed with the bed around the patio. Later in the fall i want to take out the small shrubs that are near the front porch and also at the ends of the bed. In their place, i will divide the blue hostas that have grown to an immense size. and have three per side.

Hmmm, what are the deer up to?

This evening I was mulching around one of the birch trees when i noticed that the group had been stirred up and the small sunflower had been nibbled upon. As I continued to mulch around the trunk it dawned on me that the way the tracks were laid, seemed that the deer was eying up the tree... hmmm, are we closing in on "rubbing" season, I wondered. So I decided to wrap the trunks on some of the trees, as a precautionary act.

White Butterfly Bush

White Butterfly Bush
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

I'm certifiable...

It's official, we now have a certified wildlife habitat on our property. nwf.org This means that we are providing the four basic things required for wildlife to survive. Food, water, cover and a place to raise their young. It's something that we've been doing for years. Now I have signage that tells everyone.

Morning Glory

Morning Glory
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

I decided this year to plant morning glory seeds. They are starting to bloom now and i am really enjoying their color.

July

Today i spent a good deal of time pruning. Clipping off spent blossoms and reshaping plants. Some of my earliest lavender plants needed some shaping... especially the ones near the back patio.

I also finished the side long bed. This bed now has the six burning bushes along with oat grass in between each burning bush and a Serbian spruce anchoring the end.

I continue to pick Japanese beetles off of the plants. Today i noticed how many were on the weeping larch!