Back Yard

Back Yard
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

This is a view of our back yard from the eastern corner. The place we call "joy" is becoming more and more our space. We have the site prepared for the larger of the two blue spruce. We also picked out where the smaller spruce will be going. The trees will be delivered on thursday.

Blue Spruce

Today, we traveled down to our favorite nursery (Kleber & Sons) to purchase a tree and get prices on arbs too. We wanted a blue spruce to help us "take back the night" from the lights of neighboring buildings. We found a beautiful specimen, a blue spruce that's approx. 7 ft. high. It will be delivered next week. I also found a smaller blue spruce (5 ft.) that i just had to have... it made me smile... and was only $25.

So now, we are clearing turf and preparing the spots where the trees will go. We decided that it is our anniversary present to ourselves.

p.s. the quince continues to do wonderful since it was transplanted.

Wild Asters

The wild asters have started to bloom. The bright pink ones are first... the purple are behind in their bloom cycle.

The Quince has moved...

In preparation for the light-blocking blue spruce... we moved our little quince. She is now located on the upper part of the yard and looking lovely and well adapted. Joseph created a bed for her and she sits up higher than before and has a really nice presence.

Windy Day

Plumage
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

Last evening I decided to move the heuchara (creme brulee) out of the main bed near the birdbath. It wasn't happy in that location... too much sun. I moved it under the maple tree near the back patio and i believe that it will do much better in that spot. It was showing signs of recovery very quickly. This morning i had to rush out and rescue the heuchara and a hosta from the clay pot with melon sage that blew off the patio. the winds have been wicked today. I'm still trying to figure out how it blew off... big plant in heavy clay pot. The heuchara was only hit by the foliage. The hosta took a direct hit from the clay pot. Oh well, it's the end of the season. I do believe that the neighbor taking out the three big pines from her yard has effected the amount of wind we receive... sigh.

September Maintenance

The garden is going through a transition time. The last of the brown-eyed susans are dying off... and the asters haven't kicked in very far (I have an abundance this year of both wild aster and domestic ones). I've been trimming back the lavendar, heuchera flower stalks and susans. I decided that the creeping phlox had grown too far over the sidewalk. I started trimming them back and didn't like the rigid feel of the trim... so i ended up pulling out phlox along the edges. Of course what i pulled out was planted down near the stepping stones. I also transplanted some susans from the main bed. They are now down along the edge of the property near some oat grass. As you can see from the image, i have a nice sunflower along the sidewalk... planted by a bird, probably a blue jay. I also noticed a peanut plant nearby!

Brown eyes

Originally uploaded by pjslomer

The Brown-eyed Susans have been putting on quite a show for some time now. I really like them along the edges of the property. In the fall i need to transplant some down to the edge of the property straight back from the house. It seems a little bare at the moment... and i have plenty near the house.