Flowers here and there

Peony-like

.Globe Alliums

 

I’ve been photographing flowers and hopefully, you’ll find some to enjoy.  I’m a beginner with blogging, and couldn’t seem to figure out the “insert” option for pictures.  Let’s see if this works!

Interesting help

In my gardening jobs, I’ve found that when I’m at the end of the day’s work, I’m exhausted, frustrated that I didn’t allow enough energy for clean-up, and darned thirsty.  With each gardening job, I’ve had people help me in ways that I never expected.

For instance, a rockery garden-client, had no access to the alley except a steep set of stairs and through their upper garden to the back of the house.  Needless to say, it was a long haul!  I haven’t purchased a truck yet, and use my PT Cruiser to haul when I can.  This particular job included a tremendous amount of prunings, weeds, etc.  And it was all thrown to the sidewalk level!  Smart!  Hmmmmmm – what to do.

Kenny arrived on the spot – a neighbor that’s the epitome of a good neighbor.  He stopped by to chat, and then offered me the use of his truck to haul everything to the alley!  What a fabulous offer!  And, the truck was fairly new, and I don’t think it had had it’s share of scratchy stuff in the back yet.

I filled that truck’s bed to over the top!  I took several trips, and I am so very grateful for that.  Kenny is one of those guys that can fix anything, has just the right suggestion, and then to offer a truck was beyond my wildest garden dreams – and more than once!

A few days later, another neighbors had purchased a brand new saw for tree pruning!  Whahooooo!  That handsome guy came over and offered to trim blackberry vines that had grown up over very large shrubs, some larger limbs that needed lopping, and a few other areas.  What a neat thing to happen.  At this point, I’m feeling pretty darned lucky.

Moving forward, to the next rockery job, same problem.  Up the stairs and through the upper garden to the alley.  At the end of a Monday the sidewalk was spilling over with prunings, old leaves, weeds, and other cuttings needing to be dumped!  Aha!  The Yard Waste Patrol arrives.  This guy waved at me from his truck, said it was almost quitting time – could he help????  He had a big smile on his face and offered to put some prunings into his loader/truck.  Wow, how could I be so lucky?  We cleaned up all of the prunings off of the sidewalk and I was so happy.  What a nice man. 

I’ll bet you think my luck couldn’t go any further.  Well, surprise, the following Monday, another Yard Waste Patrol came at the same time, and greeted me with a big smile and waved his gloved hand.  “Can you use some help?” he called out.  Again, almost quitting time – he helped me haul stuff to his rig and even went up the stairs and brought down a filled yard waste container and emptied it! 

There are some very nice people in our city, but especially in the neighborhoods.  To offer to help when one is at the end of their tiring day, or share something to make one’s job lighter is awesome.  I will be eternally grateful for each of those guys!

My new/old friend Anne

I meet some very nice people in my gardening travels. Last winter, I was working in a neighbor’s overgrown rockery garden. One day an older woman slowly walked by looking at everyone’s gardens. I was working at the sidewalk level, and we began to chat. What a charming lady!  Her name is Anne, and she is a delightful 80-something lady.  She’s got a twinkle in her clear, blue eyes, a very stylin’ hairdo, great smile, and such a warm aura about her.  We instantly liked each other!

We talked about gardens, her garden of 50 years in another town, her daughter’s garden in this town, and several plants that we both enjoyed. Burberry was a favorite of both of us – especially the newer, brighter, autumn colored strains. She really missed working in a garden, and I’m guessing it wasn’t a priority for her daughter to make that happen…….just a guess.

In June, I worked in another garden down the street, another rockery! Again, at the sidewalk level, Anne stopped by and visited with me. She was worried about the BP oil spill, cuts in the local and state budgets, and the future for young people. A few weeks went by, and I didn’t see Anne anymore. I began to worry that perhaps she had been taken ill, moved to an assisted living home, or whatever…..I did miss seeing her. 

Last Thursday, Anne showed up for a visit – two blocks from my previous gardening job. We were so glad to see each other, and both of us had been watching out for the other. My dogs welcomed her with open paws and big kisses! I truly was relieved to see her and the dogs greeted her with open paws and big kisses!

That particular day was eventful for us – as we were chatting, I realized my older dog was missing. Not unusual for Stolley to wander on the perimeter of a property and so I didn’t really panic.   Anne  and I wandered down the street calling for Stolley. No answer. Anne helped me look everywhere on that street, and we returned to the garden only to hear Stolley crying. He had gotten himself underneath a back wooden patio and couldn’t get out. Eeeeegods - what a fiasco. Another neighbor came by, and she held my dog, Sophie, Anne talked softly to Stolley through a wooden lattice area while I tried to find a spot to retrieve my wandering dog. I was finally able to get him through a very small opening, and thanking God that he hadn’t put on any weight. Success! We all laughed with joy that the little guy was safe!

As Anne walked away after we all settled down, she was grinning and it was obvious that she’d had quite an adventure! A great walk for her that day, and a great garden story for me.  I love my work!

Another great garden day……

The weather is fabulous – consequently so is my work schedule which means no time to tweak my blog nor add the pictures I want. Few more jobs and I’ll have a better schedule.

There can’t be anything better for me than gardening! Your gardens are fun and challenging. Good people have good gardens and good souls! There’s a variety of plants and flowers…….it’s like having an extended garden. I enjoy sbeing in other people’s dirt!

Challenges are old growth needing to be pruned. Severe pruning can be a shocker for garden owners – somehow we all forget that when you “get a haircut……one needs time to grow it out.” True with shrubs, annual flowers, and perennials. Deadheading is the name of the day in this season. Deadhead and prune and the garden reaps the rewards with more and more blooms.

Your gardens are lovely. Lots of fabulous containers, great landscaping, and new ideas. I’ll be back with photos.

Garden Tired

Yesterday I wrapped up a project that consisted of filling 17+ Terra Cotta pots and boxes. Bright colors, filled to the brim (pictures to come later)  with an artistic flair.  The customer is my friend and a well-known artist.  I started on Monday of this week, and have worked in some manner for the week.

I loved this job!  Creativity at its’ best.  Of course, I have regrets.  I wish I would have used Mimulas along with the myriad of perennials and annuals.  Mimulas are so true to color, and bloom their little hearts out.

I had dinner plans with some old friends for that evening. Oh boy, did that sound great! I knew I’d be too tired to fix something…..so I didn’t! 

I was aching and tired when I left S&R’s garden. Oh boy, I was tired……….but the instant pleasure I get from gardening offsets the tiredness.   My PT Cruiser was filled with tools, empty containers, change of clothes, water jugs, and dirty everything, including me!

I looked   forward to greeting the dogs when I got home, and that perked me up!  So nice to be greeted with excitement and love!  Especially when I’m so doggoned tired!   I got to G&A’s house and my body settled into tired and aching! Oh boy……..I wished for a masseuse and a hot tub.   We ate in their enclosed, and watched the lovely sunset and I found myself too bedraggled to Tango, but fine for visiting!  

As always, the conversation was fun, humorous, and we got caught up for now, but missed our usual garden walk through their ‘back 40′ – fabulous place.  We chatted in their enclosed pool area and they were hoping for summer – Roses (Ballerina) were blooming – tiny little pink “skirts” upside down, and oh so sweet.  Peonies in bloom, and a fabulous Hebe in bloom in front of the sun porch window.  The Korean Dogwood by their pool was in its’ majestic splendor!  Oh, what a sight.  Fabulous!

A good day of hard work, a very nice evening of conversation and good food – and dessert!  And, I learned how to make real espresso coffee.  I’m psyched!

I’m happy I’m a gardener and have wonderful friends who have beautiful gardens!  And, I think I’m making others happy with my work in their gardens.  It works for me!

June 19

this morning is pleasant, but gray and wet. Pleasant for walking the dogs, and great for gardening. Yesterday I gardened in a rockery garden in the sunshine! Yikes! One does get warm. this particular rockery has fabulous rocks, accessible to each other and easy to work in. Old, old growth has exposed a cement seagull sculpture doing a “face plant” into the dirt! I think he’s dead!:):)

The other gardener/owner loves to chat and work with me. It was a good way to get to know one’s neighbors. This garden is in my neighborhood. It was in dire need to pruning, cleaning up overgrown shrubs and/or seedlings of trees. She’ll have a clean slate to work in once we’re finished! And, we’ll certainly know each other better.

The rockery is full of flat topped boulders, and my gosh, they are fabulous!  Great rockery to walk through, and work in.    Pictures to come later.

Garden thoughts

I hate snails! When I moved to my home in ’93, there were no snails! Nowadays they’re into everything – from tops of trees and shrubs to the soil, behind pots, on pots, trailing across cement and into the plants! I’m heartless, and don’t give them much of a chance to survive. 

I also hate cutworms!  Anyone with great ideas out there for keeping the slimiest of God’s creations away from our gardens, please let me know!