Sunday’s monster project

Tags

DIY, garden, home, rock

This boulder/stoop looks innocent enough, yes? Slowly over the past 18 years, it settled to the right, causing a problem, since I use this door every day. Project: raise the stone on the right side three inches. Many contractor estimates were outrageously expensive, so it became a DIY with help…

It almost did not happen.

Why a man cannot follow instructions is beyond me. Even when they come from another man of professional experience!

First: The hired help arrived late Sunday, and was unprepared — without the critical stone dust and proper jack. We had agreed on all materials Friday during a phone conversation.

Second: I had to then wait another hour for him go look for supplies.

While I waited, I excavated most of the hole myself….MOI who should not be doing this kind of work as my body pain is fierce the following day, despite rest/meds.

Ready to roll. 

With my tools organized, I awaited the arrival of my hired help…a local handyman. Hurry up and wait became this project’s motto. Sooo

My wheelbarrow quickly filled with wet, heavy clay. This kind of grunt work I outgrew years ago. My mind is willing, the body, NOT SO. 

This dig required depth and undercutting the stone in order to place the bottle jack beneath the edge. 

When the guy finally returned an hour later, his rusty jacks did not work and I thought I might have to stop again and to drive to town to purchase a jack. Turned out, the guy’s son lives nearby, so helper-guy left again in search of that jack. More time to kill.

At least the afternoon was pretty and sunny, so while I waited I weeded (with tweezers) my moss patch by the shed door. (Instead of spitting nails!)

When helper returned, I asked him to place the salvaged 10″ granite square in the bottom of the hole on top of some gravel so the jack would have a solid footing…and he refused. He wanted to keep digging deeper to hit solid ground. If I had agreed, he would still be digging!

Next, he helped himself to one of my small landscape stones and when that stone quickly sank into the wet clay, I suggested the granite again. FINALLY, before I hit him in the head with a shovel, he yielded and added crusher/rock to the hole, added the granite sample, and placed the new jack on top…not in the center mind, but in a cock-eyed position. Safety first, out the window…(No photo of this event, as I had my hand on the shovel, not the camera!)

He then said “I don’t give a s—t what someone on the internet says…I am doing the job my way!” Well. OK then. I had taken advice on this project from a blog follower who built major buildings in DC. (sigh)

Turns out, the use of the gravel/granite worked and up went the boulder….right into the siding. (oops)

Following few more maneuvers with a pry bar, one slab of marble under the front of the boulder, a rectangular paver under the back edge, and a few tosses of gravel dust tamped under the end, I called it quits. Helper promises to return to tamp the edge of the dirt end after a few rains. Then a top coat of gravel will cover the repair. Time will tell.

As the afternoon faded into shade, the boulder now rests a bit more level. Shall we take bets on how long it will remain that way?

At least this dastardly boulder project is over I am without a trip hazard! Geeze! For now.

What I suffer for this (expletive) house/property!

Finally: A hot shower, two tall glasses of local stout, Tylenol, and bed with the heating pad should ease my journey.

Would you have taken on this project? Comments welcome.

Hope that your Sunday was more enjoyable than mine. 😉

Copyright © 2020 By Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

garden edits and spring delights

Tags

Central Virginia, DIY, edit the garden, erosion, garden, garden edits, home, life, mulch, pine needle mulch, river rock, Spring Garden Delights, Virginia

March is a busy month at Swallowtail Cottage. Garden chores explode from zero to sixty overnight. This year major garden edits were necessary, as plant/shrub installations made in 2001 needed removal, requiring the assistance of my garden man, his assistant, and their chipper.

Our last snow lightly dusted the gardens earlier this month, then quickly vanished into spring delights. The heirloom crocus arrived on time, showing healthy multiplication following last year’s installation.

Cloth of Gold ‘Crocus angustifolius’ once known as the Turkey Crocus was grown in gardens as early as 1587

A delightful feature of this crocus is the brown stripe on the underside of the petals…hence Turkey crocus?

Snowbunting ‘Crocus chrysanthus’ c. 1914, pearly buds open in January

This crocus variety was on the property when I purchased it in 2001. Although many were transplanted into a 12″ deep trench along with two-thousand daffodils, these wee flowers find their way to the surface and multiply every year. Thanks to the help from Old House Gardens, I identified this crocus as “Vanguard, 1934, a former Russian wildflower that opens its platinum outer petals to reveal and exciting contrast…inner petals of luscious amethyst. The earliest-blooming crocus, Crocus vernus “

Unusual warmth brought many of the early heirloom daffodils out of the ground in vast profusion. They definitely hear the call and continually remind me how I adore these easy care perennials.

Adorable Tete a Tete daffs appear in profusion and multiply with abandon

The overgrown, tired, and disgruntled shrubs/groundcovers were tagged and the chipper made quick mulch while this gardener exhaled with relief. Gone were the four s.laurels, numerous mats of rug juniper, one chindo viburnum, and fifteen barberries. Gone.

The plant tag stated these s. laurels would mature at 3X5. How often plant tags deceive…

Gone in seconds are the s.laurels, leaving space for grand hostas and one Henry’s Garnet Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica, while allowing improved light and air for the Green Velvet boxwood neighbors.

For six hours the chipper chipped, as I busied myself with pruning various shrubs, transplanted a smaller chindo and gifted hostas, and cleared up the deep shrub borders to add bulk to the chipper…have I mentioned how I adore chippers? Men with the right tools are worth their weight in gold..

Once the help departed, I gazed at a much opened landscape and raking chores, as the juniper required a stump grinder…for hours. Left were the fractured branches, requiring raking and pulling to bring closure to the wounded slopes. Gone.

Newly transplanted fringe tree overlooking one peony bed…all in need of raking and fresh mulch.

Following the application of 48 bags of pine bark mulch and 10 bags of river rock, the landscape is somewhat calm, and areas of erosion are addressed. The fringe tree ‘Chionanthus virginicus’ was transplanted from the rear lawn to the new front slope, and one dwarf Gingko ‘Majestic Butterfly’ will be installed when located. When baled pine needles arrive, they will be spread as mulch to the lower front slope, behind the pine bark borders.

Two years ago, I began experimenting with pine needles, and find them highly satisfactory. They stay put during heavy rains, are attractive in the deep shrub borders, and are pleasant to walk on. I rake fresh needles in December from the local school, and only purchase the baled needles when necessary.

Rock will slow down water during heavy rains and pine mulch will dress both the blueberries ‘O’neal‘ and the front of this sloped bed

I must share a winter discovery from the Dover Saddlery catalogue…a waterproof boot by Ariat, which I thought would make the perfect mowing/garden boot. Sans horse these days, I still love the smell of leather and often visit the local store, just to inhale. Following this week’s garden marathon, I attest these boots will serve me well. 

Retired are my 15YO cross trekkers ~ many a mile we walked together

So off am I into another gardening season in central Virginia. The raised veggie beds are converted into heirloom daffodil/tulip beds and the 2500 daffodils in residence will soon dazzle me and my market customers. Come May the rescued iris and heirloom peonies will follow suit, and will fill my soul with the meaning of the garden. The other 2016 garden chores of tackling the wild violet turf infestation and mowing schedule will keep me busy until year’s end.

I wish for you a healthy, happy spring. Even if you are hold up in an apartment, get out to your parks and fill a balcony container with your favorite something. Grand or small, plants give us humans hope and joy for today and tomorrow.

Old gardeners never die, they simply spade away…

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

beware rubus pentalobus

Tags

DIY, garden, garden thugs, home, life, lifestyle, Virginia, winter projects

This winter will be one to forget. One week following Jonas’ departure, I was stricken with an UR infection that knocked me off my feet and took two antibiotics to cure. Bedridden for most of one full week rendered me weak as a kitten for another ten days; I just now feel remnants of my former self.

During my convalescence, I had plenty of time to gaze out the windows into the barren, winter landscape. This time of year, the bones of garden reveal the structure and textures rarely appreciated during the growing season. Allowing my eye to peruse spaces, I made mental notes of necessary edits to come.

During February, one annual garden chore includes removing the past season’s leaves of many hellebore, or Lenten Roses that happily reside here. A hand and knee or squatting proposition, this chore was a good test of my weakened stamina. Last week’s effort found me trembling after merely one hour of task.

The other necessary garden chore I faced this week was bolstered by an additional week bed rest. In August of 2014, I installed five 3″ pots of Rubus pentalobus, or Creeping Bramble. At the garden center, they appeared innocent enough sporting attractive, compact, deep green, evergreen foliage, small flowers, and tiny raspberry fruits. Additionally the tag boasted the benefit of being drought tolerant. Good candidate for the remaining slopes that tend to erode while providing tasty late fall food for the wee birds…I thought.

Rubus pentalobus or Creeping Bramble

These plants settled well and then I noticed an aggressive growth pattern within the first year. Clearly this perfect groundcover was becoming a garden thug.

This is one plant twelve months after installation…from a 3″ pot! The plant tag failed to mention that Rubus suckers…big time!

Following a hearty breakfast, I headed out in sunny 40F temps to begin the task. Armed with a wheelbarrow, digging fork, knee pads, and hatchet, I silently coached myself…I can do this! 

One hour later, breathless, I had the wheelbarrow filled to overflowing. Pliers were necessary to yank out roots that were over a foot long, headed straight down. Where is my garden helper when I need him? 

Rather than exhaust myself completely, I returned my tools to the shed, left the barrow sit, and headed indoors to recuperate. The next day I would return to complete the entire removal.

As it was, the next day was warmer and the winter sun felt delightful on my winter-pale face. 1.5 hours later, I successfully removed the last bits of this plant horridus. Now I must face the remaining three patches of Rubus on the front slope. One day at a time…

In the meantime, my heirloom daffodils are showing up in good stand. I added 150 additional heirloom varieties last fall to my old veggie raised beds, and so look forward to my new life as a peony/daffodil/iris farmer! Out with the invasives, garden thugs, and insect infested plants. I will only permit a pleasant garden experience here. Life is too short to invest precious time with energy sucking plant material ~ this revelation has only taken thirty years to formulate…sharing is education.

A newly acquired heirloom crocus…its tendency to multiply is welcomed here. A delight in this winter garden.

If you would like to see a preview of my spring gardens, please use the search bar in the left-hand column using the words spring or flowers or notice and click on the related posts at the bottom of this post.

Cheers to you and if you read this please click the “like” button, as I am taking a survey as to how many of my followers are actually reading my posts…thanks!

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved