Spring garden projects

Tags

cool weather garden projects, fences, garden, home, home renovation, sod, Virginia, Virginia spring flowers

Old man winter finally moved out of my gardens, and two long-awaited updates took place this week. I invite you to sit back and enjoy the labors of others.

Despite manic weather, the months of March and April are always brightened by the smiling faces of my heirloom daffodils. These beauties that formerly went to market as revenue bouquets are now filling my home and herbaceous borders with color and scent. I retired the end of December and now wonder what life holds and whether the transition will be smooth. As long as I remain a homeowner, my “needy box” beckons.

The fifteen year old split rail fence developed issues last summer, when the center line post rotted off at the ground, causing a lean that had to go. Propped up for weeks this winter, I was glad to see my talented fence men arrive with a new post. Unfortunately, they brought the wrong post (a two-hole rather than a three-hole post) which required a return visit. While they were here, we examined the rails. We agreed that they also should be replaced. After they left, I spent some time on the phone with the West Virginia post manufacturer to file a claim under warranty. They did not warranty the rails, but the office approved a $50 credit towards the purchase of six new rails. That reduced my expense to $40. Good start!

Days later, while the two men removed the old post and rails, I enjoyed standing back with my camera. This same company built my “Great 90′ Privacy Wall” fence a few years back (see that blog), and they continue to make any effort look easy! The man on the right is the owner who has built fences since he was a boy, and now his son-in-law (seen left) is learning the ropes. Neither wear gloves, despite the rough, pressure treated timber.

The new line post and rails: Three of the six rails were not acceptable with obvious flaws for this highly visible location, and those will be replaced ASAP. At least the old, rotten timber is history. By the way, if you noticed the lichen covered privacy fence in the rear of this photo, it was built years ago by my neighbor who is a juggler not a fence builder…and it shows. The “Great Privacy Wall” fence you see in the background below, was built in 2015 by these professionals seen above.

Meanwhile, the “Slope from Hell”, is finally getting sod. For the past 22 years, I tried many plants and perennials here, and most failed to thrive. Mulch always ended up on the attached patio, and pea gravel failed to smother weeds. Therefore, both materials are being raked and removed, to expose clean dirt where the sod will lay. If you recall from recent posts, this “Slope from Hell” was home to a dozen peony plants that were dug/sold and relocated to another garden in November. No wonder my hips are toast.

Shifting a few border rocks, and much grooming, in an hour, the bed was prepared for sod.

The blessed sod, grown locally, and harvested recently.

These men constructed my lower patio retaining wall in December (see post), and they enjoy their work; smiling, joking, and talking in melodic Spanish as they labor. I am SO grateful to have this team for garden projects!!! Joy is so absent in much of life these days; anytime I witness a genuine smile my hope is restored.

Less than two hours later, the transformed “Slope from Hell” displays fresh sod. Regular watering on my part until established, will hopefully encourage healthy turf for years to come. The strimmer will keep it tidy and Virginia Green will zap it with their monthly brew, killing any weeds, while nitrogen will green it up to match the established turf. Rain before and after sod installation allows time for blogging today and eliminated the chore of linking/dragging hoses to water this patch by hand. Completing as many garden chores as possible early in the season is my goal, as spring too quickly fades into summer…delivering the good old unpredictable hot, humid central Virginia climate.

Next on my list of home chores for 2022 is the staining of the new patio retaining wall. The day after I purchased the stain the end of December wet, cold, icy winter weather set in. So again, Mother Nature dictates the timing for exterior projects. The 300SF concrete patio also needs restoration with a pressure wash and applications of Rescue It! by Olympic. I normally enjoy exterior painting/staining, yet weather conditions remain the challenge. Do you think I will get it all done this year?

I always enjoy your comments, so please take a moment to send a note.

Copyright 2022 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

And so it goes…

Tags

blueberry, DIY project, garden, home, home garden, life, wild birds

Spring in central Virginia continues, despite the human condition. Mother Nature always wins. She has run wild since late March delivering freezing 29F temperatures one night then 80F the next week. Wow! My poor peony crop has never seen such dramatic swings. Yet, for the past two weeks, I managed to harvest enough flowers for bouquets to sell at market. Happy customers are unaware of my road of angst traveled to get there.

slowly a peony harvest in 2020

The O’Neal blueberries are another story. The bumblebees did a splendid job of pollinating the flowers early on. Fruit swelled on the stems, yet they too experienced the dramatic temperature swings. My three shrubs are now ten years old. How time flies. Over the years, I experimented in numerous ways on how to deter birds and one nocturnal four-legger from my cash crop.

A few years back I began experimenting with tulle, yes the stuff wedding veils are made of. Standard bird netting is evil and can snag, injure, or kill a wild bird, therefore I NEVER use it. Tulle on the other hand is soft like an angel’s kiss. Notice in this photo the Mylar strips, whirligigs, and even a fake snake on the ground. None really discouraged wildlife.

Last year I applied more tulle, the widest I could find at Joann’s. This was more effective, but made my harvesting job much more difficult, although every time I lifted the tulle, I felt like a bride. 😉 One curious raccoon would get tied up in the edges, and there would be strips of tulle around the ground next morning. NOT good.

2020 Improvements…Since blueberries are part of my landscape, I do not want to build a permanent structure around them. Therefore, I purchased eight eight-foot garden stakes to form a minimal frame to hold the tulle higher and wider than the shrubs. On the tops of the stakes I placed inverted, one-quart PETE containers to protect the tulle. Yesterday, I only spent about an hour installing the stakes and applying the tulle. Tentatively held in place with clothes pins, the tulle remained in place overnight and, fingers crossed, throughout the harvest weeks ahead. Notice the black-ish line on the ground along the tulle’s perimeter…that is spent coffee grounds, collected from one local coffee shop. Last year I discovered that raccoons despise the scent/texture of coffee grounds. The space left under the tulle will hopefully prevent critters from tearing it. Since I spent the part of three March days hand sewing this 11 yards of double-wide tulle, I want to see it last a few season. Yes?  

What do you think of my recent solution?
Gardening is all about evolution.
And patience, and resilience.

Only the cleverest catbird or cardinal will find their way under the tulle to the berries. I don’t mind sharing a few, but since I harvested thirty pounds of berries from these three shrubs in 2019, I will not share many with wildlife.

Regular market customers are already lined up for their share of this blue superfood come June.

Now back to the peony harvest. Overcast skies this week threaten rain on partially opened buds, not quite ready for harvest. Peonies and rain are not the ideal combination for floral bouquets. A giant circus tent would be ideal for protection, but alas that will not happen. And so it goes…

I hope you and yours are well and safe. I enjoy hearing from you, so please take a moment to drop a comment.

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

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

give a gardener a cool summer day…

Tags

garden, heirloom daffodils, perennial plants, raised bed gardening, summer garden

and she will take full advantage! Following weeks of high temperatures and dew points, Monday finally delivered a 60F morning high that will remain in place all week. On my garden schedule I had a large project looming and now was the ideal time to toil outdoors. Cooler temps allowed me the stamina to complete today’s chores by 9 AM.

Gardening, I have learned, will make a habitual weather watcher out of us all. Although my favorite time of year to garden is November-March, summer months demand attention. Weeds from all directions attempt to reside on my little half-acre, forcing me to  regularly go on patrol and snuff out (read yank/dig) any unwanted greenery.

In recent years, I became enamoured with the history of heirloom daffodils and bought many bulbs for Swallowtail Cottage. I chose dozens from catalogues and planted them into five unused raised beds. Long ago, I gave up fighting insects and fungal issues when growing veggies in the mid-atlantic region of the eastern US. (Zone 7a)

Just a sampling of my heirloom daffodils. Such a delight after a long winter. Varieties date from 1600-1800. 

This says it all on a summer day at Swallowtail Cottage.

This raised bed hosts both daffodil bulbs and my Wow-zer! Catnip

Thanks to the barista at the local Whole Foods Market, often I collect spent tea and coffee grounds and add to my raised bed soil for the worms…after bulbs were dug. Worms LOVE coffee grounds and I learned that once used, the acidic grounds become neutral.

Neatly turned soil with amendment underneath. What shall I plant next? Perhaps fall lettuce.

Beginning of the 2019 heirloom daffodil harvest. These bulbs quickly multiplied, requiring digging. They will become a cash crop at market this September, and I will continue the tradition of spreading heirloom varieties. If you desire heirlooms in your gardens, contact Old House Gardens and they will mail a catalogue and help in any way.

The drying table in the shed is filled to capacity with daff bulbs. They will reside here for up to a week, then dry soil will be removed, then they will be hung in net bags and held in the cool, dry basement until weighed and sold.

Harvested nepeta waiting for a basement transfer. As I dug the bulbs, the nepeta had to be removed, leaves were hand picked, rinsed, and spun dried. Since the shed is filled with bulbs, the patio table and sweater dryer will be temporary alternative spots for drying.

As I toiled, I could not overlook the stunning bloomers in my gardens. Award Winner Little Lime Hydrangea (Panicle Hydrangea)…planted in March 2018, is already a star. Oakleaf blooms so much earlier that this specimen is eye candy during steamy, hot summer days. As a dwarf variety, this beauty will be welcome for years to come.

Another newbie to my gardens is Tickseed (Coreopsis v. ‘Moonbeam’). Planted in June 2018, this cheerful perennial with its daisy-like lemon yellow flowers, blooms throughout the summer. Fern-like foliage is light and airy. In 1992 this garden gem won Perennial Plant of the Year. And best of all, it attracts pollenators.

Another showstopper this time of year is Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum). As soon as the buds begin to open butterflies spend all day nectaring. Talk about a WOW! factor! This herbaceous, late-blooming perennial is native to much of the USA. It is a wildflower and an herb that was used as an herbal remedy to lower fevers and other maladies. It does like wet feet so every morning I empty the dehumidifier water onto its roots.

If readers recall the front path redo a few years back…this photo reveals the challenges I continue to face with this property. I often say if I could get my hands on the guy who graded this place, I would hang him from the utility pole. Alas, the path work stopped the previously mulched path from eroding, yet the pea gravel allows massive weed infestation, requiring hand and knees weed removal. As often as I think on this challenge, (don’t want steps) I will continue to add pea gravel. At least it is a forever stone. Any ideas from readers?

The top of the path joins the wider entrance path, and my happy Morris Buxus, which I continue to adore. The dwarf Nandina were removed (failed to thrive), so remain the Buxus for now. The “hanging chad” bay window continues to dangle, yet I have my eye on a Houzz Corten planter…filled with perennial ferns…I think may be a simple, elegant, easy solution.

Adore my wee Morris boxwood? The two tons of river rock installed in this bed requires even more, as ground settles. My nickname was formerly “Mulch Queen”… now it is “Rock Queen!”

Baby 5 was my perfect companion during this gravel project. She held steadfast, despite my concerns that I would break her.

Last year’s view of house front. See my “hanging chad” bay window? So glad to have calm in that bed now. What do you think of a large planter under the bay filled with ferns?

On another topic: The Eastern Bluebird box with three predator guards and Hardie Plank strips on roof helps protect the nest from four-leggers and heat. I rarely have summer nesting Bluebirds, yet this year this box is in high demand.

Tired of losing wee toads to the window well, I added screen until I can imagine a better solution.

Summer Daze!

So goes the month of July 2019.

May August be kind.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for both educational and inspirational purposes. Author receives no compensation for mentioning brands or businesses.

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

 

she’s baaaack!

Tags

garden, home, home projects, life, Virginia spring flowers

I rallied. I overcame February and March influenza and pneumonia. OK! Enough!

As I convalesced and resigned myself to bed, my Smart Sony TV and YouTube became my go-to sanity. Thank heavens for channels which transported my weary body to the great gardens of Italy, England, and France, all hosted by Monty Don. Amazing Places on our Planet is another channel that convinced me I had become an angel, riding the back of a drone across continents. Brilliant videos! One can fulfill their bucket list on YouTube. Why spend one’s life in airports, lines, and crowed aircraft when in just a few clicks, one can visit the most beautiful places on our planet from the privacy of one’s bedroom? One day there will be smell-a-vision and I will be complete.

This month Swallowtail Cottage emerged with lush blooms, smothered weeds, departed needy plants, and as of yesterday eight tons of brown gravel that refreshed a tired driveway and paths. All events lifted my spirits to a new level of optimism regarding home ownership. Mother Nature missed my gardens with late frosts which ruin buds and spoil the essence of spring. I am awash with spring’s glory!

These tulips are new to my gardens. They are a rare heirloom which multiply! I lost most, but these seem to be happy.

The snowflake viburnum are awash in blooms. These three shrubs are sixteen years old! Peonies (on right) are chest high and loaded with buds!

The bridal wreath spirea is now lush with subtle fragrance. Brides order my Key Lime Pies, not my spirea!

This lone Lily-flowering Ballerina tulip is simply magnificent. I moved others and they vanished. I celebrate this single specimen the entire week it blooms. Planted in 2003… one of 16 bulbs from a cheap-o bag from Sam’s. Go figure!

Now, I admit from January-March I hauled/applied one hundred bags of pine bark mulch to all the deep shrub borders. The pine needle mulch experiment was a total bust allowing every rogue weed to propagate here. In January, one helper and I spent three hours on hands and knees ridding one peony bed of invasive Angelina Stonecrop (Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’). It became very unhappy with all the rain 2018 delivered and soon turned a lovely, moldy, black patch!

If one gardens in Arizona or CA, perhaps Angelina Stonecrop would thrive. Not so in central VA.

Live and learn.

---

The heirloom peonies are now chest high and loaded with buds. During May I will deliver many bouquets to market to my ever loving customers!

The Fire Power nandinas, installed in the front bed behind the Morris buxus, were also a total bust.

Just lovely, eh? $250 worth of plant material lost. Fire Power Nandina, a total waste of time in Zone 7a.

They came from the nursery infested with an “insect they had never seen.” Nor had I. The first season I was forced to apply an systemic insecticide. Then the second year, the leaves were riddled with what the nursery identified as “fungal issues” and advised me to treat them again this season. OUT I SAY! I have no tolerance for needy plant material!  The owner of the nursery sent out a plantsman who removed all the nandinas (at no charge) and will give me a 25% discount when I decide what to plant in that space. Right now, I enjoy the minimal front bed. The bay window still appears to be a hanging chad, but for now new plant material will wait. Perhaps a 7′ wide planter under the bay filled with fern will be splendid. Wild ferns are popping up in the pebbles, so perhaps they can be convinced to live in a more civilized planter. What do you think?

Now that I hopefully wowed you, I will go to the nuts and bolts.

Fresh gravel. Future projects…

Tabula Rasa or Latin for “blank slate.” Nothing like a fresh coat of gravel to perk up spring! Carport project still great and serving Auto and moi well.

Long shot of drive. Leylands on the left are becoming a royal pain…too large and too expensive to maintain. Some Leylands are dying out on this row, with will require many dollars to remove and replace with additional privacy fence…LATER!! Notice the “Green Giant” arborvitae on the right, planted in 12/16. I have high hopes for this plant. Fast growing, heavenly scent, and great for privacy.

Now doesn’t the front path look nice and tidy! The wee Morris buxus (dwarf boxwood) are like pets that I pat every time I stroll by. And by the way, I do not fertilize my turf. The perfect conditions during spring create a lushness beyond words.

Today’s view of house front. Notice my hanging chad bay window? So glad to have calm in that bed. What do you think of a large planter under the bay filled with ferns?

I should name this photo “naked gardening!” Need more river pebbles and that planter, gushing with ferns…yes?

Any hew, I am up and making things happen around here. I still relax with YouTube daily. And I failed to mention…I gave up sugar and refined carbs…going Keto this month and one week in, I feel good and body fat appears to be melting away. No longer guilty about eating bacon, butter, and meat. My market neighbor this season is a sustainable farmer who raises heritage beef, pigs, and chickens. Check out his web site…www.harmonyhillfarm.net  to learn more about sustainable farming.

Living well and upright. 😉

Now back to my Spring 2019 Honey Do List:

Replace RO system, pump septic tank, level boulder at back door, replace 8 casement windows! Time for the sale sign?

Love to hear from you. Drop me a line in the comments section. Happy Spring!

 

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

gardening is all about change

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, garden, home, landscape design, letting go, life, lifestyle, nature, Virginia, virginia countryside

and hanging on and letting go…

As I flailed around during May, reeling from Mother Nature’s multiple challenges while wringing my hands as beloved plants took hit after hit, I reminded myself: #1 I have no control over Mother Nature, #2 all things are temporary, #3 a gardener must be resilient.

My love of the earth and passion for most things beautiful and fragrant, began decades ago. Before the age of seven I remember lying under the tall patch of blooming Persian lilacs at our Long Island home, content never to move again.

in 2014 the hummers enjoyed sips from the pineapple sage…

At age eighteen, I left home for college, and was away from lush gardens. I quickly learned that a sunny park across from my dorm could fill my need for green. As a BFA graduate, my first job took me to Portland, Oregon where I was mesmerized by the artful Japanese Gardens and the historic Portland Rose Gardens. I could have stayed there forever.

the narrow gravel path is embraced by tightly shorn boxwood hedges.

Alas, years later, with roaming days behind me, I found myself working on Capitol Hill. Whenever possible during lunch hour, I strolled the magnificent grounds of Congress designed by Frederick Olmstead, and frequently lunched on the edge of the marble fountains outside the Supreme Court. Those were the days.

Heirloom Tiger Lily provides nectar for this Swallowtail

In 2000 I departed the urbane, and put down roots at my first country house. The abode turns out to be a needy box, yet the half-acre provided me with a tabula rasa. No more containers on the postage stamp balcony.

as the pan’s contents bubbled, the color deepened

Once the mistakes of former owners were obliterated, my gardening intuition prevailed, as it does today, sixteen years later. Following numerous consults with garden experts, I quickly surmised that my intuition was the light to follow. Recently, as I glanced at my archived plant tags, I removed 50% of my original purchases. Either the plant tags lied and specimens quickly outgrew their place, or plants failed to thrive without frequent spraying. As a master gardener who is intolerant of needy plants, garden edits are becoming an annual ritual.

March garden edits included a stump grinder. The rug junipers became a garden thug in many areas, yet hand removal was impossible. Thanks to my arborist and his great tools…

Hours in the garden provide solitude amongst the songs of wild birds, handsome toads, and the occasional reptile. When the sun rises above the cypress trees, I step indoors and enjoy views out every window. The passage of time in my gardens is what sustains me. The beauty of thriving plants inspire me. Ten thousand photographs later, I attempt to share moments of bliss.

Toad Prince

Every garden reflects the gardener, and often inspires on well after the person who tends it; or for that brief moment in time, a place comes alive in this time, and perhaps lives on in memory.

exhilarating moments

Planting and working the soil teaches us that there is hope despite adversity, that during the most difficult times, all things are temporary, and as in life, a gardener must learn to accept change, hang on to every fleeting moment when perfection finds its way, and to let go with grace.

a telling proverb

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

 

the first day of spring 2016

Tags

Charlottesville, first day of spring, garden, garden design, home, lifestyle, raised beds, spring flowers, Virginia

Despite the 40F temperatures and overcast sky this morning at Swallowtail Cottage, here’s a glimpse of what is blooming in my half-acre gardens…enjoy!

PJM rhododendrons show their stuff this chilly spring morning.

O’Neal blueberry flowers…provide edible, delectable fruit come May, with the help of local pollinators.

Two years ago, I collected 2000 heirloom daffodils, crocus, and lilies from around the property and added them to a 30′ ditch. A powerful early spring statement…with more blooms to follow in weeks to come.

One deep rear shrub border is home to Japanese maples, hellebores, daffs, an adopted clump of old variety spirea, Green Velvet boxwood (raised from cuttings), assorted lilies, chindo viburnum, oakleaf hydrangea, one floribunda rose ‘Tiny’, hostas, phlox Davidii, clematis, red hot pokers, miscari, and three tuteurs.

Buxus Green Mountain boxwoods never fail to impress. Easy care and sprinkled with tiny, delicate blossoms in late March. Have I confessed I adore this variety of boxwood?

This herbaceous Euphorbia or garden spurge has survived fifteen years in the same northerly spot at the front door. Cut to the ground after bloom time, this plant is bullet proof, bouncing back year after year. Highly regarded for their brilliant chartreuse bracts, textural foliage, and elegant growth habit, places them among the elite plants with significant garden significance. Note: all euphorbias ooze a milky white sap, latex, when cut or broken, so wear gloves when pruning and avoid skin contact.

The hellebores are stunning this time of year. Over twelve inches tall, they brighten the landscape. A winter/spring garden favorite…

When the sapsuckers girdle my dogwoods or maple trunks, I dangle shiny CD disks from inner branches. Highly effective.

Hard working raised bed area produced various veggies and herbs for over a decade. Now they are dedicated to heirloom daffodils and tulips.

A new addition to my 2016 gardens…a mason bee or “solitary bee house” as the UK designers describe…was sent to me as a birthday present this month. Thanks again Barry!

The resident Eastern bluebird pair chose my nestbox during late winter, and today the wee female adds finishing touches to her nest…built one pine needle at a time, in three days.

Has this post inspired your first day of spring? And please check out the related spring post links below…

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

in with the new ~

Tags

fence design, garden, home, home improvement, in the winter garden, life, privacy fence

The landscape is forever evolving here at Swallowtail Cottage.
I moved here fourteen years ago, (brother how time flies) and have lived to see the initial plantscape mature to the point of necessary major editing. Last summer numerous spent shrubs were removed, leaving considerable voids to fill. This winter, the back row of cypress had declined to the point of intervention. At least with board fencing, this problem will have an instant solution. Not so in the front garden, where I must wait five years for the new shrubs to mature.

the rear row of Leyland Cypress branches began to die from too much shade, exposing my property to light pollution, road noise, wild critter invasion, and nosey neighbors

with a little elevation pruning by me, the rear row of cypress became the backdrop for the new fence

fabulous Joe Phillips crew at work — day one

nothing like the right team with the right tools…

L.O.V.E a perfectly dug hole. These professionals made digging look effortless!

promising piles of things to come

progress

ahhh, the good stuff

Joe Phillips is the MAN for fencing projects in central Virginia

everything in its place. Two 16′ boards at a time, each crew member carried material (on their shoulder) to the rear of the property, carefully avoiding dormant perennials. All supplies were hand-carried to the project area. What a considerate crew!

ready, set, go…notice the amateurish built fence by my neighbor a few years back. Rotting boards (not pressure treated) will soon fall down. Perhaps they will hire a professional fence builder next time…my fence will outlive me.

thirteen 4X6 posts placed, leveled, and tamped. Varying heights were necessary to comply with the terrain

placement of the boards begins…

finished fence…11′ tall at low-end and 7′ tall at high-end…pine needles make a nice mulch in this area, raked from the school grounds around the corner

view from the lawn side of the deep shrub border

back side of 90′ long fence with room to return with solid stain later in the year. Weeds should remain at bay too.

time to take the gloves off and enjoy another completed project. Winter is a great time for such outdoor schemes, sans ticks and other biting insects that plague central Virginia nine months of the year. Bracing morning air was invigorating too, keeping me from hibernation mode.

this morning’s view from the rear terrace, across the turf. The shrubs really pop even when dormant and have improved light and air for their growing seasons ahead

Another successful home improvement project is under my belt.
Since 2001, projects here, both indoors and out, require my full attention — the reality of owning an older home with a needy landscape.
Applying my design and communication skills, employing a sense of humor, and being somewhat tolerant of budget overruns, keep me honed and motivated for the next solution/design project. Furthermore, as the designated primer/painter here at Swallowtail Cottage, this homeowner stays in shape too.

Next up, the much awaited pergola at the rear terrace. Now that will be a much welcomed addition. Will I ever say UNCLE??

Stay tuned…

Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

 

June is garden delights month…

Tags

garden, home, life, spring flowers, Spring Garden Delights, Virginia

Below are a few images of my June garden delights here in central Virginia.
Following a hard winter, the garden now rewards with color, texture, and edible feasts.

Sunny rose in first flush, Red Hot Poker, Oakleaf Hydrangea, clematis, all in bloom this week. Nice!

up close and personal with the Red Hot Poker! Merely its second season in my Virginia gardens.

Sunny Knock Out Rose makes me look like a rose guru! This is her second year in my gardens.

O’Neil variety of highbush blueberry. Three plants deliver all the berries I can eat (and share) in one season.

tasty, plump morsels…once the wild birds are fed, my early, daily ritual includes a visit to the blueberry bushes. Can you just taste them? I cover the plants with row cover to keep the birds away…they can have sunflower seeds and currants!

This is the tiniest floribunda…she is recovering from a transplant last fall. I estimate she is forty years old and struggled for years under the flourishing dogwood. I finally mustered the nerve to move her last fall. Half died during the winter, yet today she shows a bud…and soon, she will flourish in the full sun bed. Yeah! Note she is merely six inches tall today, yet still produces a bud. Go Girl! If you squint, notice the teeny bud near the top. I am so excited! In a few days I will add a photo of the first bloom…

a bit closer to bloom time on this teensy floribunda transplant…I’m like a bird on her nest…too bad a young bunny tasted all these buds just after this photo was taken. Now surrounded with wire screen, I wait for Tiny’s next effort.

the stonecrop sedum is showing her stuff in the herb bed planter. I think she resembles a candelabra, don’t you? Lots of bang for the buck, this plant.

a few Siberian Iris were gifted to me two years ago and now flourish anywhere they are planted…a garden thug? Time will tell.

can you smell the sweet perfume of this Little Gem?

looking for a vine to replace the Concord Grape on this split rail, voila! Arctic Kiwi manifested. I cannot wait for this fruit next year!

male planted on one side of post, female on the other.

everyone knows Lambs Ear. A classic in any garden; sometimes a thug, yet when that happens, I dig clumps and sell them at the farmer’s market to eager gardeners… the bumble bees also adore the blooms.

this variety of clematis lived on the property when I bought the place in 2001. It survived years in deep shade under a tree, and now thrives on a slick tuteur in the deep shrub border with her feet heavily mulched and her height in full sun.

I cannot forget to mention the sweet, edible, most popular plant, the viola or Johnny Jump Up. I am convinced this plant parties at night, as thirteen years ago, seed was planted in the front garden and every year since, I find it growing all over the entire half-acre…

quite an edible feast: beautiful salad greens and edible flowers from the garden this week. The arugula was especially nice.

Spring weather of 2014 was spastic. 40F degrees one night and 60F the next.
Daytime highs have swung from 40F to 90F numerous times, and rapidly humidity of summer builds.

Yesterday I rose early to add more mulch, river rock in wash areas, and to tidy the beds for the summer ahead. Finding garden solutions is a never-ending challenge.
Rewards arrive in the hues of spring color, tastes of flavorful edibles, and in the humbling glow of accomplishment.
Striding alongside nature while sharing the garden’s beauty/bounty is a legacy of unnamed bliss.

Gardening in Virginia has its challenges; with humidity comes powdery mildew, which I plan to attack with fresh abandon.
The peonies suffered terribly in the past two years with this fungal disease, thankfully following bloom time.
Since peonies are an important cash crop every May, I want to coddle my twenty-nine plants and avoid the ugliness of mildew.
Stay tuned…

over 400 peony stems went to market last month.

selling my garden bounty at the local farmer’s market in May…

I hope you enjoyed my June Garden Delights Tour today.

Comments are always appreciated.

Now back to the kitchen to finish that order of Key Lime Pies.

At least views from the workbench allow glimpses of my garden sanctuary and the adored wild birds.

May your June be bountiful and beautiful.

Copyright © 2014 by Diane LaSauce  All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

May’s DIY project ~ the big dig!

Tags

Albemarle County, back yard birds, Central Virginia, DIY project, garden, home, landscape design, life, nature, sustainable living

Uncanny, how vistas change in a wee season and projects present themselves abruptly.

This month, the wild bird bath waved its copper flag at me from across the turf…hey lady, this shrub is toast and I need a makeover. How about it, NOW!

Ok, I concurred. This winter was very hard on a few residents of my landscape, and this small feature became an eyesore overnight.

my little ugly duckling in full view from the rear terrace ~ winky-wonk copper bird bath…

the original circle was topped with pea gravel and river rock, and the holly was a volunteer, seeded by a fly over wild bird

I can do this! One small shrub cannot be that hard to remove…ha!

after the holly was sawed off, I raked the largest stones into the wheelbarrow and reused the pile in the lower garden

once the deck was clear of most stones, I pondered on the stump…it could not remain, as the bird bath needed centering, or so I thought…

on both knees, I began to chop, chop, chop with my little Swedish hatchet

as moments passed, I realized this “small” root was not. The bin began to fill and numerous trips were made to the shed for additional tools…as I hacked, forked, and picked at tough roots, thoughts of the great pyramids and the tedious excavation of Pompeii trickled through my brain, keeping me on task. I can do this!

This bugger took ages to excavate; close to an hour. I considered calling my digging man, yet this simple DIY lured me to finish in ONE morning!

I pushed on and somewhat leveled the rich soil. Paver sand was in the shed from another project, and I hope the effort makes a difference. The old aggregate step stone has served me well and once leveled, I discovered a 1994 quarter. Not a coveted arrowhead sometimes found in these parts…drat!

1994 quarter-dollar. When I carried it to the shed, it slipped from my gloved hand and is now lost again somewhere in the shed. Guess that coin enjoys being lost…

after a trip to town, twenty pavers completed the circle and mulch top dressed the project. I swear the bird bath is centered…hmm.

This is certainly an improved look, don’t you think? While I contemplate what plant material should go around the bird bath I will heal my wounded self. I admit my body ached from head to toe for two days following this DIY, and I am rapidly succumbing to future assistance from hired labor. No pain, no gain?

You go girl, cooed the garden ornaments…

The following week I added three plants around the stepping-stones…

those tiny plants are Munstead lavender, in honor of Gertrude Jekyll ~ an easy start to a great plant, if they are happy here. Time will tell.

this is the bed in May 2015. Munstead is doing very well, despite the very cold winter.

Check out my other DIY project at https://dianelasauce.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/the-thing-about-renewal/

Copyright © 2014 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved