I have spent considerable time digging, weeding and planting the much now loved areas of my garden. Unfortunately they were left to their own devices, usually weeds for many years. I am not disillusioned, but perhaps disappointed with the results thus far. I have to keep reminding myself that Rome was not built in a day and that gardens left untended for many a year take more than one or two short growing seasons to regain some kind of control over what grows and what does not.
I have this tree that seems determined to continue to sprout in my butterfly garden and I keep pruning it and it keeps growing. I am reluctant to dig the entire root out at this time as it would be a MAJOR undertaking and there are so many other 'things' that really do require my time. I trimmed the minature lilac back again since it is now finished blooming for the season and I will trim it back again in the fall to ensure some kind of reprieve from it getting out of control.
Then there are the hops that are suppose to grow at alarming rates! Well when that alarm goes off I will be sure to shout it here on my blog and on my rooftop! So far they have not done a darn thing! I had hopes of them covering my shaded area of my quiet patio - I am glad I did not wait for them as I would be burnt to a crisp already. I finally put up the shade tent that we use for camping several weeks ago as it did not look promising for the hops.
Now the vegetable patch is covered in ancient portulaca and crab grass from the sod that was used to cover it for several years before our arrival. Why do people insist on covering up fantastic garden soil that has been used for a vegetable patch for years previous with grass? It is beyond my comprehension! Now there is also this nasty I think invasive creature that has sowed itself in my yard from ONE seed that I brought to my balcony garden many moons ago. It is EVERYWHERE - I am having difficulty with removing it, I have to get it out of my yard this season before it goes to seed and starts to seed all over again. Maybe I ought to move the portulaca over to the side bed along the garage, it would give ground cover and save me money. I do not mind the little flowers and it is hardy and covers nearly everything - therin lies the issue it covers everything, food for thought I will ponder.
I am still trying to come to terms with the side garden by the garage. I have filled it with iris', poppies, lilac, a small shrub, peonies, dill that keeps seeding itself which is attractive to butterflies, spring bulbs, clematis and a few other random perennials that just do not provide the ground cover I am looking for. I am not sure why, but it just looks haggard in this flower bed. Either I need to resign myself to it the way it is or need to buy some ground covering summer perennials to cover up the nasties. I am over my budget already for plants this year and am reluctant to ask hubby for more. I think I just decided to plant some of the portulaca from my vegetable patch in my side bed that is in dire need of ground cover. Free what better solution and it is readily available because it is already in my yard.
To mulch or not to mulch? I have been rambling this idea about in my grape for some time now and have yet to make a decision. Using mulch looks nice, saves water, covers unsightly flower beds see above- that would solve my issue with the bed that needs coverage. Mulch is expensive, can be tedious, requires colour matching or does it? Mulch also needs to be bought in very large quantities and when you do not have a truck it makes for interesting transport stories. Not that I mind transporting things in my car, it is a car not a shrine.
Borders for the garden to keep the invading grass out - great idea if it were that easy. I am playing with glass bottles at the moment and have begun a border of glass bottles in my butterfly garden. I need to get more bottles and get them into the ground then begin the process of clipping the grass very closely to the bottles in order to discourage weeds and grass from hopping over top of my glass border. Using plastic borders that you purchase from the garden supply store does not really suit my style. If I can use something in a different way I would rather keep things out of the land fill than have it go wasted. I could also use bricks that have been tossed away by neighbours but I do not have any at this present time, and have lots of bottles kicking about so I think the plan will be bottles for the butterfly garden at least for this season. I think that will be my weekend project. I have no intention of using the same kind of bottles for the entire garden, that just would not be me.
Lady of the Oak
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