Plant Sales

I was supposed to work today, but I rearranged my schedule to have the day off. Partly because the weather forecast was for perfect gardening weather, and partly because today was the spring native plant sale at Parkfairfax.

I love this sale, and I go even if there's nothing I need. I always find something I can't live without. Even when I have a box full of plants at home that still need to be planted, I find more to buy.

Speaking of plants needing to be planted, I've been on a bit of a buying spree this spring (ok, it happens every spring). I've been to three garden centers in the past 10 days, and have planted less than half of what I've bought. Sometimes I buy plants just because I like them, not having any idea where they will fit in the garden. Other times I have specific plans for the plants, but they space they are to occupy isn't prepared yet. And sometimes I'm just lazy. I've killed more plants just because I don't get around to planting them than for any other reason. I'm determined to change that this year. (By the way, I'm wearing one of my favorite T-shirts today: "Procrastinators Unite! Tomorrow.") But I bought more plants anyway.

Here's what I got at the plant sale today:

On the left, two plants that came not from the plant sale, but from a community yard sale I passed on the way home: Geranium maculatum and a variegated Carex. They will go in the north side garden, once I clear a space.

From the plant sale, in the back is palm sedge (Carex muskingumenses). I've never had carex before, and now I have two. This one likes moist-wet conditions, and I have one spot in my yard that stays pretty wet. Problem is, it's not a garden bed (yet). So I have to figure out something to do with this until I make a new bed.

Back right is an Amethyst Falls Wisteria frutescens. Yes, I do have a plan for this. A long-range plan, but that's ok; this is a pretty small vine right now. I'll repot it and let it grow while my other plans come together.

In the front are two pots of blue-flag iris (Iris versicolor). No plan for this yet. I just felt like I needed some non-bearded iris.

Next to this iris is a lupine. I've wanted one of these for a long time. It will go into the side garden, between the rows of non-flowering daffodils (I think).

Front right is Allegheny sedum (Sedum telephioides). It is similar to the ubiquitous 'Autumm Joy', but much more interesting. The leaves are greyer, and very thick. And guess what? I've already planted it! It has a new home in the lower front garden, along with some 'Walker's Low' catmint I bought last week. The greys complement each other. (Oops, forgot to take a picture)

At the community yard sale I stopped at on the way home, I also made a non-plant purchase for the yard: new chairs!

They need to be sanded and stained, but they are exactly what I've been wanting for the deck. I've been holding out buying them new, because I figured I'd come across used ones eventually. Today was my lucky day!

In other news, I moved 6 more cartloads of mulch today. That's a running total of 14, and my car almost fits in the driveway. Yippee!

A Gardener's Christmas for a non-Gardener

It seems friends and family consider me a gardener. At certain times I consider myself one, too. Winter is not one of those times. I have not dutifully put the garden to bed. I'm not drooling over the latest seed catalog. No, I'm pretty much ignoring the world outside my door, and focusing on indoor pursuits.

Holiday decorating. Cooking and baking. Making scarves, mittens, and blankets. These are the flowers and produce of my December. I haven't even been reading many garden blogs. I'm drooling over crochet patterns instead. It's ok: the first sign of spring will lead me back out to the garden, and my house and its contents will be ignored for the following many months.

But back to gardening for a moment, as that's why I'm writing this. It seems friends and family consider me a gardener. This was evident when I opened my Christmas gifts yesterday. Sis and BIL gave me a heat mat for seed starting! And seeds! And Wicked Plants, Amy Stewart's book that I've been wanting to get my hands on!

They are wonderful gifts. And in about 3 months I'll be very happy to have them.

*While the post date is 12/26/2010, I'm actually posting this well into January 2011. Back-posting for continuity.

Gliding

My grandmother had an old metal glider on her porch. It was always my favorite place to sit when I was a kid. I've long wanted one of my own. But first I needed a place to put it. My patio has been in shambles for as long as I've been here, and I really wanted to have it redone before I got all furniture-y. Then there's the whole issue of coordinating the pieces when I do get around to outfitting the space. What kind of look do I want there? I have no idea; I'm no decorator.

As a result, I've had zero outdoor furniture since I moved here 5 years ago. What had been a patio table and chairs at the old place has been my (well-used) sunroom furniture here. I rarely spend time just relaxing outside - is that because I always see something else that needs to be done, or simply because I've had no place to sit? It's time to find out. So much with decorating, I need to sit down!

For my recent birthday, I picked out a glider of my very own. Shipping time was perfect and it arrived on the special day. Shipping itself left something to be desired:

I hope all the pieces are still there!

"Some assembly required."



Fortunately furniture assembly is a bit of a specialty of mine (just one of my many oddities), so I thought this task was a fine birthday gift.

Ta-Da!



(pardon the weeds, but they do make a nice blanket over the uneven patio bricks)

Not in the Garden

I haven't spent much time in the garden for the last couple of days. Why? This pile of leaf mulch that arrived in April:



The pile has shrunk a bit since then, but is still of substantial size. I've run out of weed-free places to put it, and I haven't been in a weeding mood. I can get the car mostly in the driveway, but not into the garage:



This leaves the garage free for some woodworking:


I originally bought the lumber so I'd have something to do on a "rainy day." But, as usually happens, the excitement of a new project led me to cast aside others and get started on this one. What am I building? So far I have a few nearly-squares:



What will they be? You'll have to wait and see.