Dave – Page 110 – Ramblin' through Dave's Garden

A productive clean up day

A remarkable amount of clean up can be accomplished in a short while if the gardener is unconcerned with tidiness. And I’m not, or at least I wasn’t on the recent Sunday when I made tremendous progress cutting back perennials and semi woody shrubs. The garden began the day as a disaster, and by day’s…

Snowdrops …. again

This garden is situated between foothills that soon rise to become the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Long ago I witnessed the effect of frost and freeze settling into this low point when snow lingered for days or weeks after it had disappeared from neighboring properties. Melting snow is further delayed by a…

A fit of enthusiasm

In a fit of enthusiasm (or desperation) through one of the darkest, coldest parts of winter, I ordered more than I should have from several online plant vendors. I am certain that these will be fine plants, and no doubt I will find a home for them all, but at the moment I haven’t a…

The ice is melting

Finally, ice on the large koi pond is receding. The pond’s pump was left running through the winter, so there has been at least a spot of open water, which has varied in size through the winter’s temperature fluctuations. Through the coldest parts of winter the pond was almost entirely frozen, with a hole only…

Winter casualties

A section of the stone wall that supports the lower end of the koi pond has collapsed, so its repair must be one of the first tasks undertaken once the snow melts and temperatures are more suitable for outdoor work. In recent years I noticed a slight lean to the wall, and now it has…

Close only counts in horseshoes

Despite optimistic predictions otherwise, spring failed to arrive this week. Perhaps next week, but today it seems a long way off. Indeed, earlier in the week the foot deep snow melted by half so that a few hellebores barely emerged from beneath the covering. But, here is another storm that buries blooms that would open…

Edible?

Numerous plants that are included on lists of edibles seem hardly worth the effort. Sure, I enjoy peaches and apples, but is it reasonable to put forth the considerable effort to attempt to grow my own? In fact, I have grown a dwarf peach (below) for two decades with marvelous pink blooms and attractive foliage….

Garden show – day three

This is it. We’re done. With a half day Wednesday we’ve spent close to two full days constructing the garden. I think that it’s turned out mostly as I envisioned it. There were a few bumps in the road. Several plants ordered to be delivered from Oregon were cancelled a week ago when temperatures turned…

Garden show – day two

Cleverly, I wait to take photos until managers have hands in their pockets. They claim that they do some physical labor to justify their paycheck, but no evidence is to be found. I have the excuse that my picture is never taken since someone must take the photographs. You must take my word that I…

The garden show – day one

Today, construction begins on the display for our annual garden show. Certainly, few people see anything but the final result of the week’s work, so I’ll stop at intervals to document the garden as it’s put together. I have plenty of time for photo taking since I’m here to supervise. I’m a bit over the…

Mid February snow

This was inevitable, I suppose. I’ve been dismayed in recent weeks that hellebores were poised to flower with only another few days of slightly less frigid temperatures. A single day of relative warmth last week was not enough, and now they will be buried by snow with little chance that it will melt for another…

Deer and aucubas

Earlier this morning, sipping a second cup of coffee I watched through the kitchen window as seven young deer trotted past the garden. In recent weeks I’ve seen much more of this group, though usually only one or two at a time. There’s not so much to eat in the garden in February with deciduous…