Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Ivy Is Gone!!!





After much hard labour, the ivy at the side of the garden is GONE! I am on guard for probable attempts at reconquest, but for the moment it is a tabula rasa, nothing but the big trees, mulch, some bulbs, and the results of yesterday's work..

I spent a couple of hours yesterday moving some of the geranium macrorrizha to a curve in front of the three big azaleas, curving it round to the edge of the old brick wall. It will form one side of a mulch and pine needle path across the area. At the end with the two big oaks, I plan to plant bulbs -- I think they will get enough light in winter and spring to bloom well, and I will move some of the Frances Williams and the big blue hostas to cover their leaves while they die down. Frances Williams doesn't seem to like any sun, so I hope she will do well there instead of where she is on the east side, and the big blues need to be divided.

Along the sidewalk I plan to put a curve of daylilies for part of the distance -- it's about 40 feet total, then finish with a border of pachysandra for a neat edge which I hope will deter dogs from doing their daily business there. In the meantime, I am considering getting a half-truck load of leaf mulch from the county to spread it there, because the soil is very poor after the ivy's long occupation.




Are gardens ever finished?