In the U.S. we are celebrating Memorial Day – a day to remember those who have fallen in service to our country. At the historic cemetery is a grave for a soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the U.S. Civil War.
Being married to a historian, I know that there were many causes for that awful war. War is always awful.
I took time this morning to walk the historic cemetery. It is good and right to take time to contemplate our learned lessons, and reflect on the incredible price so many have paid for our benefit.
I have entered dangerous territory, going down a rabbit hole, contemplating rock vs mulch in the garden. For me, as an earth mama, rock is for accents, mulch is for plants. Landscape rock is supposed to be low maintenance, but in all reality, over time, it just looks gross, all full of non-rock stuff, as if nature itself is trying to cover it up. But … mulch requires maintenance, and if no one wants to do that, well then, rock, and routinely blow off the debris as much as possible, and call ‘er good.
Such is the dilemma.
I leave you with one of my happiest recent earth mama creations. This was at the little house up north by the shore of Lake Superior. I do so miss that yard. I loved to putz around there.
And tonight I found a spot for the future iris bed. Yikes, I was thinking fall moves, but in refreshing my knowledge on best practices, after bloom is best. Judging by my memory on when we had an iris bed years ago, that should be in the next few weeks. So transplant in late June. Arggghhhh…
They do not look too bloomy yet, but I’m thinking it may have been a few years since they were divided, so they may not bloom. They also may want more sun.
In project management we call this scope creep – lol. And “talk is not do”, so we shall see!
The cadence of the garden continues. It is now tree seedling plucking time. Maples of different types, linden, and cherry. This year does seem lighter. Our Amur Maple threw a lot of seed, but not as much as I remember. I am thinking the squirrels harvested a lot. And now we will not have it going forward. We lost it in the big ice and heavy snow storm. I am tempted to save one seedling. We will see.
Usually I get seven buckets like this. I doubt we will have more than two this year.
Just about the time each year that I am plucking tree seedlings, the pines begin to show new growth (candles). I noticed today they are starting.
And the forget-me-nots are starting to bloom. They bloom on last year’s growth – they are biennial. I planted them the year my father-in-law passed, and they bring me great joy.
I am careful to keep them contained, as, like the joy they bring, they can take over a garden and move onto a lawn.
And today I moved the purple shamrock out from the protection of the patio, to it’s summer spot under the linden.
I am ready, and I know that after it goes through it’s normal transformation to being used to the outdoors, it will again look like this
Finally, it is time, I suppose, to cut the plastic back again from the base of the linden. She is so much bigger every year. I have toyed with moving to mulch in that area. Maybe next year. For a mulch garden spruce up at the historic cemetery is where I landed for my “all summer” project. But that will be a story for a different day.
A long weekend of up north therapy is our perfect remedy to the wear and tear of everyday modern life. Mowing trails, fixing solar lights after a long very snowy winter, cleaning up fallen trees, branches, and sticks and having our first campfire of the season felt great after long hours at a desk.
My husband had been up during the previous week, but it was my first look of the season – always fun and interesting. The daffodils and grape hyacinth must be deer and bunny repellant as I see the spent daffodils flowers are intact and the grape hyacinth are blooming.
That area is perfect for a spring naturalized garden, so I am hoping it continues. Come June, the ferns start to come in and take over, but for now it is still early enough to show low growing beauty.
It was a very long very snowy winter and the deer pics on the trail cams show skinny young bucks, but there is also a very pregnant doe. Hurray! A good sight! Now we hope she delivers well, and the wolves don’t get the fawn(s). The trail cams also show a turkey, another very nice sight.
Just being in the woods and camp was wonderful. While I was out in the “yard” I heard branches cracking and down the trail a deer ran across. I think there might have been two, but by the time I looked I only saw one. And while I was out in the yard relaxing another time, here comes a big hare, right behind the outhouse, nice long stride. Treats, experienced, not caught on camera, but very nurturing. Being in the moment. Although we do know the big hare very well. It has lots of appearances on one trail cam, lots of antics 🙂
I was able to catch a pic of a new (to us) bird species – the rose-breasted grosbeak.
Looks like a couple. Thinking they were hoping for seed. Alas, last time we did that, Mr. Bear showed up after we left! A bent shepherd’s hook, a missing bird feeder, a broken solar lamp, and a battered grill handle were it’s “hey, how ya doin’?” from that visit. Thinking a hanging feeder between two trees will be needed before we try seed again. All down the road.
My husband said stats are that the average vacation property owner sells around 5 years. You know, the dream wears off and what is left is a work camp. Trying to be mindful of that as we embark on our fifth season of the up north adventure. It is a lot of work, and the romance does wear off very quickly – think heavy wood ticks this year already – but it is an awesome off grid reset.
The crocus, grape hyacinth, and tulips have bloomed. The petals from the Mother’s Day tulip are on the ground turning to compost. The forget-me-nots are softening the stark rock look.
Attention now turns to the clematis blooms.
At the historic cemetery, the little clematis transplant is making itself at home. It is starting to wrap around the starter trellis. Made my plant mama heart very happy. I think it needs some mulch to keep the weeds at bay.
The rain gardens at the historic mansion are coming alive! The main work so far has been clean-up. There are a plethora of black capped raspberry vines, not part of the original plantings. The birds must have “gifted” them. They were scattered throughout both rain gardens. Last week and today the primary job was to cut them back to a contained area.
Other jobs today were putting mulch around transplanted shrubs, and cutting back ornamental grass.
At the historic cemetery, this week’s work was minimal – digging out a 2 year old clematis volunteer from my garden and planting it at the fence garden. Daily watering checks are showing it is doing well.
Back at the townhouse, planting our veggie garden – two jalapeno plants – lol – was job #1.
Then trimming the weigela, and trimming the ninebarks.
Susan's Daily Garden 