Monday, February 17, 2014

Journal Notes...Peacock Mounted, Pond drained, and signs of Spring

I wish it had not been so dark when the peacock was mounted in the ground by concrete.  But after it was, it looked fantastic!  It did not take much imagination to realize the vision coming to life.  It was late when I took these but I think it will be everything I imagined, my DH (Johnnie Bear) did such a fabulous job!
The neck once mounted looked perfect.

Concreted in the ground

Galvanized wire hold much of the rebar together.

Earlier in the day pictures..
Husband making the concrete to mount it.   This baby is going nowhere!

Stirring the concrete.

He needed to make the rebar stable??? So he brought out the wood that he use to create it.

The dirt that he dug the holes looked very black...good sign.

Before it was mounted.

I, originally, thought that this was a bad investment but it is definitely been showing its uses.

My husband in the front field mounting it.

I think the next step is to kill the grass and weeds underneath the frame and outline the tail and kill the seeds and till it.  That is my thinking.

On other notes.
My husband was very busy today.  He drained the front fountain.  Most of it.  I started clearing out all the leaves and debris.  Note to self.  If you don't intend to put fish in these, don't put rocks at the bottom.

Pump draining out the water.

Red maple seems to be coming out of dormancy.

Roses are coming out of dormancy as well.  Spring is creeping on me faster than I expected.


Split leaf philodendron seemed to not make it through these freezes.  I wonder if the root system is dead?


I think these are huckleberries.  They make pretty flowers in the spring.

I fed the encore azaleas about a week and half ago.  They haven't bloomed in a while but they seem to be doing it now.  After they bloom this cycle, I think I may prune them a bit.


Drained the fountain some more.  Lost the tip of the fountain in there.  Will either attempt to find it or buy another.


4 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

You are really starting the season with a bang. He did a great job on the peacock frame.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Thanks, Nell,,,,he did an incredible job on it...I think my next step is to kill the grass underneath, and use a hose to outline the huge tail. Was considering using a herbicide to kill everything and then till it. Then screen it. On the frame, I was considering using a custom made cut glass top that would be welded on the head of the peacock to represent the feathers.....would love suggestions for the vine on the body and the flowers on the tail. was considering phlox....still on the fence but now it the time to think about what plants will grow on it. I don't expect it to be done for months and maybe not in full glory until next year but I think it will beautiful....love any suggestions are comments, vendors, etc.

Jean Campbell said...

The topiary at Disney are covered with creeping fig. I saw English Ivy suggested. If I were planting a topiary I would used Confederate Jasmine because that's what I have, or native pipevine which has insignificant flowers and grows wild so not hard to come by.

Everything on the tail doesn't have to be blooming. You could use Dusty Miller -- you see a lot of that on peacock toparies -- or if you want flowers, Alyssum.

AGain if I were planting one, I would use Alternanthera in Chartreuse and the variegated leaf one because that's what I have. Chartreuse potato vine would fill in lot of space quickly.

Blues could be a blue salvia like Victoria, blue daze evolvulus, or ageratum. I grew lobelia when I lived farther north. I don't know how it stands up to heat and sun.

Have you measured your space and calculated how many bedding plants to fill it? I would be planting seeds in the greenhouse but that's what I do. YOu might talk to your local plant sources about whether they can special order for you when you decide which plants.

Mexican Heather, I almost forgot that.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Thanks Nell!...I went to the co-op and really like the confederate jasmine...think I will use that for the body. When I get to the tail part I am going to re-read this post.....