This year has not been my best when it came to gardening....life got in the way a lot this year. But things are calming down finally! I haven't done as much this year as I should have. Subsequently, my blogging had been remise. But for whatever reason I refuse to feel guilty. Actually, I know the reason. I feel the minute a hobby (an activity someone does for pleasure, enjoyment, etc) ceases to be fun but filled with dread and guilt...it no longer is something you love.
I'm gonna chalk it up to ...I'm gonna do better next year....However, when I mean "next year" I mean it begins at first frost. Here, it is usually around thanksgiving.
The peacock next year I will not expand the tail.. My mother suggested to use permanent plantings but I am not quite in that camp.
I watered it heavily two days ago. You see the spinklers
The morning glory has taken over the head.
The morning glories were beautiful but aggressive.
I may put in a more permanent irrigation system.
Got to find a way to control weeds.
Despite my lack of attention this year...I did get a mower and put in the peacock...so it wasn't completely uneventful.
Alabama beauty camellias are blooming.
As are the encore azaleas.
Next year I need to find a more effective way to control the weeds....don't think I haven't considered concrete!
7 comments:
Beautiful and love the peacock idea!
Thanks Marie..it will be when I finally get it right...
The greenhouse covering is Polycarbonate. It is rigid and strong, yet can be cut with scissors. Cheaper than plexiglass but still not inexpensive. You need a squared frame.
I know you must feel depressed when weeds get ahead of you; I do. Last night when I couldn't sleep I 'worked' on your garden. Unfortunately I didn't find many answers.
We burn the fields where the wildflowers grow in established grass plots. Not so good for a home garden, except I have been known to pull things back and keep water handy while I burned the tops of Gulf Muhly in Spring in my beds because it stimulates their growth.
All else I can tell you is to make lists. Write down what worked, what didn't and try to figure out why. Set long and short term goals.
I'm afraid there's no substitute for dig, dig, dig, pull, pull, pull but you could hire it done.
Thanks, Nell for pondering it...my biggest issue is that mulch acts as a medium...I really want to consider something unorganic to place down...yes, the idea may be stupid but the garden is permanent and large...I live in a huge woodsy area susceptible to all kinds of seeds...I was seriously considering concreting, paving, rubber mulch, pave stones, something! in the 3000 sq feet rose garden so that the mulch would essentially be dirt after a while...I will search...one thing I am certain of...is that I am not the first with this problem.... my husband told me today he bought the lumber for the green house...I asked for a fan to be in place and I will tell him about the material you mentioned...thanks so much...
Random thoughts: Perhaps your mulch failed in part because it was not thick enough, as evidenced by any spot where the landscape fabric underneath showed through.
I realize that bark stuff is not cheap and you had to spread it thin because of the tremendous area you tried to cover. Have you checked around for alternative mulches like pine straw or pecan hulls?
Edges are another issue. For example, up next to the house. Notice how weeds took advantage of the space between the edge of the screen and the foundation.
Everywhere you have brick or block along the screen, the brick needs to be buried flat with the ground so your mower wheel can run over the brick and leave a nice edge.
Weeds are opportunists; they take advantage of any little crack or crevice. There will never be a flower bed where no weeds grow. A 'no bare earth' bed will help. You just have to pull the occasional weed that slips in.
Look carefully at gardens you want yours to resemble online and see how they approach the weed/mulch issue. Ask questions of those gardeners on Bloom Day whose garden style you like but be aware that if they are in Maine or Arizona they won't have your problems.
What happened to the Peacock's little Frill?
I'm new to your blog. My sister moved a couple of years ago to your neck of the woods. I love it there, you got some good dirt to play with. Love your property and flowers are beautiful. Going to explore other post. Just started to follow you.
Blessings from Miami,
Marlene
I agree, Nell...I have weeds in the cracks of the concrete porch and by the pool....enough seeds are exposed something grows...the problem with mulch is it is on the slope...and expensive for 3000 sq feet...will research heavily this winter....it would probably be as you say, pull, dig, pull....
@Marlene...thanks so much for your kind comments...my blog is about someone ( who is relatively a novice, sometimes lazy, and sometimes ambitious)....I am being kind in the "sometimes" thanks for stopping by....but Nell is definitely more experienced if you want to know someone who does things right!
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