Building a Vytas Garden

Perfect day outside for the dogs;

there are few bugs.

The onslaught has not yet begun.

Quiet morning. H made waffles. I finished knitting my second scarf! Proud! I'd say I'm on a roll, but the next scarf has given me trouble. I can't seem to knit the yarn, it is too fluffy. I've started and taken it apart at least three times. 

I need more yarn!

onion pots

I foolishly bought two boxes of onion sets about two months ago at the local store. $$ but I was excited to garden. H planted a few somewhere in the weeds he calls a garden. No way they can compete with the weeds! So, I dug out the flowers I'd put in two big pots and replanted the daisies in smaller pots and the calendula in the east flower bed. Then I planted little onion bulbs in the big pots. Hopefully I'll harvest something!

behind the house

Such a gorgeous day, I decided to work in the yard. About 20 years ago I put a flower bed in the back of the house (north). I envisioned a gorgeous shade garden with hostas and lilies, etc. It is so shady that it's been hard to get anything to grow. The wild roses at the side of the stairs do well, as do weeds. The only survivors have been a couple of columbine plants. So, I decided to make the flower bed a lot smaller and plant columbine. I also transplanted a watermelon berry plant (H's favorite) which grow wild here. And moved a lot of rocks. Happy to say the project is finished!

the new path

When C and I headed out for a walk, H and M were heading to the Lake via the dump. They'd already dropped cardboard off at some folks' house (wood burning boiler) and were ready for the next errand. Sadly, they forgot to take away the queen box spring, which is still sitting in our living area! Anyway, they took Bumpy, so we walked dog-less. (L is still too injured to leave the yard.)

The small flower bed at the foot of the back stairs is another garden failure. Years ago I planted hostas there. They lasted a few years but got smaller and smaller. One spring they didn't come back. So I planted wild irises. They're hardy, but unfortunately they don't like that spot. One or two will flower each year, but they look rather pathetic. Plus, the edge of the roof drips onto the bed, turning the soil to hard-packed clay.

For years we'd toss rocks there from different places. H would pick up little rocks in his travels around Bristol Bay, and he'd drop them there. If we walked along the beach and collected an interesting rock, that's where it'd end up. So, I decided to make a rock garden, including stepping stones to get to the side yard. I dug out dirt, added large rocks, and put back all the rocks we'd collected over the years, plus a few we painted two summers ago. I think it looks pretty good! I've named it after my nephew who hauled tons of rocks out of his yard. Kind of a joke, but a good way to remember him. (He'd get a kick out of it!)

Our Vytas garden

flowering bergenia

After I finished the Vytas Garden, I wandered down to the garden beds at the front of the house. Watered the newly planted rhubarb. Cut some chives and rhubarb. Weeded dandelions and bachelor buttons. The trollius have huge buds on them and are about to bloom. I don't want their beauty competing with the yellow dandelions!

My next project: cleaning this up!

H and M hadn't returned from the Lake, so I thought I'd weed this flower bed. It is quite neglected but does really well. Not too weedy like the garden in front. Earlier this spring I transplanted some trollius here, and all three transplants are doing well. On the front part of the bed I weeded, watered, and added a bit more soil in places. The west side will have to wait until tomorrow! 

They returned from the Lake about 7:30 and dinner was almost ready (fish tacos with coleslaw and homemade tortillas!), so it was a good stopping place. Time for a quick shower before we ate.

to be continued...

O called after dinner, so we talked to him for about an hour. 9ish C wanted to go for another walk, and as I headed for the door, both dogs got up to join me. Poor L hobbled down the hallway, all crippled up, but ready to go. Alas, I had to leave him behind. I put Bumpy on the leash and off we went. As we walked down the driveway, we heard L yowling with sadness because we weren't including him. (I was very nervous walking by the husky's house, but there was no sign of her.) When I got home, H was still talking to O. The conversation continued for another hour. Neither is a man of few words!

H and M brought a dirt bike back from the Lake. Yet another motorized toy in our yard! They took it for a spin. Yup. Noisy. M put together the bookshelf I got from ScanHome. It's pretty ugly. Dunno where it's going to end up. I'd planned to put it in the living room. The protests!