Post by Noofies on Apr 16, 2006 17:41:48 GMT -5
I'm discovering a wealth of new plant life at my new home. I cut these from the patio on Friday, to save them from dogs with good aim:
I worked outside Friday and most of yesterday. Got the roses cleared out, got some day lily bulbs divided (they desperately needed it) and filled in a couple of bare spots with those. Got the pine outside the patio trimmed so it doesn't hang down into the patio any more. Got my glider and lawn chairs cleaned up, re-stacked the remainder of the firewood out of the way in the corner, got the cement slab cleaned up. Re-arranged windchimes, filled all the feeders (new hummingbird nectar - no, haven't spotted one yet, but they're due any time - and first fill of the oriole feeder), measured for the fencing, did some research on the herbs I bought and found that several of them are hardy perennials in this area, so I've begun thinking about landscaping with them instead of putting them in the raised herb bed. Leaves more room for the annual herbs there. Took the trellis from behind what appears to be a regular rose bush rather than a climber and moved it to the south side of the house, where I'll plant my climbing peace rose.
Got the chicken wire pulled up from under the top layer of dirt in the patio, and got the soil broken up and replaced. I've decided to put stone tiles from the cement slab that's under the roof to half-way out into the patio area; I'm going to make some non-mosaic ones for there for now and eventually replace them with mosaic stones, maybe a pattern for the whole tiled area instead of each individual stone having its own pattern. I'll do something to make the plain cement stones more decorative - maybe put fern impressions into them, not only decorative but texturizing. I'd like to put a table and chairs out there, and I'll plant the rest with shade lawn seed - got a small container of seed today from my mom's stash, and I'll probably get that spread one day this week when the weather's right.
The covered patio itself is great. Got it all set up with the glider and chairs, a couple of rectangular hollow glass block lanterns put out there with votives in them, hung up a little lantern, and then got the toddler bed out of the workshop and put that onto the patio. Threw a couple of dog blankets on it and the dogs were happy to sit out there with me last night. (Too cool yet for them to lie on the concrete, but warm enough for me to sit out there with a sweatshirt on.) The light from the neighbor's tall yard pole light comes straight in so I temporarily hung up an old mini blind to block it. I've got a bamboo roll-up curtain out in the storage room in back. Next time I make a trip out there I'll bring that back and switch it out for the miniblind. It makes a nice, cosy, very private area to sit outside in the evening. It'll be even nicer when fence at the end opposite the den door is covered in flower vines. My radio in the kitchen is right near a window, I can sit on the patio and hear it as well as I can in the house.
Took a walk around front this morning, and discovered grape hyacinths just starting to pop up in the front and side beds, and around the base of the trees. Found more day-lilies in the front and side beds, too, and a few variegated hostas poking up. (I'm guessing those will need to be divided, too, and that's OK by me!) Found a couple of hens-and-chicks.
Discovered more more bulb flowers - I'm betting narcissus - with 4-5" long leaves in the grass in the same areas the crocuses came up a couple of weeks ago. I like that, can't wait to see if there's anything *else* planted in the lawn.
I got the rest of the seeds I needed on Friday afternoon, except the moonflowers. I'll just keep looking. Got packages of trailing lobelia and a small, bush-type morning glory; combined with the cosmos and impatiens I already have and maybe a lettuce or two, I should be able to make some very pretty hanging baskets. I brought my mom's old empty ones home with me this week, and I'll make a matching pair for her porch too.
I worked outside Friday and most of yesterday. Got the roses cleared out, got some day lily bulbs divided (they desperately needed it) and filled in a couple of bare spots with those. Got the pine outside the patio trimmed so it doesn't hang down into the patio any more. Got my glider and lawn chairs cleaned up, re-stacked the remainder of the firewood out of the way in the corner, got the cement slab cleaned up. Re-arranged windchimes, filled all the feeders (new hummingbird nectar - no, haven't spotted one yet, but they're due any time - and first fill of the oriole feeder), measured for the fencing, did some research on the herbs I bought and found that several of them are hardy perennials in this area, so I've begun thinking about landscaping with them instead of putting them in the raised herb bed. Leaves more room for the annual herbs there. Took the trellis from behind what appears to be a regular rose bush rather than a climber and moved it to the south side of the house, where I'll plant my climbing peace rose.
Got the chicken wire pulled up from under the top layer of dirt in the patio, and got the soil broken up and replaced. I've decided to put stone tiles from the cement slab that's under the roof to half-way out into the patio area; I'm going to make some non-mosaic ones for there for now and eventually replace them with mosaic stones, maybe a pattern for the whole tiled area instead of each individual stone having its own pattern. I'll do something to make the plain cement stones more decorative - maybe put fern impressions into them, not only decorative but texturizing. I'd like to put a table and chairs out there, and I'll plant the rest with shade lawn seed - got a small container of seed today from my mom's stash, and I'll probably get that spread one day this week when the weather's right.
The covered patio itself is great. Got it all set up with the glider and chairs, a couple of rectangular hollow glass block lanterns put out there with votives in them, hung up a little lantern, and then got the toddler bed out of the workshop and put that onto the patio. Threw a couple of dog blankets on it and the dogs were happy to sit out there with me last night. (Too cool yet for them to lie on the concrete, but warm enough for me to sit out there with a sweatshirt on.) The light from the neighbor's tall yard pole light comes straight in so I temporarily hung up an old mini blind to block it. I've got a bamboo roll-up curtain out in the storage room in back. Next time I make a trip out there I'll bring that back and switch it out for the miniblind. It makes a nice, cosy, very private area to sit outside in the evening. It'll be even nicer when fence at the end opposite the den door is covered in flower vines. My radio in the kitchen is right near a window, I can sit on the patio and hear it as well as I can in the house.
Took a walk around front this morning, and discovered grape hyacinths just starting to pop up in the front and side beds, and around the base of the trees. Found more day-lilies in the front and side beds, too, and a few variegated hostas poking up. (I'm guessing those will need to be divided, too, and that's OK by me!) Found a couple of hens-and-chicks.
Discovered more more bulb flowers - I'm betting narcissus - with 4-5" long leaves in the grass in the same areas the crocuses came up a couple of weeks ago. I like that, can't wait to see if there's anything *else* planted in the lawn. I got the rest of the seeds I needed on Friday afternoon, except the moonflowers. I'll just keep looking. Got packages of trailing lobelia and a small, bush-type morning glory; combined with the cosmos and impatiens I already have and maybe a lettuce or two, I should be able to make some very pretty hanging baskets. I brought my mom's old empty ones home with me this week, and I'll make a matching pair for her porch too.
