The Bulbs are In!

After a full week of gorgeous fall days, I'm happy to report that the bulbs are planted.

 

Last year I was very good about taking note of exactly where I put everything.

This year--not so much.

I was just happy to get them in the ground.

 

Here's my assortment, ready to go.

 

The main placements I remember are:

* Multi-flowering hyacinths 'Festival Pink' just to the left of that daylily, above.

'Mariette' tulips to the other side of the bed to balance out the ones I planted last year.

Narcissus 'Avalanche' (white w/ yellow cup) on either side of the Oregon Grape, bottom terrace.

Narcissus fragrant mixture, behind English laurel, bottom terrace.

 

The back flowerbed got all 5 Hyacinthus orientalis 'Gypsy Queen,' as well as the 'Apricot Impression' tulips.

 

Scattered in all the beds:

species crocuses: 'Lilac Beauty' and 'Cream Beauty', Triandrus Narcissus 'Lemon Drops', Narcissus 'Baby Moon', and more of the fragrant narcissus mixture.

 

I had some tulips left over, so we planted them just behind the very top garden wall:

some 'Mariette' again, and some of The Princely Mixture (single early tulips; pink, lilac, and yellow.) 

 

All my bulbs this year were purchased from John Scheepers.

I have been very satisfied with their quality, selection, and prices. 

Hard at play.

Photo courtesy of my daughter.

Shade Bed

First, I should say that this is a mix of pictures: some taken 3 weeks ago (before frost), and the more colorful foliage from 1 week ago.

 

Red-twig dogwood, looking lovely this fall.

I love the variegated colors of the leaves.

Such a good-looking shrub.

 

On the left, columbine, added from VW Gardens.

Actually, all the additions to this bed were gifts from her.

Thanks, again friend!

 

 Neither of my dicentras came back this year.

Of the 3 ferns I had planted, only 1 has survived.

So I added another columbine to the right of the pink heuchera.

Also, this little hosta replacing one of the ferns.

 

These 2 hostas were already here from last year, as was 1 tiarella, and the brunnera, hanging on.

I added the 2 purple heucheras, plus 1 lady's mantle.

I even managed to cut back the grass threatening to overtake the bed.

This has been my most neglected flowerbed this year.

I tried to get back to water it during the hottest parts of the summer, but for the most part, it just chugged along on its own steam...or not, in the case of the ferns.

I'm excited about the added color from the heucheras.

Also, that I know they are tough and should survive.

 

I had forgotten how the hostas change colors in the fall.

That banana yellow next to the heuchera is so pretty!

I can see them from my kitchen window, and it's such a bright little spot back there in the shade.

These 2 aren't quite as yellow, but still set off the other foliage quite nicely.

 

Maybe next year I will spend a little more time back here.

There is hope, since the front terraces are all filled in now.

Canning Done So Far

These were all actually canned last month.

 

10 quarts red 'Dapple Dandy' plums

Sweet when fresh.

Mouth-puckering, canker-inducing sour when canned in light syrup.

[sigh]

Maybe I'll make some plum sauce with them, or something.

Anything that requires a whole lot more sugar.

34 pints Damson plum jam

We heard from a friend that there were FREE plums to pick at the elementary school.

We were all over that.

I came home and looked at my jam recipe:

2 lbs plums, chopped = 1 x the recipe

I had something like 25 lbs of plums.

Yeah.

So I was making jam and canning it until 10pm that night.

But hey, it's delicious, and it even set up without pectin added.

I'm calling it a win.

18 quarts peaches

(We had 22 quarts left from last year.)

Tried extra-light syrup for them.

We'll see if we like it.

 

I still need to do applesauce this year--we're down to our last 3 quarts from the batch 2 years ago. I guess that means it's about time.  Maybe this week or next.

Back Flowerbed Musical Chairs

Back Flowerbed, 1 year ago:

 

Wow, the house looks really blue in this picture.

It's somewhere between this color and the washed out blue, below.

 

Back Flowerbed, 1 month ago:

 



So, with all the renovations and additions going on out front, it's only fair that the back got a little love, too. Plus, it was needed.

 

You'll have to excuse the dirt & weeds in place of a lawn.

Hoping to get that re-graded, re-seeded and actually green.

But it might not happen until next year, at this point.

 

Overall plan:

* replace the rose bush that got moved up front

* center flowering almond under the window

* clump together Asiatic lilies

*move smaller plants as needed to fill in

*dig up all raspberry starts and move to raspberry bed

 

What this flowerbed has needed all along is height.

Slowly but surely, we are getting there.

The flowering almond, mockorange, and yellow 'Topaz' rose all at least doubled in height this year.

My current color scheme back here is peachy oranges and pinks, with some yellow and deeper shades of orange and pink too.

To be frank, sometimes it all seems to wash out against the blue of the house.

I'm going to give it another year to see how it goes.

I may end up going more toward stronger colors back here, just for visibility, or who knows, we may paint the house. (Neither of us loves the blue!)

New rose bush: Weeks rose: 'What a Peach'

This is the rose bush that replaced my 'Watercolors' rose.

Small, abundant double blooms.

Here's hoping this one does better than the last!

 

I also put all the Asiatic lilies together, as you can see.

I had them spread out along the house, but I think they will make much more impact in one smaller section.

Not very visible here are the white peony transplants from VW Garden.

I'm hoping they'll grow up "big and strong" next year, and fill in this big empty space.

 

Somewhere in here are several tulips, as well.

I moved the potentilla up front and moved the flowering almond over by about 2 feet, to center it under the window. Should have done that to begin with--it's bugged me ever since I planted it!

 

 



 Last spring, I planted sedums and portulaca in the bone-dry strip right along the house.

So far both have been thriving.

More Asiatic lilies clumped up.

All the tall purple irises are gone now: some moved up front, and the rest given away.

These irises are miniature pink 'Bubbles' from VW Garden.

I'm excited to see them bloom next year.

In front is a Geum 'Totally Tangerine.'

This is a new spot for it, as well.

My daylilies (Hall's pink) and poppy (Papaver orientale 'Victoria Louise') in front stayed in the same spots.

 

This rose is holding on to some late blooms, even after 3-4 nights of frost.

I'm not complaining!

I moved the Asiatic lilies out from behind it, as well. Since the rose has tripled in size this year, you could no longer see them.

I also plan to move some of the mini daffodil bulbs from directly in front of it--same reason.

It's a sprawler, and it's taking up the space right where they'll be coming up.

I left the a 2nd geum between the mockorange and yellow rose, along with Veronica spicata, or Speedwell 'Inspire'.
 

Once I get my bulb order in, and a few more bulbs planted back here, it'll be time for mulch and the long winter's sleep. My guess is 4 weeks to snow (if it's the same as last year.)

Frost Bouquet

These are actually from a few weeks ago.

Little did we know, as we snipped a few blooms, that it would frost that night!

Makes me wish we had cut a few more.

 

Linking up to the Garden Appreciation Society.

 

So, official first frost date this year: Oct 4

 

'Burgundy Iceberg' rose, burgundy guillardia, coleus, salvia.

 

There are a few hardy souls out there who have survived multiple frosts now. I should probably cut a few of them to bring in and enjoy, before winter hits.

 

Perpetual Chore List: Fall Edition

Spring and Fall seem to be the times I most need the chore list. There are things to be done every which way I look, so if I don't get it written down, I am certain to forget something.

East-Side Middle Terrace
1. Mark out sections for fruit trees, rocks, and planting areas.
2. Weed!
3. Amend and rototill tree and planting sections.
4. Plant catmint (from VW Garden--it's still hanging on!) in front of planting areas.
5. Decide on and purchase fruit trees. Plant in their sections. Mulch around them.
6. Put down weed fabric in rock sections, then add rocks on top.

To Divide:
* garden oregano
* Shasta daisies up front
* guillardia?
* strawberries?
* aloe vera (houseplant)
~ plant or give away extras

Flowerpots
Plant perennials: dianthus, lamb's ears (slope next to garden or back flowerbed), mint (back slope to compete with weed grass, or give away)
Add ornamental kale or pansies?

Plant bulbs when my order arrives!

Vegetable garden
Pull out every aspen root/shoot I can find.
Contine to harvest & process as needed.
After frost, remove tomato cages and store in shed.

Back Flowerbed
1. Mulch
2. Dig up some of the mini daffodils in front of yellow rose, and re-distribute down to other end.


I'll have no problems keeping busy!