HELP too many Iries-I need a 12 step program-quick!!!!!

Today the weather finally broke!! Low 80's-woo-who! The humidity will be giving me a break for a few days. So I had to get outside and tackle the Iris bed that has been bothering me for some time now! This is where my new Greenhouse is going so I had to dig up over 100 plus Iries to make room over there to put the greenhouse in the full sun. And I'm sharing photos of all the Iries I dug out and laid out to dry for a few days. I will wash them today in bleach and water and cut back the leaves to about 6" before I replant them.   I had a hard time letting go of some, but I just had to. I separated the babies and put them in my "Share Bucket", there is over 50 babies in there.  I can not for the life of me throw any of these away because I'm not sure which one is which. Some are labeled but most are not. I had my trusty magic marker to write on the leaves of the ones I knew.  I am going to scream trying to find places for all of these, but I will do it...if it kills me:)
I feel like one of the persons on the "Hoarder" shows. I just can't part with these, it was hard enough to have that share bucket. I wished some of you were closer I could share.  I am an 'IRIS ADDICT" and I need a 12 step program. Maybe I need one of these anyway-big smile. Needless to say the greenhouse isn't going to be put up today because the 'MUSCLE" went golfing. And I know the "MUSCLE"  isn't going to feel like dealing with it when he returns!!! Too bad I need 2 people for this project or it would have been done by now!!

June has been a very, very hot, humid month and not alot going on just trying to keep things alive. No rain to speak of. My Rain Barrels sit empty-ugh. And don't see any rain till after the 4th of July holiday. It's been a challenge. I did get my first pickings of bush beans today-11 to count :) Hey it's a start. My Squash plants have alot of flowers. I keeping my fingers crossed on all my veggies this year, it's been a strange one. Here are some daylilies blooming that will keep me happy.

OK, that should do it for now. I think I need a 12 step for Daylilies too, What do you'll think? Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day. And think about me planting all those Iries!! I think I need an extra pair of hands, GOT ANY? This is me signing out for sure!! If I don't get to thank you for leaving comments on my blog it is greatly appreciated!!

STOP PUSHING ME-Allright-Allready!!

Today's topic is "Over-crowding". Every year at the end of the season I find myself going  out and buying plants that I feel sorry for, and  also looking for a good bargains-too funny. Well at the time it's a great bargain, but alot of times these plants wait till the last minute to be put into the ground. Then I scurry around like a Mad-Women trying to fit everybody in! I know I'm not alone by a long shot because well you know who you are!  When I go shopping I have no idea where I'm going to plant these poor things. But I know me, I either saw them on someones blog or garden or just in a book and I had to have these!!! I don't do this all the time, actually I am pretty organized . But at the end of the season I start getting really bored!!  And yes this is the final result, OVERCROWDING. As you can see from this picture, which was taken from the porch side, this garden has alot of plants and this is the back side. This year I didn't count on the "Hydrangea" to taking over this area. I think because of all the snow we got this past winter this shrub has grown leaps and bounds. Plus I pruned early in the spring because of winter damage and it's pushing it's way into the perennials now. Here is the list of plants pushing and shoving in this area:( 'Heuchera-Prince, 'Coreopsis'Red Shift', Daylilies, Agastache-'Summer Sky, Japanese Irises, Sempervivum, and blue-eyed grasses and some containers. Plus there are 'Platycodon g. 'Mariesii' Blue seedlings all over the place. This plant is invasive for me. If you need any seeds let me know and I will surely send them to you...I have replanted this plant forever, don't need anymore, but I can't just pull them out and discard.  OK, so for me this is what happens without a plan of some kind. NOW it's hot as HELL and the plants are surviving but the gardener is feeling a little overwhelmed, this happens, because I can't move anything in this stinking heat. I don't what to sacrifice my plants by moving them now!

OK, so here are a few plants that I really like and that are working for me where they are planted. The First is Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' known as Joe Pye Weed. This is a smaller version of the big one and this gets little white flowers on it. I said I wouldn't put Joe Pye Weed in my garden but I found this Medium size guy and I love the foliage. It's like a burgundy/silver/green. Love it. Yes, I'm noticing alot of bite marks on my plants, I don't use ANY chemicals on my gardens, but I do need a good insecticide. Maybe just soap and water (it works for me)!

And speaking of bite-marks I've been invaded by "Tomato Hornworms"-UGH. My poor maters are having a ruff go of it this year. I've always had good luck with this raised bed but this year the they are taking a beating. Here is the culprit

I hate picking these things off so I got out the pruners and cut that limb off into a pot and threw them down on the ground and mashed them. I was reading somewhere it said if you see white egg sacs over their backs leave them be. These eggs are a parasitic Wasp called 'Braconid Wasp'. Let them hatch and they will defend your garden against all kinds of pests. Well, I didn't see any eggs so I killed'um. Now I feel bad, that's sad.

And this is the "Hosta Fairy" she needs a make-over. I will take her out paint the original colors back on her. She was very pretty with all her color but now she is a little pale. I'm going to antique the urn behind her. Using black concrete paint first and then dry rubbing brown over it. I let you know how it turns out. I have 4 of these to do. So with that in mind and not as humid today I will sign out.

 Have a marvelous garden day in your yard and watch out for all the arguing of the plants trying to stand their ground in the garden.....Remember plan, plan, and plan again (sounds good). I guess I should take my own advice :)

This is why I love to Garden......

Morning All, for some reason I couldn't sleep this morning. So what better to do then sit down and blog :) Anyway yesterday morning when I got up to see two squirrels outside on  the Black Walnut trees playing around. So before I let the dogs out of course I had to run to get my camera and see if I could get a shot.  We have quite a few of these trees and (SQ's)-another name for squirrels here with the dogs we have to talk like this around the them or they will bolt after them so we have a little language of are own for the dogs and the animals around us. Anyway I'm always finding these nuts in my gardens hiding and I swear sometimes I see the  SQ's  throw them down at the dogs. The dogs have an Invisible Fence around the yard but aren't allowed down in the lower 40. So they're  far enough away from Nature to let the other animals be. Like Deer, Groundhogs, Squirrels, Foxes, Turkeys, and a Murder of Crows!!!

Anyway the story is I think this is a "Mother SQ and her youngster trying to hold him/her still long enough to clean. I can relate!! They are so cute up there but when they come down their they reek havoc!! They dig in my garden, hide nuts, eat all the bird seed (I don't mind cause they need food too.) I just wish they weren't such pigs. The dictionary calls them: "Tree Dwelling Rodents with a bushy tail. Well take off the tail and I have 2 living in my basement, eating all of my food too-and you know who you are:)  But anyway, I just love walking around the property, it gives me a peace of mind that I really don't get anywhere else  and it stills my head. I swear sometimes I have Adult ADD!  If you've ever seen the Movie "UP" I'm the Dog!!! Where-Where-Where that's my head. And I have a gazillion ideas in there popping up all the time.Ok, back to why I was here. It's been really hot here in Maryland and really not a sun worshipper. I'm a shade dweller, but I do like the beach with cover :)
Friday two things happen that I really hate!!!! My pond pump stopped working so had to invest in another, and the other thing is 'Harley' rolled in Deer Poop, yes I said it!! Man I hate that. He had a good ole' time before I could yell at him. So needless to say it was in the tub for him and me, first thing in the morning too-ugh! So all day I took him out on the leash so not to tempt him again. I cleaned up the mess! I don't mind cleaning up after the dogs but the resident wildlife really needs to do their own and stay down at the lower 40!! So Life goes on here and I still having to water alot and the humidity is really up there also. Today the Heat Index will take us to 105degress-ugh. OK, garden stuff below.........................................

Here is mystery plant that I had talked about much earlier, well it has some kind of flower heads now here is a picture, I hope it will be a 'Crocosmia' I can't wait. I'm sure I planted it just don't remember what I put in there. Last year I only had leaves last year and  this year it's going to bloom-woo-who!!

And here's  a plant my friend gave to me,these are little babies. I just loved hers. And hers grows all over the place. We found these guys back in the wooded area. So I got to bring them home. They are very tender and need alot of water and I've got them in a sheltered area in the bright shade :)  I'm not sure what it is, maybe a bloody dock, it has red veins thru it just like beets, but not a beet plant. This gets a white flower spike. And my friend doesn't keep notes, or tags she just pops stuff in. It's tough being a plant there cause if you don't look good your out of there. Me, I pour my soul into my gardens and get a little sad if something dies, because I know it's ME not the PLANT, usually.

And here are some other things that keep me gardening, I love nature!!!

Just the little things make me happy in my garden and to see all the beautiful gifts I get outside everyday, weather good or bad I'm thankful for sight to see it all and be part of it. And my gardens aren't perfect and my flowers don't stand at attention but I know that when I go outside they will be there to greet me and put a smile on my face. So Peace Out and I'm off to paint some Windows-woo-who. Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't know Caladiums have flowers!!!

I didn't know that these Caladiums gave a beautiful flower!! Wow, I saw this on a few the other day and didn't pay any attention. I walked by thinking it was just another leaf. Then this morning I looked at it closer because it opened up and it looks like a 'Calla Lily' bloom. What a treat, I learned something today :) I guessed if I had researched these bulbs they would have told me in their description.

And I had a teeny-tiny visitor this morning over by the pond in the mulch. Here is his pic. a little toad I think. No bigger then the top of your thumb.

Not much too talk about here which is unusual but it's been too stinking hot!!! Even in the shade. This morning it's already 100 on porch. My plants seem to be doing ok. Last evening we did finally get that rain. I have been watering every day, I don't think I can remember when I have watered everyday.  I'm a little worried about my Tomato Plants, they seem to have a little wilt, don't know if it's the weather. I don't see any bugs just wilt. Maybe a Bacteria Wilt. I did amend that raised bed with a new Lobster compost , but that shouldn't make a difference. The beans are in the same bed and are doing fine. I know different needs for different plants. Ok, well back to flowers. Here are some flowers growing now. Alot of the white flowers are blooming, Gooseneck loosestrife, White hosta flowers, Pina Colada Phlox, and 'White Swan Coneflower' and a new 'Heuchera'to name a few. Oh I have a 'White Butterfly Bush' blooming. I will take a picture and show.

 And here are a couple of my 20 plus daylilies blooming right now. I love my only Star Daylily 'Cleome' it's a pale yellow with beautiful purple inside. And my other favorite is this 'Triple leaf Daylily-orange. Just awesome. And a photo of the front walk with about 10 different ones in there( Buttered Popcorn, Lavender Vista, Red Volunteer, Wild Horses, Mini Lavender, Peruvian Market, Orange Crush, Lullaby Baby and others. The only thing is they all don't bloom at the same time-duh.  They are all over grown so I will dig up this fall and relocate a few. There's so many things to do in the gardens. Alot of weeding in the front but I'm just being a lazy gardener and don't feel like going out in the heat-ugh. Actually I don't want to encounter the black snake.  I have been putting my energy these days into other beds in the back and have pushed  the front areas to the side  and that's not good because it's the first areas you see.  I'm not happy with that area and I planted it without a design on paper. Have to rethink.  Well, I'm signing off  to  have a bit of lunch and maybe go read a bit in the cool house. Have a marvelous day. And Happy Gardening to my blog friends.................................. 

A Barrel of Thoughts....

Morning All, I thought I'd get in a few thoughts and photos before I head out in the Sun. Here are my pics. of what I've been working on this past week (on and off). I finished the long brick walk. I've  extended  the bricks out in front of the little garden shed. I know your sick of seeing my garden shed but this is what started it all last year!!  I was determined to take away as much grass as possible and make this area my own!!! I ended the walk with a circle pattern around the "Barrel".

As you know I love to walk on the beaches and pick up everything and since this past winter I have quite a collection of rocks, big, small, black, white you get the picture. Well they were starting to take over my office so I had to figure what to do with them. Here is what I'm using them for...I put white and brown sea glass around the beginning bricks and put the little rocks on around the bottom half. As you can see I need more rocks. Won't be able to pick up any this weekend so will have to wait. Not to shabby for a self-taught and alot of time of my hands gardener,yeh. Here are the picks of the area now. I have gained about 3ft more of gardening space on the right of the barrel. This year I will just put down 6 layers of paper and more mulch and try and wait for next year to plant in. I will be putting a Herb garden on the left side of the barrel. And this weekend maybe the Greenhouse will go up. Wish me luck. This garden area get FULL SUN all day on the left side so I really have to thing things thru, what to buy and plant. As a gardener I know I need "Bones" for my garden and I haven't quite got that down. I need to read more about what to do. Yes, I need help but I'm a self-taught everything kinda of person :) So with that in mind I will sign-off and you can look at my photos and give your opinions. Peace Out and have an awesome Garden Day!!!!

Angels To Watch Over Me

Evening All, I hadn't given this alot of thought before but while walking thru the yard taking pictures I noticed alot of "Angels" (I see a theme) watching over me. These little guys have been here a long time. I don't normally buy cherubs, angels, I do like fairies-who doesn't. I have alot of stuff in my gardens. I like to look at these things as much as my flowers.

The first little guy was half price because he didn't have his original ball to hold in his little hands. But I didn't see a problem with that and snatched him right up out of the 1/2 price area in the garden center. Boy he was a heavy one too.  I gave him a Glass Fishing Float I had laying around , he's been happy ever since. Doesn't know any difference.

My next little angel is a kneeling angel, small and very quiet  watching over my Japanese Maple. This Winter my better half pushed him right off his rock moving snow and broke his little hands. But I'm going to fix him.

And the next one I call the "Pond Angel" he's been with me for about 14 yrs. and has watched over my flower gardens until he got an official title. I put in a small 100 gallon pond a couple of years ago and he's been there ever since, sitting quietly with his little hands folded in front and his legs crossed dangling in the water by the "Rush" and the "Water Iries".

But for the past couple of years I think I need to put a cactus by the pond. Why you say, well I've been losing all my fish lately and don't know who the villain is.

We even went so far as to buy an "Alligator" (Bob) to spit on whoever entered the pond area. But he spit all the time and well, he was shooting water out onto  the ground and I was losing to much water,  so now he just sits and watches thru the "Pickerel Rush".

I  just like to  show everyone some of the things in my gardens that keep me entertained and easy on the eyes. Here are a few plants blooming in the garden right now.  The first is Stachy's 'Hummelo" mountain lambs ears. Cute little lavender flowers and great in the front of the border. I use rocks as plant markers. The next one is: 'Gooseneck Loosestrife" this is invasive for me and I'm constantly pulling the runners. But I like how the flower heads look like geese.

And another thing is easy on the eyes are the 'Playtocodon and the Big Blue Hydrangea'. This is looking out from the sun room/porch. And last the 'Caladiums-Miss Muffet and I forgot the red one :) So I won't keep you any longer. Have a fantastic evening and I'll be back tomorrow with more projects. Peace Out and happy gardening to all...And I hope everyone has a garden angel to watch over them!!

Oh, The Dog Days of Summer And More.....

Here are the 4leggers taking a break from the "Heat"!!! This is their couch in my office. The little one is "Gracie" and the rather large one is "Harley". Just thought I'd show a photo of my garden buddies (sometimes).

And remember that SURPRISE I was talking about well "IT's HERE" Oh my Gosh, Jerry bought me a little Greenhouse (6 X 8). This year we are celebrating our "35"yr. Anniversary :) Hope we'll still together after putting this thing together, just a little marriage humor there. I can't think straight since it got here. I have to be patient because I have alot of garden work to do before my greenhouse has its final resting place......

Anyway, alot of course goes on when you have gardens to tend to and life in general. I took a break on Sat. and went "Glassing" with my friends Sea glassing. What a fantastic day, the wind was blowing, the sun was hot and all the surroundings were just awesome. I even had a lady on the beach help pick-up a few pieces.
We always make a day of it because we go far away from home to find it!!! Not telling it's a secret :) Here is a picture of my stash for that day-not a great picture but there are prime pieces in there and more.

 OK, so much for the goings on in my little world. I would like to show you some more of my favorite plants blooming right now.This is Japanese Iris "Lady in Waiting" I rec'd this from a dear friend. When we buy stuff we sometimes get one for the other friends garden, share and share alike.

OK, this one is yellow "Lantana" it's an annual here and one of my favorites. I love all "Lantanas" but the yellow is my favorite. And one of my treasured little mini,mini hosta that I protect. Don't know the name I've had it forever, when I didn't keep the tags and write stuff, that long ago. It gets beautiful purple flowers with a white stripe, just cute, cute, cute...

So I will cut it short for now because I'm a chatter box of information waiting to get out. Today I'm having a break in the hot,humid weather so I'm back outside doing a little planting. So everyone have a "Fantastic" day and enjoy your gardens and don't forget to read a good book and a glass of Iced Tea in your favorite garden chair. Peace Out until tomorrow....

Rocks, Bricks, Herbs, in the Hot Sun!!

Afternoon All, wow you turn your back and take a break and the weather gets Hot again. Yesterday evening when I walked outside with my journal and pencil in hand I had a vision of what else I could do to this area of my garden.

And the pictures tell the story. Let me back up a little. The other day while I was visiting my friend she gave me a couple of little Japanese Maples-Umm ,where can I put these?

So the wheels starting turning. When I went out in the yard last night I took a paper and pencil and starting designing this area. I finished the long brick walk and added an additional 5' walk in front of shed leading you to a Barrel with bricks laid in a "Sun/Wheel" pattern thingy (Not done yet). I am going to plant one of  the maples in the Barrel!! Maples like Sun, right? And I'm extending the garden out around the bricks. I am putting in a new "Herb" area and the left side. And I'm moving some grasses to give a focal point as to where to come into the garden. And here's a close-up of the unfinished barrel pattern.

Ok, on too next project!!! This is the finished little Gnome Cottage that I painted on a rock for a friends Birthday. Front/Back/Side Views, What do you think?So I'm going to take a break for now and be back later with more of my favorite plants. Peace Out from this gardener to you! Happy Grilling :)