Snapdragons

Today I ignored most of the important things I need to do, and instead focused on this critical task:

I don't know what I am going to do with 36 snapdragon plants, but I am willing to figure it out.

Jess

Rhododendron for shade

Ever since my six holly bushes died in the drought, I have been trying to find something to take their place as a privacy hedge along the heavily shaded back fence. 

The plant manager at Lowes has solved my problem - shade tolerant, evergreen rhododendrom.  I had no idea that they were evergreen.

I like the Black Satin PJM and Catawbiense versions found here and here.

 

The house wanted pink

When we moved into our house, it looked like this:

It reminded me of a park - lush, green, and neat. 
And the art deco style house, frankly, reminded me a little bit of an apartment building - all vertical lines and geometric shapes.

So I was thinking of how to soften it up, and I started with flowers.  If we had a frame farmhouse, a sloping dutch colonial, or a Queen Anne style victorian I might have done wispy, wavey wildflowers in pastels - pale pinks, lavendars, and delicate white flowers to make it look wild and romantic. 

But our house was built very near to the 40's - tailored lines.  And the more I looked at it, the more I thought that it needed a touch of glamour - nothing wispy or shy, but something loud and confident, like the bright red lipstick of an old Hollywood starlet. 

This house needed pink.
 

A lot of pink!

And a little bit of white.  The six little vinca I planted went crazy at the bottom of the stairs. 
Shawn is so excited about our hot pink yard.  : )

Jess

Project # 2: Why yes, I am cutting ivy in 90 degree heat...

So my second project was going to be to straighten up the desk next to our door, but I was sidetracked by the yard.  This has happened all summer - which is why my entire front yard is covered with flowers, but my two spare bedrooms look like a flea market exploded.  I have been glaring at the ivy ground cover that sits in a semi-circle behind the driveway for a few weeks now.  Everything has been growing like crazy, and it had completely overtaken the little stone wall it is supposed to sit on top of.  So it got a little trim today around the wall.  I still need to cut and weed the top of it, but at least it isn't trailing down the drive like it is trying to make a run with the yard....

No pictures - it's really only slightly better looking immediately after a trim than it is overgrown.  I started out doing light trims, and after two years I've realized that if you don't hack it back it is overgrown again the next morning. 

My next project of the night has to be reading Plainsong for book club - it's tomorrow, and I haven't even cracked the book.

Currently doubling as a mosquito smorgasbord,
Jess

Spring is coming!

The magnolia tree across the street is blooming, and we are discovering all the flowers in our new yard.  So far, we have daffodils, tulips, one crocus, and a mysterious wilted plant that bloomed purple and pink flowers.  The roses are coming back (except perhaps the one I tried to winter over inside and forgot to water), and the yard is greening up.  In the back yard, we have fosythia beginning to think about flowering. 

Inside we are thinking about how to best use our greenhouse.  So far, the verdict is herbs.

Jess