The drive home was fairly uneventful and easy with one exception...apparently it was the last day of Bike Week in Daytona, which swiftly became clear as we passed through Orlando on 4 East heading towards Daytona and 95 North:
Traffic got really heavy and ended up coming to a complete stop and go for about 90 minutes, but I was a happy passenger with the windows open, sun shining, and lots of interesting things to look at. I noticed this guy about 10 miles before and initially thought it was really his hair (at 50 mph it looked like it was), but when we ended up stopped next to him, I could see the mohawk was attached to the top of the helmet. I asked permission to take the photo, got a nod, shouted out my admiration of said helmet, and received a thumbs up in return:
We got home on Sunday after dark and it was all I could do to wait until Monday morning to check the patio garden. But I was very happy with the crocus, daffodil, and tulip sprouts I found:
Some are more advanced than others (and note the dreaded marsh marigolds -- I best get weeding):
Only one pot left out over the winter exploded and it was a cheap one from Walmart that I didn't much care for anyway:
And this was actually a big surprise...another tree was removed while we were gone:
It's the tree at the very far end behind the blue pots:
The view of the tree from the street last summer. I don't know what will grow there. It's the north side of the house, still pretty well covered by the other trees in that area, but it will get eastern sun for a good bit of the day. Maybe a mix of sun and shade plants and I'll see what grows best for a season before making a final decision? The two hanging planters and the hangers were carefully placed on the stairs to the side door:
And I suspect that this area will get even more weeds now. I just don't think I care enough about this area I seldom see, full of maple roots, and on a pretty steep hill to garden here. But maybe I should sprinkle some wildflower seeds at least? Thoughts? Recommendations?
UPDATE: I finally got to take some photos without the cars in the driveway so you can see just what we're talking about:
Note how steep the area is and it's completely full of maple roots. You can see the giant roots a little better in this shot of the stump:
Wildflowers, definitely! I can visualize Queen Anne's Lace, Cosmos, vari-colored Yarrows, etc swaying gently in the Branford breeze....
What are Marsh Marigolds? Those small leaves look a bit like our Florida dollar-weed - a hard-to-kill wetland pest.
Posted by: Mummer | March 10, 2010 at 08:14 AM
If the area where that tree was gets only morning (eastern) sun, I don't think wildflowers will do well there. If it's partly shaded, how about something like astilbe? They look so pretty when planted in masses, or drifts.
Posted by: Fern | March 11, 2010 at 08:04 AM
Mom -- I think marsh marigolds are sometimes known as dollarweed. Mine die off as the ground dries up, so it makes sense that they'd be a wetland pest.
Fern -- It will get some mid-day sun and definitely afternoon sun too. Wild asters bloomed there in the fall and I get dandelions around the stump all summer, so I think wildflowers would be okay. I love astible and I haven't been able to get them to bloom for me anywhere else, so maybe in whatever container(s) I put on that stump. The ground is much too full of roots for me to consider anything there that will require digging.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | March 12, 2010 at 05:18 PM
Maybe the roots could be cleaned off as an architectural element for a bit until they rot. Tough location.
Posted by: Layanee | March 15, 2010 at 11:10 AM
My oldest lives in Daytona Beach, she dreads bike week and the Daytona 500 although she does see some interesting things. I see Spring popping up around your house. A wildflower garden at least would be spectacular there!
Posted by: Darla | March 15, 2010 at 01:46 PM
Layanee -- I'm also afraid we'll lose the hill if the roots go away. I think I'm going with some wildflowers.
Darla -- I think I'd get out of town for both those events if I were your daughter!
Posted by: Heather's Garden | March 15, 2010 at 07:56 PM
Your pot explosion is less heinous than one thing I lost. I left out a little ceramic bird I'd gotten at the dollar store, and went I went out a few weeks ago (poor little guy has been under feet and feet of snow this winter!) his head had exploded! Just his head! It was kinda freaky.
Posted by: Jennah - MD | March 16, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Jennah -- I so didn't read that sentence that way you wrote it! Headless...freaky indeed.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | March 18, 2010 at 02:59 AM
That area with the roots will definitely be a hard one. I have a similar area that's quite steep and has roots. So far I've put some medium-sized boulders here and there and planted bearded iris and a few other things. Mostly I'm waiting to see which plants take to it the most. So far the irises are doing the best. Probably the good drainage helps. Good luck!
Posted by: Jean | March 22, 2010 at 09:15 AM
Jean -- I did buy wildflower seed and I've asked VPH to rake it up really well for me. But he's working all week, so maybe this weekend.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | March 22, 2010 at 09:35 AM
One other thing you might consider is creeping phlox. Buy the smallest containers they offer...and it spreads, blooms in spring, is evergreen, has small roots, and best of all, can be divided in clumps and spread about. Mine are 2 years old and 2 1/2 foot by 2 1/2 foot.
Posted by: Melisa | March 26, 2010 at 12:27 AM
Melisa -- That's a good suggestion, but there are still quite a few maples in that area and I don't think there will be enough sun for phlox. That and we need an axe to dig a hole there. Seriously, my husband uses an axe to cut roots whenever we need to dig a hole on that side of the house. I could get him to plant one or two, but it's a pretty large area.
Posted by: Heather's Garden | March 26, 2010 at 07:47 PM