Happy Mother's Day

You may not remember, but this blog came about because I needed a way to show my mom everything I was doing in the garden.  All these years later she still hasn't seen the garden in person!  She's the only one who bugs me when I don't post (which I haven't done much lately).  My Mother's Day was spent in the garden with my family -- it's amazing how much work 4 adults can get done in 4 hours -- and it was the best present ever!

SS2 weeded the raised beds by the patio plus the containers and together with SS1 picked up the furniture we that was still weighed down in preparation for Irene (6 months ago).  He then sucked up all the leaves that covered the patio:

He did an incredible job of weeding around the chives, oregano, sage, and tarragon -- and even more impressive he identified all of them to me in advance except the tarragon which was pretty tough to spot (upper left-hand corner):

Lee weeded the veggie garden while SS1 did his job and once they finished those tasks, they moved on to the patio garden.  I joined them there and did some of the fine work.  It's not perfect, but it's sooooo much better than it was before since we hadn't done a thing:

I love this lupine that's starting to bloom and the little pagoda in the background that my mom gave me:

I also love the Siberian irises and am so looking forward to them starting to bloom:

But I think I might be most excited about this clematis bloom.  I think I planted it 4 years ago (bare root) and I have no idea what it's going to look like!  There's only one bud though:

SS1 weeded the lounger area and the driveway like crazy while SS2 and I did some fun stuff like plant potatoes:

We had a rather unpleasant run-in with the neighbor on the other side of this fence post-Irene.  We all went a little nuts during the week without power.  It's his fence and he ordered us to take everything off it.  Clearly I haven't, but I'm also feeling a little weird about planting beans to climb up it, so I'm not sure yet if I'm going to plant beans between the potatoes this year.  I definitely need to go seed shopping though.

The driveway's looking pretty good thanks to SS2 weeding and SS1 helping me top off containers (what will be in them is yet to be determined.): 

I've got plenty of plants to get into pots (and the ground).  The floppy things at the bottom of the shelves are all the strawberries I dug out of the driveway:

It looks so much better already and I can't wait to get more stuff into planters:

Some spots are looking great already like the strawberry pots (some rearranging is necessary, but I was tired) and the herb pot above it.  I love this other pagoda from my mom:

Plants need to go into some of these containers, but it was fun to burn the old grass off and tug off bunches of ugly dried up phlox:

I found this as I was weeding.  I don't know what it was...maybe a walnut?  So I thought I'd stick it in a pot and see what develops:

Some things are growing just fine with little interference from us.  The hostas in the garden are huge this year.  You can barely see the azalea in the Mother's Day garden:

The herbs overwintered pretty well, but man, that variegated pineapple mint is just going gangbusters!  I might have to make some mint tea or something:

And the ferns, it must be the nice rainy weather we've been having:

We need to weed and mulch over here, but all the plants are just leaping -- I think we're in year 4 or 5 on these?  Beautiful whatever year it is:

So best Mother's Day ever for me.  How was yours?

Comments

[Mummer]

Gracious! I am honored! I didn't realize fully that this blog was, in essence, for me.
How ironic that that I still have not been back to New England ....but, your pix are so vivid that I do feel I'm right in your backyard.

[Katie]

Awesome. You all whipped the garden into shape.

[Heather's Garden]

Mom -- You know you're the biggest fan of the blog!

Katie -- It was such a satisfying day!

[Blackswampgirl Kim]

Yay for a new clematis bloom! (By the way, I love how its side shoots are hanging just right, so that it looks like it's all tired from the long climb. :-)

[D]

Glad to see you back!
Happy that you have a job!

[Heather's Garden]

Kim -- I love that mental image!

D -- Thanks, I am happy to be back in my garden again!

[www.costumesmegastore.com]

The children are not allowed to wear Halloween costumes to school, and I think it's ridiculous. I always wore costumes to school, and it was great fun. I understand not allowing certain things (like masks) for safety reasons, but I think they should allow plain old innocent dressing up. Who can I speak to about changing this policy? I've tried the principal for her school, but she wasn't budging. She will have a new principal this coming year, but who knows if she can or even will do anything. Do I contact the superintendent?.