This evening after dinner, I planted out the Prairie Sun Rudbeckia plants that I had grown from seed; they went into the new flowerbed on the side of the house.
Mr. B. gave me about 2 dozen or more of 4 in. nursery pots plus the holder for them. I hosed them down real good inside and outside and the holders too. Placed them on patio to dry out tomorrow and tonight, then I will put them on the shelf in the garage. Still need to wash out the larger pot that Iris and peony were in. It's getting dark so I quit for the night. Guess since I watered all the flowerbeds this afternoon, I should go back over them with Liquid Fence to ward off Bambi and friends. I especially want to spray my beautiful rose bushes and the new plants that were planted on Friday. I'm not afraid of the dark!
Last night while watching tv, I thought I heard a bump against the sunroom wall. That was Bambi having her evening snack or pre-midnight snack..I'm missing buds from a coneflower plant that was about ready to bloom and also all the buds off one rudbeckia plant. Just used up all of the Liquid Fence deer spray I have on hand but will drop by Good Earth Garden Center tomorrow after church for more, you can bet on that. My rose bushes are in full bloom and beautiful and I used as much as I could squeeze out of the spray bottle on them, hoping it was enough to steer the deer away tonight. In fact, I need to try to take a picture of the rose bushes in full bloom while I can.
Mr. B. and Cathy came yesterday afternoon and dug up the two mature hydrangea bushes I wanted to remove to give me more gardening space. A lot of my plants in the front flowerbeds are going to need to be divided in the Fall and I have been watching the sun/shade times that I would get on the side of the house. After I made a list of partial shade plants, another day of watching, I will get more hours of sun on that side than I realized. I cut the hydrangea foliage off before they got here which saved them some time. It was 89 degrees here yesterday and they'd been working since after 7 am and they like to quit about 3 pm so they can beat the work traffic, so by me doing that saved them some time. He planted Holly's burgundy peony, Christiane's pink peony, and a Hearts afire daylily and 3 iris plants that Ruby and John gifted me with at the swap. Mixed up a bag of top soil with some organic soil conditioner(called Bumper Crop that I buy from Good Earth) and filled in the holes where they had dug up the hydrangeas. He figured those hydrangeas were planted about early 1980's by previous owner. Mr. B. has been working here for private residents for almost 30 years. This is the only place they work and his client list is very long. In addition to filling in the holes left from the hydrangea they removed, he cut back my narcissus and mulched. I watered after they left and will water again this morning. Have to order myself some more grow rings for the peonies. Today I will plant the Prairie Sun rudbeckia that I grew from seeds, and more of the creeping phlox that I took cuttings of after it finished blooming. Will also dig up more columbines that have reseeded themselves by the brick wall where they get no rainfall because they are under the eaves of the house. Another hot day is predicted.
The golden California poppies would do well planted in front of the garage brick facade. Mix in the dwarf fairy candytuft which are in shades of lavender/purple.
Move the rocket snapdragons to back of border in front of living room window, moving shorter columbines closer to front of border or middle of border.
Get rid of "Becky" shasta daisies. They grow too tall and flop..
Move Lauren's grape poppy to back of flowerbed. Plant more rose campion in place of Becky shasta daisies at opposite end of flowerbed. Plant more dwarf fairy candytuft. Would probably look good planted behind the creeping phlox..pink against that lavender/purple would look good. Order lots of that variety of seeds from Crosman Seed Co.Order more California poppy seeds too.
Gather seeds from the existing candytuft for next year.
My wintersown records show that I wintersowed Patty's Plum and Victoria Louise poppies in 2010/2011..but the foliage looks more like Lauren's grape. Whatever it is, it is a beautiful color. When we arrived home from Pa. on Sunday, it is the first sight that greeted us, along with rose campion about to peek with blooms. Today is Tuesday, more poppy blooms and rose campion is in full bloom. Christiane(Orchidfancy)gifted me with a pink peony plant from her front flowerbed. She has some beautiful flowers..she has some yellow sedum as a ground cover. It is different than what I've had before, and she said she would give me some, also some stella d'oras.
Mr. Bower to come one day this week and plant my two new peony plants,and iris and cut down and dig up at least 2 hydrangeas from the side of the house. That way I'll be able to have more room for newly divided/transplanted plants in the Fall. I planted the last clump of coreopsis "Zagreb" that Laura gave me for Mother's Day from her yard. I need to plant the divided creeping phlox and plant them on side flowerbed.
