My Planting is Done

I am a happy camper right now. My planting for the season is finished...unless I decide to add a few campanulas. I have a lot of perennials that I love to split and replant in other spots and I tend to rely on easy care annuals such as impatiens for the shady backyard and portulaca for the sunny front yard. The odd marigold, begonia, and geranium also finds it's way into my garden.

I cut the lawn today, planted the last of the annuals, replanted a lime coral bells that was being crowded out by some out of control daisies, swept all around the patio, and watered everything. It looks so nice, not grown in to full color yet, but wonderful to look at just as it is.

I'll continue to putter with my garden all summer, transplanting and trimming back. It's a never ending process but one that doesn't take too much time or energy. I plan my garden fairly well with easy care perennials like hostas, coral bells, daisies, sundrops, mums, bleeding hearts, coreopsis, sedum, etc., etc. All of these are easily split if needed or desired. The daisy patch has gotten too large this year so I'll remove half of the plants after they flower and give them to my neighbor. I try not to kill anything.

The back deck is two tiered and I found planters quite a few years ago at Home Depot that hug the railing. The drainage holes are on the sides so none of the drained water can rot the railing. They don't look like much now but the white impatiens, red and yellow trailing million bells, and a few pieces of lamium will look gorgeous in just a few weeks.

I also have a large pot on the top deck with sweet potato vine and some "blood" plant (can't remember the name) that will also fill in and look spectacular. I love watching the plants grow and it makes the yard look like such a happy place. It's pleasant to just sit among the fruit of my labors and fall in love with nature all over again.

The damn squirrels have dug up a couple of the newly planted impatiens but I was lucky enough to spot them before the sun burnt them to death. I'll have to keep my eye open for those pesky squirrels until the plants are well established. They don't usually bother with the flowers once they have a healthy root system.

I planted blue morning glory seeds in the pots at the side of the tool shed just days ago and they're already sprouting. If we get some warm and humid days I'll practically be able to sit outside and watch them grow up the side of the shed.

There seem to be fewer birds in the yard every year but I did see a magnificent red cardinal that seemed to hang around all day. That gives me hope that it's nesting in the nearby trees and I'll see more of them all summer long.

Spring is a special time of year when we can join nature in making our world a prettier and happier place to live in.