Rock Garden Report - 2

Well, I didn't work on the hike statistics at all today. Mostly I was getting ready for the Lakeshore Art Festival this weekend.

My car still wasn't completely emptied from the hike, and stuff for vendor events was all over the place and not ready.

In between, of course I'm gardening. Here's what the rock garden looks like now. I now have about 19 out of ~80 numbered spaces weeded. I've added three plants, and found remnants of more that have survived.

Here's a closer view of the strip I'm working on.

Here's what it looked like on June 2, with 10 spaces sort of cleared just so you can see that I have made some progress.



Why am I starting on that edge instead of the outer edge and working in? Because it stays in shade till about 11 am. After that it gets full blazing sun, and it's a killer to work out there. Today was overcast until almost 1 pm, so I extended my weeding out from the wall a bit.

I'm also working on plant records. All my old notes are so far out of date- plants that died, plants that moved themselves- that they are worthless.

I've always said that the rock hill just swallows plants. You can't even see my three new ones. Don't worry. I'll show you one of these days. One huge find is that one of my favorite sedums has spread, so I. potted up some sprigs of that to put in a second space. One huge problem is that an autumn olive had taken root on the hill. I cut it down way earlier this year, but the roots need to be chopped out, and I'll be working at discouraging it from coming back...probably forever.

Rock gardens, when they are done "right" are stuffed full of plants that fill in niches and cracks. They are usually the kind of gardens that you stand around and study because you'll find new things every time. They usually aren't noted for big swaths of color and flamboyance.

I also did laundry.

Anyway... I'm beat. I still have to pack some clothes and fix food to take for the weekend's lunches. But I think that's all... oh yeah, wash the dishes.

See Last Garden Post for a While