The spouse will not be told where I hid the long-handled pruning shears.
I went out just now to survey the front garden. This poor thing has been rather neglected the last couple of years, but it still puts on a good show towards the end of the season. Anchoring one corner is a witch hazel that’s been there for 14 years.
Said witch hazel had the misfortune of being planted too close to the driveway. Its twisty branches find their way too close to the spouse’s liking. Usually we have a rule that I point and he prunes. It looks like somebody broke that rule last fall. I’m tempted to nickname the tree stubby. What I’ll actually do is drag the spouse out for another point and cut session. No plant deserves to look like that.
There’s an art to pruning. I’m beginning to think it’s one of those things either you get or you don’t. I’ve always understood it. No matter how many times I explain where to cut, and why that’s the where to cut, it’s still not how it happens if the spouse is solo. But then the garden has never been a favorite of his. One year he pulled out an expensive stock of delphiniums because he thought they were weeds. (I still kind of think that happened on purpose…he rightly presumed I’d not let him weed again!)
The only surviving rose bush isn’t looking too happy either. I’ve never covered them. I do plant bushes from their own roots. This one is also about 14 years old. I trimmed it up. We had a talk. The bush will let me know in a few weeks if it’s time to go. I’ll probably replant it in a less conspicuous place for a while and transplant a hosta for a couple of seasons.
Roses and I have fought ever since I moved north. I miss them! I also miss the carefree rights I had to them in Oklahoma. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats roses every three or four days from your own bushes.
Of course the daffodils are blooming. The rhododendron have burst open, too. On a rainy day like today they make me think of Ireland. The bleeding heart is ready to bloom. The lilacs are happy and swelling. The crab apple is a little behind, though. Also, the lilies poking through in the back are making for a tasty rabbit treat. (Don’t tell Winegirl that I’m inadvertently feeding the wildlife.) I guess that means a little fencing is in order.
I have chives and mint and some winter dried sage I harvested yesterday. This weekend I plan to plant lettuce and spinach.
Let me know what you’ve got going in the garden. I’d love to find a communal spot we could dig. I’ve thought about asking Miller Homes who owns the flat lots on Burleigh west of Calhoun. Maybe you all know of a place.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // May 2, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Doubtless some sort of primitive hormonal function; once or twice a year a married man will go berserk with the pruners. Any view the wife was trying to screen with that shrub will be exposed, either from ground to waist height or beginning at waist height and going up. I’ve noticed many in the community feel that forsythia, in particular, must be brought under control. Brookfield is filled with light bulb-shaped forsythia that emit only a dull glow near the top. Forsythia should RIOT! No one understands this.
2 Anonymous // May 2, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I started Beets, Carrots, Spinach, Broccoli, Kolh Robi by seeds and they are already coming up, 2″ or so, Winter Onions are a foot or so, Yellow Onions about 6″ and Leeks about 10″ or so. Have Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Cucs and some others started indoors. The Chives are growing fast already from last season and Strawberries are exploding. The berry shoots are starting to come up also. This warm rain should really get things going.
3 Mr Ol'Broad // May 3, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Thanks for the comments on Mrs’s blog. Since we
I do miss nice black loam I can just stick a shovel in and dig a hole. TN red clay is a lot harder to work with.
moved from WI to TN I’ve been learning about gardening in a new climate and terrain. I sure don’t miss Jim Doyle
After four magnolias and four wisterias I have figured out how to dig a proper hole in 15 minutes.
The first hole took 90 minutes. We learn something every day.
4 Mr Ol'Broad // May 5, 2008 at 1:01 am
I also think we were in a little city in Ireland that had your last name.
5 Kathryn // May 5, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I have a little tiny blue spruce in my flower bed. It is supposed to grow no higher than 2 feet, and 2-3 feet wide. Planted it last summer; it had a bad winter.
Looks like it was stepped on during roof-raking–flattened and brown. Except some of the tips are blue. My question is: is the blue coming or going? Any hope for the little guy, or should I just replace him?
6 Kathryn // May 5, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Maybe I should add, it is about 7 inches high now, 10 inches in diameter.
7 Cheri M. // May 5, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Kathryn,
The blue would be healthy new growth. You might want to use a pitchfork to loosen the soil a bit around its drip line. Then you might want to add some soil acidifier and some milorganite or other high quality slow release fertilizer. This will help your little tree take in a many nutrients as possible, to speed it’s recovery. Since he is so small, you may want to consider transplanting hime to a different area? In general, evergreens (everblues, in your case) prefer plenty of sun… rich soil, may be a bit sandy, not too heavy a clay… not too wet.
Good luck and let us know if he recovers.
PS – When I was little I told my parents I wanted a red Christmas tree. They wanted me to show them one, since they were sure they’d never seen one. On the next trip “up north”, I showed them one… I didn’t know until they told me… it was dead!
8 Kathryn // May 5, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Thanks, Cheri!
I’d like to live him where he is, but will definitely protect him a little next winter. No more boots!
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