Happy New Year and Welcome 2009!
Awhile back I said I would only write if I had something to report, and as my yard has been buried in snow, there hasn’t been much going on in the garden lately except for feeding the birds. Today, the garden is finally thawed out enough to see, but it is much to soggy to venture out to examine it closer. I would be afraid of sinking in the grass or just about anywhere else I might step. The good news is that the remaining perennials that had been hanging on before the extreme cold and subsequent snow are now dormant and can be moved. So, as soon as it is dry enough I can…
- Cut back the remaining perennials
- Move the remaining perennials that needed to be moved
- Plant the fritillaria bulbs and peony tubers that I have yet to go in the ground
In the meanwhile, I’ll just continue feeding the birds, still mostly juncos, some morning doves and the occasional flock of finches or starlings.
I did it! I managed to finish planting all my bulbs before December this year. Just before dark tonight, I put in the last of the narcissus and allium. Now just some minor perennial clean-up and relocation and I am done with the major garden maintenance until the spring.
More garden clean-up and perennial, tree and shrub rearranging. I spent 3 hours on Saturday and two on Sunday and accomplished a lot!
- All dahlias except for one have been dug up for winter storage
- Divided a Japanese iris clump into two and replanted
- Cut down almost all spent perennials. One more day in the garden and all should be cut.
Relocated the following:
- Weeping Alaska Cedar
- Wine and Roses Weigela
- Peony
- Small clumps of allium
- Delphinium
- Rudbeckia
- One ornamental grass
- Tall spiky flower whose name I can’t remember right now
- Pulsatilla
- Surub whose name I can’t remember
Planted:
- Purple and white allium bulbs (13)
- Narcissus bulbs (25)
Currently my garden is quite popular with all sorts of birds. Not only do they visit my thistle and seed feeders, they go through the suet almost faster than I can put it out. They also enjoy all the seeds from the perennials that I haven’t yet cut down specifically so that the birds to can enjoy not only the seed but the hiding places. Every time I go out in my yard, birds fly out of every garden nook and cranny. It makes me happy that I have been able to provide a good bird environment as it has been one of the goals of my gardening. It’s so pleasing to look out the window and and see the plants just full of birds searching for food all day long. The kids enjoy it too and we have fun trying to figure out their names. The kids already know crows, finches and robins on sight. And today we added the Oregon Junco to our list.
I have gathered all the materials for making birdseed ornaments and sometime this week the kids and I will get messy together and have fun providing tasty treats for our feathered friends. Just a reminder, if you search the web for recipes for birdseed ornaments, remember, please do not use peanut butter unless it is mixed in with a lot of suet. It’s not good for the birds. I’ll let you know how it goes!
In 2 hours on Sunday I tackled my right-side rear planting bed. I…
- dug up two large dahlias for winter storage
- relocated a large purple alpine pulsatilla
- relocated a grouping of Liatris and stored the rest for slope planting
- cut down another spent peony, native iris and delphinium
- weeded, weeded and weeded- even around the slope berry bushes
On the left side I just have two shrubs and one small tree to relocate and then I can plant bulbs and call that side of the yard done- just in time to tackle the left side.
In the front yard I…
- raked the leaves
- relocated 2 heuchera
Whew! Until next week…
