For Father's Day, I picked a large bouquet from the Ichabode Rose Garden. A mist was falling before the service, so the roses were as fresh as possible. I had large bi-color yellow roses (pink edges), lavender, magenta shrub roses, and some other colors. Some were aromatic, so the chapel was filled with delicate aroma.
After the service and study of 1 John 3, Chris took the flowers over to our neighbor and had a long visit. She is going to place chairs and an old table on the porch for visiting and viewing the garden. Three neighbors have received flowers because we keep ours outside and share the ones I cut for church.
Sassy supervises when I work outside. She likes to wander on our side of the cul-de-sac, or sit under the shade of the maple tree in front.
When a neighbor arrived with his children to pick up a bed, Sassy got into the van with the children. The youngest said, "I want to keep her." Our neighbor down the block says he will take Sassy "any time you get tired of her." When I tell others about that, they say, "I would keep her too. She is so sweet."
Sassy loves the attention, and she enjoys stories about her afterwards, when I tell Mrs. I about our adventures. At Lowe's Gardening Center, I asked Sassy, "Do you like Lowe's?" She barked loudly once. The staff, loading the trunk with mulch, laughed. I then said, "Do they do a good job, Sassy?" Once more she gave her happy bark. "Aw, what a smart dog." She grins from her seat in the back, the window open for better flirting with her growing fan club.
Sassy knows that barking into the bank's PA system, at the drive-through, will usually gain some treats for her. One dog-loving banker is always looking for Sassy and getting her three treats instead of one. I whispered "Bark" for the latest haul.
We had a torrential rain on Sunday morning, which did not knock the worship service off Cox Cable. Usually a rain like that will cause the Internet to break off briefly - and often.
My gardening neighbor and I were in a drought mood on Saturday, so we watered everything. Perhaps the evaporation from our yards alone triggered the storm.
The grass is ready for mowing again, after a few days. All the new tomatoes and cucumbers perked up from the combination of watering and rain. I know the earthworms are thriving. My front yard is a convention center for robins. I caught one robin picking up a red wiggler. She dropped it, ready to fly when she saw me. I did not move, so she picked it up in her beak and flew away. "Steak tartar for the kids." Earthworms are all muscle, so they must be a treat.
The mulch promotes the growth of all soil creatures, since they work as a group to kill pathogens, digest rot, and digest one another. The end result is turning all living matter into something useful for the plants, the basis for life above and below the surface.
Mulch helps because plants grown on bare soil will droop easily. The soil gives up moisture much faster when open to the sun. Wind blows away soil, and the heat of the sun keeps the earthworms down below.
Mulch holds the moisture in and keeps the soil surface earthworm-friendly. They use that zone to pull down debris and deposit their casts (manure). Since the worms sweeten and grind the contents of their gut, their casts are considered the best soil improvement of all. These things were ordered at Creation, though many people overlook them - to their detriment.
Pumpkins and sunflowers are growing out of the wood mulch on the south side of the house. My helper is not impressed so far. He will be when both bully-plants take over the area. The sunflowers will be around six feet tall with large flowers/seed-disks. The pumpkins will spread out to absorb sun and moisture.
What are you doing on the shady side? some are wondering. As many know, hostas do well in the shade. I like hostas, but not the ordinary garden center green ones. I will order some that are wedgewood blue.
Exotic additions to the garden are fun, especially when justified by "The grandchildren will love them."
The giant alium (garlic) bulbs grow a thick stalk with a ball of purple flowers on top.
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| The giant alium can intimidate children. |
There is a stinky bulb that is spectacular and odd - crown imperial.
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| Crown imperial. You will know when they arrive at the door. |
Early bulbs will grow up through the grass, although squirrels tend to eat them with relish - or without relish.
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| Birdhouse gourds can be used for...birdhouses. |
Some gourds are odd shaped or good for other things, such as the birdhouse gourd.