Looking back over recent entries it is very apparent that gardening and quilting dominate my life and provide inspiration, one for the other.
This has been a week predominately given over to gardening.
The Mt Fugi phlox get better every year. I have never seen mildew on these!
This walk was so overgrown it seemed to be only one stone wide! Now it’s back to normal for awhile.
The Chaste Tree is in full bloom right now and that is my studio behind it.
After the marathon cleanup early in the week, Thursday I went to town to buy three Plumbago plants to fill the empty space between the Chaste Tree and the walk and ended up buying a whole flat of mixed perennials – 18 plants – all needing a space in which to live.
Some were able to squeeze into the shade garden – Bergenias, Astilbes, Foxgloves and something else who’s name escapes me right now. I had to move a Hosta that really wasn’t happy in the deep shade anyway to fit them all in. Unfortunately, in the process I dug up one of the Yellow Crown Imperials and might have damaged another. I replanted the one and HOPE I got it right side up. Very hard to tell. A new low Campanela edger went in where it would get part sun.
The FIVE Plumbagos went into two places to see where they would do best. The sunny border got some Russian Sage, and Penstemon- which required that I dig it about 4 feet longer than it already was.
Yesterday we spent a good part of the day attending the once a year Open House at the K-State Research and Extension Horticulture Center. I was hoping to learn more about Raspberries and Blackberries but they didn’t have a lot to show. Nothing as nice as the Raspberry that I already have but don’t know the name of! I did find some nice thornless Blackberries though!
There was extensive test trials on Annuals with a tour that was very interesting and a nice selection of Hostas but no Perennials other than Daylilies and Iris. There was a lot of veggy stuff and a trial garden of many different varieties of Sunflowers ranging from 12″ to 8′ tall. The thing about test gardens- they are not so pretty. The stuff is planted and watered enough to get started then left to it’s own devices to thrive or not. This has been an especially wet year for us that is good for some, not so much for others.
We attended a few of the seminars that were offered and I think I did learn quite a bit. The morning was cool and rainy but the afternoon sun made it uncomfortably humid.
I’ve fitted in a little quilting but the new Coneflowers piece is not yet finished.
Today I will take two pieces, “Lady Godiva” and “Myth In The Mist” to the Topeka Art Guild Gallery for the next exhibit, and collect the ones that they have now. It’s been a busy week!