I feel like the last two weeks have been a little bit like wheels spinning because the work I have been doing in the yard has been piddly and not visually exciting. I put some Ornithogalum dubium Orange Cream bulbs in the ground in several areas of the yard, but it will be a while before I know if they will work out for me. I thought I had lost all the ones I got for Christmas last year, but when I stuck my fingers into the remaining pots, I found two that still had live bulbs with strong roots and a little bit of growth from the top!
One of my big projects is well underway. After talking to my mom, I decided that I should replace the pea gravel in the garden path at the side of the house. It holds a lot of heat in the summer and makes this little strip bake like an oven – not good for my shade garden. I found some inspiration online for using several varieties of creeping thyme in between the stepping stones. Having living plants in the path should keep it cooler and less dry.
First I pulled up all the stepping stones, then shoveled out all the dirt and pea gravel. When I ran out of places to put the gravel, I freecycled the rest. I put down new weed block fabric and replaced the stepping stones. I found four varieties of thyme at Pike, but it seems like I should have bought a few more (as well as a few more bags of soil). The varieties are Doone Valley Thyme, Elfin Thyme, Magic Carpet Thyme, and Pink Chinz Thyme. I hope it spreads quickly!
Before
Progress
I ordered some planters that were on clearance at Target to really fill in the corner of the patio where I normally keep smaller, mismatched planters. I moved some of the plants from the old planters and bought a few new fall plants, like pansies and kale when I was at Pike. I took this picture with my phone, hence the poor quality. I am also very happy with the plants I put in the small planter a few weeks ago (not to mention the cyclamen started blooming again!)
Coming up: I still need to transplant one more hydrangea as well as the four gardenias under the living room window. Then I still have to replant the rest of the canna lilies and gladioli. In the front yard, I have a couple of dwarf firepower nandinas to replace some more of Japanese barberries. While I was at Pike, they had their drift roses on sale. They are by the same company that makes knock-out roses, but they are dwarfs. I bought a few to put next to the rosemary on the hill in front of the Little Gem Magnolia. It should provide some nice pop of color.
