Over the last week, I have been receiving plants and bulbs that I ordered over the internet. Many plants I have had to pot up, to wait until the weather warms up. I got 3 bare root bushes/trees, two of which I potted up because I’m not sure where I am putting them yet. The third, a Blue Moon rose, I planted on Friday. I just happened to have the perfect place for it in an area I had prepared last fall, but for which I had not found the right plant for.
Saturday, although it was cool, was a good day to work outside (until the sleet started anyway). As I was potting up the two bare root bushes, WS asked me if I wanted to divide up the Japanese iris. This iris clump has been in place for over 10 years and has grown to about 6 feet wide. In thickness, it was only a couple of feet because it was bound by a rock wall and the house foundation.
I had been wanting to divide that clump for the last couple of years. When WS asked the question, I jumped and said “Fer Sure!” (or something to that affect). Now is the perfect time for dividing it since it is just now breaking dormancy and has not really put out any growth. He dug it up, split into 5 parts and let me take care of the planting (which is as it should be).
I put two of the clumps up by the dog pen; next to the lilacs I planted last year. Two other clumps were placed toward the bottom of a steep bank below the back corner of the fence. Vinca and dead nettle is along the sides of the bank, to control erosion, and this is the area that I want to let naturalize. I figured that the Japanese iris would do well there.
The last clump, of course, went back to where it came from. This left a whole lot of room, so I was able to plant some of my new lilies (American Spirit and freebie oriental lilies) along with orchid gladiolas.
WS was busy “popping rocks”. That is, he was digging out rocks from the yard and driveway that had heaved (and re-heaved) until they were close to the surface. We aren’t talking little rocks – one he had to pull out with his truck. He placed them over by a rock wall that had never been completed. I think that is a hint that we will start working on that sometime this summer.
At some point in time, we will have to cut down the plum tree and the cherry tree. Both of them have bad splits in the bottom of their trunks. The cherry tree actually has acorns in its trunk. When those two come out, the two bare root plants will probably go in their places.
By the way, although all plants that I have received have been in fairly good shape when I got them, by far the best packaged were from Audubon Workshop. Even though the package was left on the porch upside down, the plants were packaged in such a way that they were never in danger of being smooshed or of falling out of their packaging.
My-oh-my but you and WS have been hard at work. Our irises started to bloom the other day, but not in great enough numbers to make a good showing. The bed that I put in under the pear and peach trees a few weeks ago will need to be re-done this fall as they were just more-or-less thrown on top of the dirt--leaving them too high, since the ground slopes away from them rather rapidly. (It was the "first digging" in that bunch of clay and I was more intent upon getting the pavers set into sand (between the irises and the lawn) than in doing right by the irises. Had to get the sand pile worked down and the pavers there for HH to run the mower tires on. I need to get out there tomorrow (have a full day, today) to prune the spent blooms from the dwarf lilac bushes. Also need to get more poison ivy taken care of (if I can stop scratching my arms long enough!)
Good to know about the Audubon Workshop as I receive their catalogs and have been tempted to order from them. Next time, I shall. Looking forward to more photos of your yard, this year.
Posted by: Cop Car | April 26, 2006 at 08:52 AM
I'm halfway between the two of you....
My Japanese iris leaves are up, but no blooms. It's too late to transplant them and still have blooms this season, but I may choose to move them anyway. That pod of iris has been aggravating me for years, so I might as well get the transfer over with.
Don't you just LOVE lilies?? I don't think I could have enough of them.
Posted by: buffy | April 26, 2006 at 11:10 PM
Buffy - I'll be digging up some of the daylilies around the fence at some point this summer. Although they have only been there 3 years, they are way too crowded. I'm also going to alternate red daylilies with the orange ones that are there, just to diversify.
Fortunately, I know of a couple of people that can use some daylilies, so I won't have to out-and-out murder them!
Cop Car - I don't envy you having to deal with poison ivy.
Posted by: bogie | April 30, 2006 at 04:50 AM
Thanks, Bogie. I tried to get in to see one of the local docs who keeps Saturday hours, yesterday; but, he wouldn't see me since I'm not usually his patient. My right arm is gross. I'm hoping that the dermatological clinic that I use will be open, tomorrow (I presume that the will be!) Maybe I can see the PA, there, who took off my carcinoma. I've an appointment with her to check that site out, in two weeks. I didn't think I needed medical intervention until it was too late Friday night. (You can guess that HH has been nagging me about it...but...he can't now as he is on the road to IL.)
Posted by: Cop Car | April 30, 2006 at 12:40 PM
That's what they make Minor Emergency Centers for! We don't have any of those up here, but I know they at least used to have them in your neck of the woods (made use of them a couple of times).
Posted by: bogie | May 01, 2006 at 05:37 AM