Phoebe's phlowers

A couple things happened. One, I'm not moving to Oregon any time soon so all those things in pots voted to be planted in the ground. Two, I just finished Willie Nelson's book "The Tao of Willie" which was a great reminder to live every day NOW. Interesting; I've always liked Willie's music and now I find that we agree on politics and religion too. Who'da guessed.

Phoebe's yard has been mostly a patch of Bermuda grass and a lot of pots. That is changing now. Not to mention that her yard is safe from the herd of deer! Woo-Hoo!! The dog's yard is also about 25' x 45' so there's plenty of room to put stuff. Somebody does need to come prune the dickens out of the olive tree/jasmine/trumpet vine tower. (beware of vines. They can and do get away from domestic behavior and turn rapidly feral!) and just how they will do that remains to be seen. Perhaps a couple of monkeys with saws? There is no access for a "cherry picker" to get into that yard and close to the tree cum vine tower.
Though Phoebe still behaves with puppy-like enthusiasm she does not tear up flower beds (watch me eat those words) nor does she have the habit of sprawling her body on/in them. Sprawl on the couch, the bed, the lawn, the gravel driveway, any available lap, yes. On flowers and shrubs, no.

The fun thing about this bed, along with being able to stick things in the ground instead of pots, is that it just keeps growing! What started out as a 6' x 3' bed is now about a 15" x 3' bed and it will probably continue to expand. It gets sun most of the day in the summer months. Not sure how things will enjoy a totally shady winter but figure they'll deal with it.
Another fun thing is finding neglected plants in the big yard that can be transplanted into the little yard at no cost. Hmmm...I could move some Chinese ground orchids into this bed as well. And what about those overgrown and ceder needle covered Queens Tears? Yeah!

It will never be "done" and that's one of the great things about gardening. There's always an excuse for playing in the dirt... I was playing in this very dirt 60 years ago...and it is just as much fun now as it was then. 63 going on 3. Whoopie!!






The drawback to this project is realizing that Phoebe can't have doggie friends over for awhile lest they play tag in the middle of all this lushness. Maybe I can figure out a temporary fence should impending canine company be on the schedule.






Among other things, planted here are Campanula pyramidalis (white) that had been in a pot and which had been constantly pruned by the deer. This morning I can see the white of the impending flowers! Also, Ecballium elaterum "Squirting cucumber" which was not bothered by the deer but which was not doing much, certainly not squirting, in a pot. There Are Angelonias, Love-In-A-mist "African Bride", Cuphea cyanea "Caribbean Sunset", Lisianthus "Echo pink Picotee", Salvia "hummingbird coral", Salvia splendens "Sparkler purple", Gerber daisy, pinks, basil, and "Black Lace" elderberry...Santa Barbara daisies...the list goes on...
daylilies...

I'd rather be gardening but must get ready for my real job in the real world.
Toodles~