Mary Oliver

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?"









Thursday, August 5, 2010

Hot! Hot! Hot!

This sun looks a lot happier than most folks around here do these days. The hot and humid weather is definitely back. I've already taken two showers today and I'm thinking a cool bath before bed may be in my future.



Part of the reason that I had to shower a second time was the fact that I decided to tackle my flower beds today. Steve has control over the entire yard with the exception of these two little spots, mainly because he loves gardening and I don't. I love the finished product, but I'm not a huge fan of messing around in the yard. I'd rather knit.
In April, when I was on spring break, I planted some things in here in the hopes that they would take over.

This is the right side: one hosta left.


The left side? One dead/dying shrub and one sickly impatiens.


So this morning, when it was breezy, if not exactly cool, I weeded out everything, then went to the garden center with a photo and asked for guidance. I ended up with three large ornamental grasses and three lantanas. Since the left side is where the mailbox is, I didn't want a plant that attracted bees near it, so I planted it this way:
one lantana and two grasses on the left,




and two lantanas and one grass on the right.




The original plan when I was at the garden center was grasses on the left and lantanas on the right, but I thought that would look weird. So I did it this way, thinking it would tie the two sides together. Now I'm not so sure about it. So I'm asking for comments. (Steve will certainly give me his opinion when he gets home today, but I would like as much input as possible.) What do you think? As is, or swap around?


On to something I am sure of; this great basket I bought this past weekend while thrifting! It cost me $20 but it's in great shape. And what do you know, it's already doing its job!

It's in the library since the color matches the bookcases so well and it's really too dark for the sunroom. (Not to mention I'm running out of room in there.)


And as a tiny aside, what's up with all the baby sweater patterns I'm downloading? I'm addicted to them. So cute, so tiny, so quick to start and finish. Now I'm going to go sit under an A/C vent with the fan running and do a little knitting. Cotton, of course.

3 comments:

  1. It's been hot here, too, but I swear the humidity is worse out your way.

    I'm with you on the gardening; I'd rather be knitting. I applaud your efforts to fix up your little patches.

    That basket/shelf unit is SO cute. The yarns look so pretty in it. Does it count as stash if it's part of your decorating scheme?

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  2. Ooh. I do like that basket. And your yarn colors are perfect in it.

    As for your little garden plots, I think you did a wise thing in asking for help at the garden center. Not enough of us do that. Do the grasses grow very tall? I assume they will spread out since grass usually does that. And the lantana will grow, too. Your arrangement will look much more filled in next year. It's always hard to tell with new plantings. They just kind of look uneasy in their new homes.

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  3. Thank you both! Yes, the grasses will spread out and should provide some interest year-round, with some type of tiny floral bloom in September. The lantana will be spiky, then come back in the late spring with vigor, like the huge one we have in the yard near our porch. And Steve loved it, which kind of surprised me!! So they'll stay as is for now. Thanks again.

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