Our Eden

After an exhausting but satisfying day building the Suez Canal (Dave’s name for our log/hill project) we were treated to a fabulous sky show. The trees on the far hill have just a line of lingering light, turning red as the sun descends.

The three tiers are finished and are awaiting mulch, of which we have bags and bags to scatter. I planted three varieties of ornamental grasses, Stella D’Oro daylilies, liriope muscari (guaranteed to be invasive) and English Ivy (also guaranteed to invade).

While it looks OK so far, we are not finished…more soil to add and more plants to purchase. But that will all have to wait as this week will be way busy. I have my sister-friend Rose coming for three days MTW and then I must prepare for my dyeing workshop this coming weekend May 2-3. I’m happy I got everything planted that was waiting in pots and seed packets.

The Hosta bed is full to overflowing, which is fine for this year, but I am asking for trouble when everything in here doubles next year. Eek. Well, I had to get them away from the voles. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. There are also phlox, coneflowers, black eyed Susans and bee balm in this bed, not to mention peonies and calendulas or coreopsis, I can’t remember what I planted. In fact I am sure I am nurturing several lovely weeds in hopes that they are flowers…duh.

The heuchera collection also has a few leftover hosta. I’m trying to make it colorful without the aid of actual flowers. Altho there is some empty space and we can’t have that for long.

My daily watering ritual has begun, since the rains have ceased and the temps are in the 80’s already. Veggie Bed #2 is seeded with green beans (way too many), beets, carrots and bush cucumbers, also way too many, but I will be ruthless in pinching them off once they sprout.

This gorgeous plant is from my shade garden in IL and is a European Ginger, asarum europaeum. I just love it and have divided it and the hosta it is attached to and have it in my shade garden, where the voles ignore it. It looks so much better here in Tennessee than it did in IL. I plan to divide it every year until I have a bunch of these glossy beauties.

And last but not least, the dogwood is in full bloom and better than ever. See what a good rain year will do?