The joys of gardening.

I'm sure it's going to look very lovely gustav and keep the
rabbits out until they found a ladder.

Gertrude has found some occupational therapy for you

Nothing like becoming one with the earth, my good man.

But apparently that doesn't mean having sex with dirt in a public park...found that one out the hard way.

To many earthworms?

Too muddy?

Please ladies. There's a time and a place for everything...besides, I don't want to damage your innocent ears/eyes.

Did the swan boat paddlers come to work and find you belly down in the garden?

Maybe.

I think I heard about that.

Was the soil too sandy? Did it cause irritation?

The joy of a flowering garden in spring is one of life's treasured blessings.

Just wanted to insert this picture to share
a glimpse of this year's autumn coloration
in the backyard:



The hostas are also noticeably colorful.

Very beautiful colors, neko nomad. I like to see the leaf changes, but out here in sunny California, we hardly get to see that.
What part of the U.S. are you in?

Be sure to click on my pics; they usually link to a larger view.

I'm a transplant living in Kingston, Ontario. I continue to hope someone here can help sustain a little gardening discourse.

The fun part of the iris border project started today.

A bit of spadework was needed to root out some wild roses which were becoming invasive.



Soil in this spot seems to be just right for irises: sandy and well drained.

Progress was halted today by rain.



Yesterday at the supermarket gardening tent I came across an iris I simply couldn't pass by, the border bearded Orinoco Flow, the 1994 B.I.S.Dykes winner,which I eagerly took home two to add to my growing collection of Dykes Award winners collection. They'll grace the end of this bed of MTB yellow selfs.
They're shown in the photo.

Squirrel guards are in place (the bricks) - those plants would have disappeared by daybreak without them.

I may have to write a book: Gardening with Goatheads. They are also known as puncture weeds, puncture vine, mexican sand burrs, and probably many unprintable names. I think our Noddy had a name for them, but I forget what it was.

Some links by others who have encountered the same -

here's a link that suggests using weevils to get them..
http://www.goatheads.com/
that site also has ads for weed burners (a new one on me) and doggie paw mittens..
and a link to goathead apparel. Good grief..

so now I know the latin name, and won't forget it - Tribulus terrestris
http://cms.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/weedscommon/JCUDEV_012578
Hmmm, good name for a dog...

Now here's a matter of amazement to me - apparently they have some kind of health benefit - see the google ads to the side of the sane blog poster's piece on goatheads -
http://www.friday.com/bbum/2007/07/07/tribulus-terrestris-goatshead-terribly-evil-plant-from-hell/

I somehow misplaced my leather gardening gloves. Had to buy a new pair yesterday...

Keep us updated on your goathead campaign, Osso; you jogged a forgotten detail
of schoolyard memories in Texas around sixty years ago. My US Keds didn't protect the bottoms of my feet from them. Anyway. . . .

About halfway down this border is a peony I set out the end of March, again having come across it at a price I couldn't walk away from at Home Depot,Felix Crousse, hoping it displays well in that spot, shown in that last photo where a couple of bricks keep it safe from squirrels. It's sprouting growth now quite nicely.

Very lovely, Neko. I haven't been around peonies since I was a kid in the Chicago area..

Those daffodils set out by the birdbath




are now a part of the evolving springtime tableau out back:


daffodil "Dutch Master"