Long Gone

It seems like ages ago that a bare brown mountain top was covered with daffodils. It is a new time. Life has moved on.



A temporary floral display occupies the front bed out by the scenic highway. The final design for this bed does include the Eremurus. Much of the rest is filler while I slowly grow and divide a main element, Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'.

One of the other main players, Chicories are huge and just now blooming. They haven't been up to being photographed because they are morning bloomers, closing by mid-day and because the monsoon thunderstorms have been attempting to crush them to the ground. I can grow me some gigantic weeds. They are huge. Today I staked them up before their tremendous size caused the stems to break.

An unknown native sedge and an Iron Weed, Vernonia noveboracensis will add to the final scene, while Ox-Eye Daisies, Leucanthemum vulgare wander this bed with some editing.

At best even my final design destination is temporary, so long as I keep any intruders at bay.



The growing rock walls have begun to take on a life of their own. I have been so busy building them, I am not sure I have been sufficiently in awe of the huge physical impact they have.

Not a one of them is completely finished. I still want to do proper cap stones on the first wall, the one below and in front of the columns. I can also see a huge difference in quality between it and the second unfinished wall behind the columns. Maybe I need to tear down the first one and start over.



But I have moved on to two other walls needed for the sewer line. These are the current priority project.



They are almost half way done.



I look at these walls and cement columns and imagine them when the cozy cabin has decomposed and is long gone. How would they be interpreted by a distant observer? I know this space will be used as an open air patio. Would it be obvious a thousand years from now?



A destination is envisioned for a front flower bed. I gently steer it there.



A monolithic stone formation writhes itself free of the soil's grip. It uses me as the midwife as it is born into life. It's power has already grown stronger than me and now I stand in awe.



The wall is not near done with me. Another wing is waiting to be born along the left side of the path up to the garden access drive. A form of symmetry, a sense of balance is called for in a monumental earth work. I am its servant.



Next year, the Eremurus will be even bigger I hope. The temporary flowers will be gone and a waving bed of variegated Miscanthus grass with sky blue Chicory flowers drifting over head will be the prelude to a roadside vegetable garden surrounded by a magic carpet of wildflowers.



And most likely I will be working on a dry stack stone wall.