Thursday, April 30, 2015

A Different Kind Of Lush

Both of Client # 1's gardens, his home and office, are on the small side, fully loaded and very mature. They are both lush and lovely. The man has plant lust and is forever trying to stuff one more plant into already full gardens.

The gardens are beginning to show their age though. My maintenance these last seven years has extended their life, but there are some things I can't tend away. The ever increasing size of the trees and shrubs sets up major competition and makes a whole lot of shade. The plants that have to have sun are slowly fading away.

Age, competition, stress from previous drought, several bad freezes and other oddities have stressed a number of plants. There isn't much I can do about it.

I think the garden needs a major culling. Client #1 would just die at the thought.





















The office garden has a most lovely pond. Thank goodness I am not responsible for it. I do clean the skimmer net when I am there. The rest of the upkeep belongs to the pond guy who I was glad to see today because when I got there the water was not flowing.





















One of the rhododendrons that is being consumed by a Blue Spruce tree was in full bloom.




















It will be a long time before there are any mature shrubberies in my garden. Maybe longer than I think since I noticed today that the deer have been sampling my baby Witch Hazels. Damn varmints!

Thank goodness my garden is fully loaded and more so every day. There is always something to distract me from varmint carnage.

The Dwarf Crested Iris have started to bloom.





















Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow' is also lighting up. This euphorbia is said to be invasive. Maybe in some places. Not here. The original clump has almost faded away. We have stiff competition in the wild cultivated gardens. I have been thinking about redoing it to start it over.





















I got a new sign up on the scenic byway this afternoon. Its message is still secret and covered in black plastic. The DOT dudes were pointing out my curiosities while they were planting their sign. I hope that made their day a little nicer.

I am hoping my new sign says "Litter is just Plain Rude". I saw some orange peaking out from under the black plastic and have a strong feeling it will just say "End Construction". Major repair and repaving work is underway on the scenic byway in the Kingdom of Madison just on the other side of the county line.


9 comments:

Unknown said...

Would you review me on the metal object in pic #6?....I can't recall it's name. Wonder if the road crew could see your flying bicycle?

Christopher C. NC said...

That is my stock tank well head cover.

Christopher C. NC said...

Oh yes indeed they saw the bicycle.

Rose said...

Maybe the sign will say "Slow down and enjoy the beautiful garden ahead":)

Christopher C. NC said...

That would work Rose. I have the one straight stretch of road on the mountain where people actually try to pass other cars.

Sallysmom said...

I am broken hearted. My little crested iris have narry a bloom on them though they have multiplied a tiny bit. I have down that I saw the first bloom on April 23 of last year. We haven't had any unusual weather other than hot then cool and then hot and on and on.

Christopher C. NC said...

It's early. There is still hope Sallysmom. I have noticed that some years some of the patches bloom is sparse. It may just be an off year.

Lola said...

I agree with Rose. Hope those varmits stay away.

Christopher C. NC said...

Me too Lola. A little sample I can handle. I don't want the deer to decide they like my Witch Hazels. They munched them pretty good though.