Friday, December 2, 2016

Waiting For The Washer

The stainless steel tub of my five year old front end load washer broke off. It cost $100 for the repairman dude to tell me, "No point in going any further. Buy a new one." He blamed it on iron in my well water. I don't think so.

It took a couple of weeks because the tub broke off on my last load of wash. A dwindling supply of underwear finally forced me to act.

The morning dawned cold and sunny. The phone rang and my morning delivery was changed to between twelve and two. Work or clean underwear, that is the question.

I waited.





















And I waited. By noon it was warm enough to go outside. I like the carcasses of my dead Joe Pye, but there is more Under Garden under them. I got to chopping. This time I did some removal.





















There on the right is the flat as a pancake evergreen ground cover, Cotoneaster dammeri 'Streib's Findling'. I don't leave the chop on top because this ground cover is so flat it would just smother it. It may be near winter, but all my evergreens must use this time in the open to gather what sunlight they can.





















The evergreen Under Garden of winter interest is ever so slowly taking form. I really do have plenty to look at while I stroll the garden in the barren time.





















The nights and mornings have been cold of late. I am beginning to think the beasts minimum operating temperature is a bit higher than mine. There has been a distinct refusal to spend any quality time outside. Such is the way it is.





















Three one gallon pots have covered this much ground on a very steep slope with summer competition in about five years I think. I moved it along by taking rooted stem pieces and planting them further away. This cotoneaster is my new favorite ground cover for full sun locations. It does take some weeding, but you know how much I worry about that in the wild cultivated gardens.

They arrived at two on the dot. One broken washer was hauled out and one identical new washer was installed. Add in a day of lost work, $1000 dollars. Did you know a compact washer that fits under the counter is several hundred dollars more than a full size washer for a real laundry room? Now you do.

By five there were clean towels and underwear and all is right with the world.


3 comments:

beverly said...

I am curious that the Under Garden survives under the lush in the growing season. Have you had any losses? I would think conifers in particular wouldn't like it. I ask because you have given me an idea for my own garden, where sunlight is at a premium. If I could double-plant those areas it would be great. Thanks.

Christopher C. NC said...

Bev you are correct that the conifers in particular do not like being buried in the Lush. I weed around them a couple times during the season and check to make sure nothing has fallen on top of them. I did have partial die back on a new dwarf White Pine I planted this spring and then forgot about. It got covered by some deer grass.

I feel sure this slows their growth just being the bottom layer in a four and a half foot high meadow that cuts the sun supply. It would be less of an issue for full size shrubs. I'm using dwarfs and ground covers because it is in the utility easement and that is the look I want.

C. C. said...

The palette of colors in those photos is simply awesome. Great job.