Tuesday, April 29, 2008
We see the world not as it is, but as we are.
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Today was cool, too cool for bugs, and perfect for working in the yard.
The Hunk had finished grading, spreading topsoil, and raking among the trees in the side yard, and he spread grass seed in the front half just in time for 2.5 days of rain. Which was excellent timing, since I don't have enough water pressure to run a sprinkler.
I wanted to spread wildflower mix in the back half. I had some that had been table favors at a friend's anniversary party (almost nobody took them, so when I helped clear after dinner, I brought almost 200 packets home). They covered only about a third of what I wanted to do, so I went shopping for more.
I went to three garden centers, and asked for "2 pounds of mixed wildflower seeds for shade, please". Only one place had seeds at all, and it was a sun mix. I bought one pound of those. Maybe some will grow....
I shopped for shade mixes online this evening. I found some, but they all say they need a minimum of 1-4 hours of direct sun daily. Hey, this is woods! They best they'll get is filtered light. There ARE wildflowers that grow in the woods. Trilliums. Dogtooth violets. Other stuff I don't know the names of. Why is it so hard to find deep woods seeds? I'm frustrated. I'll get two pounds of one of those mixes, I guess, and overseed the sun mix.
I also want a gazillion of the wild roadside daylilies, too, for the steep bank and around the mailbox. Nobody had the wild type, but I bought a few potted cultured ones. Everybody suggested that since they grow everywhere wild, I should just take a trowel and a bag, and dig some up along the road. I'd like to, but even out in the middle of countryside, that land is owned, so someone owns the lilies, and I don't feel right about digging them up without permission.
We'll see how desperate I get.
The nurseryman where I bought the lilies said not to plant them today. We're expecting frost tonight and tomorrow night.
Hey! It's almost May! Frost?
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1 comment:
I feel your pain. However - there are a lot of native species of shade-loving flowers - jack in the pulpit, ladies slippers, and most especially, Virginia bluebells which are fragrant and beautiful.
The next time you visit your man, you might want to check out Well Sweep Herb Farm.
And I think the nursery folks were dead on about using the shovel and digging up one or two here and there of the wild day lilies.
I myself have a deep love of honeysuckle. I know it's regarded as a pest plant, but I want some honeysuckle for the back fence of Ma Maisonette.
Oh - and you can check out your "last frost date". We had frost this morning and the last frost date for this part of Jersey is May 15!
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