New plants!

 My lovely, thoughtful daughter Caitlin was out at the nursery last Friday and sent me photos. How she remembered, I don't know! I've been looking for a tree hibiscus for a year. They are everywhere, and provide some fall colour. Someone had to ID it for me, as I was seeing them all over the place but didn't know what they were.

I noted the location and thought about it. A drive on a torrentially rainy day. What the heck! 

We set off Saturday morning. We had over an inch of rain Saturday. It was ridiculous. 

The drive along highway #7 is awful. People treat it as a Nascar track. This dude passed us on a double line, on a bridge, in the rain. You can check this post for other car incidents of dangerous driving along highway #7 from Friday. 

Cottage country... gray skies, but we were on a mission.

Bridge to nowhere?

Autumn seems to be early. The leaves are turning way too fast. Mind you, it was an early spring.

I spotted lots of these shrubs around the area. It's sort of the last blooming before fall. They are tree hydrangeas, and it took awhile to figure out their names. 

In Perth: 

I have always admired this garden:

We made it. It was raining, but I'm not made of sugar.

This tall one was $250, even with the 25% off I was worried about spending that much on it. I don't know if the deer like them!

I stuffed them in! They rolled around some, but they were fine. I did have to wash the mat!

Here is my haul! A tree Hydrangea, Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus, and a 4th, but I forget what it is!

I am hoping to plant a couple today. It's cool, but sunny. I was thinking, at 3 a.m., about where to place them. I think I have a plan! 

New plants and old

 For posterity, I'll put this here. My new plants. I don't have a plan. I just wing it. With the dying of the old Catalpa tree, the garden has gone from a shade garden to a sunny one. 

Pumpkins beside the house. Take that, Fred! Actually, the deer like them, too.

Hollyhock (I'm not confident)

Castor bean with zuccinni where the bird feeder sat all winter.

Repotted cherry tomato plant. There are 4 in the original pot. I might have split them, but that'd be two pots to water not one!

Beside Guinivere: Foxglove, and Joe Pye Weed

When bloggers post wonderful photos of gardens, it reminds me to check on the plants I've forgotten about. Maggie Magnolia! 

It is fun grabbing plants and shoving them into the ground with great hopes. Then there is maintenance. I have to be careful using the lawn tractor. Between Fred and Phoebe! Can you see Phoebe on the back of the farthest chair?!

I did the lawn. JB trimmed.

That was Sunday. Monday I managed to get the water fountain all set. This is the inside of the base. It is a pain to take it apart. The pump gets cluttered with debris. Mostly grass when I do the lawn!!! (See above!)

I had an idea, after all these years. A little trap meant for sinks. I am so pleased!

Crumbly Acres

 I am grateful to live on this property. The horse chestnut leaves as the buds unfold are really something.

Outdoors I planted some new plants. Indoors, I built a chicken thigh casserole. Both good for mental health and something to look forward to! We've a big dump of rain, and that will help the gardens.

 

We're up to two eggs three eggs in the Phoebe nest. They lay one a day, the first was May 3rd, second May 4th. I went out in the pouring rain and saw three on Sunday!

I am quite happy for the winter season. It's a break from bugs and bear and such. Each season has parts to enjoy. The lily bugs are back, however. [Lily bug beetles - they have won!] The plants have been sprayed with Neem Oil, but I must make up a new batch. I'm not sure how effective this one was. I plucked a couple dozen off of the Asiatic lilies. I used to feed them to Percy, but no more.

 

The bird feeder is down for the winter. I shall miss it and the birds, but they don't need the food. It attracts bears and we don't need them. They belong in the forest! I dumped that last of the seed on the ground and washed out the feeders. 

Look what happened! Mama squirrel really got into her meal.

gray squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

OK, time to go put garbage out. Have a good week, everyone.