Blahs instead of Blogs

I read that Marie Iannotti says that "May truly is a "frantic" month in the garden".

Well only frantic thing in my garden this May is snow and sleet. Still coming down today.Though my seeds started indoors way -back in March- are almost frantic enough to start clawing the window to get outside. Little do they know that they'd freeze to frosty stalks if they were able to do so.

So that's why I haven't been blogging lately...too busy with bluesy blahs over no gardening days yet and here it is mid-May + blah blah blahs about 'wish it'd get warm...now.'

Well, yeah, we did have a couple nice days doled out here & there this month but always accompanied by pesty predictions of "more snow expected overnight and tomorrow in the high country".

During one of those nice days, I did find all the steppables I could growing around the property and moved them around in front of the cabin between the flagstones placed there last year.

Figured since the sedums and ajuga I put there last year didn't survive the winter then I'd find something that already liked it here!

And, yeah, have to admit I just couldn't resist buying a few plants last week at a local nursery ---even though I knew chances were slight they'd get into the ground before June! So those are waiting in wheelbarrows in the basement...that I push outside when the snow stops so some sun showers down on the delphiniums, purple coral bells, a few trailing vines,and the columbines I'm optimistically thinking can be planted...soon? when?

Not to much to report from the mountains as far as gardening goes. Over & Out.

May Planting, Maybe Baby? No, There's More Snow!

OK. So the local, long-time gardeners here on the mountain really do know best!

And, of course, I knew that all along but wishful thinking that maybe I could plant the first part of May anyway...was just wishful thinking after all.

Still got my baby plants growing in trays & peat pots on my dining room table since porch is still way too cold for the darlings.

On May 1st & 2nd another snowfall hit us. Yes, lovely but bummed me out in that I'm more than ready for sunshine and calm, windless days. Today, snow is mostly melted but big wind blasts chill everything to the bones. Only a few deer straggled up today to greet me...too cold for anything except hunkering down. The majestic Ponderosas are doing the sway-dance thing to the big wind blasts. I know I should take a lesson from the pines and be more flexible instead of bummed over the weather!

Barbie! Thanks so much for your comment. And yes, I guess I must be like you in that I do play the name game with all parts of my property, no matter how small! In photo above is one of several places on property (un-named, no less!) for pausing for coffee, tea, or other adult libations.

But, no, I don't have a large property. Only 2 1/2 acres here and, yet so far, have my trails and spots named as listed in previous posts. That's part of the fun, huh?

Only plan to add one additional spot, "The Secret Garden" and that will not be this season but do have the location in mind & envision it to be glorious.

Well, make that two spots. Someday, I'll have the "R,R&R" location planted out & furnished out with hammocks,etc. on the somewhat level, sunny spot atop the mountain where there's a nice view of distant mountains. Will be perfect for relaxin', reading, and other recreation requiring solidtude!

Well, better make that three spots with "The Creek" and rustic bridge that exists only in my imagination for a while. Oh, yeah. Like most all gardeners, I'm way optimistic.

Next few days forecasted to remain chilly and windy but! next week is supposed to be warmer. Come on sunshine. Over & Out for now. Jayne O'Hara

April Aspirations, May Maybees

Yes, there is no snow.

However, last 2 days the winds have been blowing big time; even the majestic Ponderosas have been swaying to the windy blasts. The 2 garden flags I just had to hang outside before the winds wandered into the mountains to hang out, yeah, they're both wound around and tangled up in the arched pines. And though the sun's been bright, the wind-chilled temp has discouraged any outdoor activity and practically forced me to sit by the fire, reading...when I wasn't browsing other garden blogs.

Seeds still sprouting indoors; in fact I started several more seed packets today; the infants already germinated are still too baby-soft tender to continue to harden off on the porch in these winds.

I did scurry out briefly to check on the raised bed and found a few new sprouts poking out of the mulch. Soon as the winds die down, got to move the mulch away to give them growing room. So happy to finally see something green outdoors besides just the evergreen trees.

Thought for sure I'd have my second raised bed nailed together by now and ready for May plants...but only thing I raised were my hopes. Maybe by May! Since May's just around the corner and hopefully so is gardening time in the mountains, maybe I'll have things actually growing to blog about in another month! Meanwhile, I'll console myself by sharing a few more of past season projects and whimsy. Photo below (left) shows 1st of many birdhouses placed at various spots around outside of the area that eventually became the Wildflower Patch.

Ski Monster (photo below center) moved onto the grounds in '06 just before Wildflower Patch was developed. In '07

Ski Monster was surrounded by a few Snow in Summer plants...hoping some of those show up again this season. Plan to add many more Snow in Summer plants in May. And one of the newest packets started indoors today is S-in-S seeds.

Now the photo (below right) of Little Bluestem?

Well, that's definitely one of the aspirations and maybes. I'm hoping come next month

that several stands of Lil Bluestem will be growing along the side of my Ol' West Trek.

Over & Out for now.

Fall Snow, Winter Snow, Spring Snow.

Fall Snow, Winter Snow, Spring Snow. Snow is the staus quo!

Since last blog, there've been maybe five, gorgeous days of hopeful sun interspersed with several more days of 5"-9" snowfall.

Today, though, it's another bright sunny day shining down on about 8 inches of white powder that fell last night. Hmmm. I'm rethinking this whole idea of sowing any seeds...even the poppy seeds. Maybe by Father's Day. Maybe.

On the first "bright, bright sun shineee daaaay" during the past week, I did some "red-neck-style" construction on the Wildflower Patch faux gate that was leaning downtown-clown style.

So it's now standing tall and proud once again. For how long, who knows? Anyway, if weather ever permits to get the wildflowers growing...gates are entrance ready!

Right now the seeds that I soaked in peroxide are germinating in peat pots and boxes. Plenty of time for them to sprout, get hardened off and transplanted later in the Wildflower Patch behind the gates.

Time, time, time is on my side! Even if weather isn't.

Only other things going on here in mountain garden are:

1) I've collected a few more rocks for lining pathways and trails.

2) and put out the antique wagon wheel along the Ol' West Trek

which only the deer are enjoying at the moment

(see photo right)

and here's the same view today, April 21st, now that snow has cleared for the time being, anyway.

(photo below center)

And this photo also kinda shows the down-the-steps entry into the sloped Ol' West Trek which curves on down and around the mountain a short ways to the saddle stop "Bootie Rest Stop" with the grave marker and assorted boot planters. Well, hey, with nothing growing ---

whimsy is required!

My plans for this planting season, when & if it ever arrives, are ornamental grasses along one side of this Ol' West Trek + a few yuccas that do well in this zone.

Someday...long way off probably...I hope for a creek flowing down and along part of this trek with a great old western style bridge.

Earth Day!

Hope you celebrated in some green way today.

My Earth Day was Saturday, April 19th.

That's when many volunteers gathered at the Colorado Springs, CO. Utilities Xeriscape Demonstration Garden to serve as garden docents for the hundreds of visitors who came to the public event.

Not only was it a chance to learn all about xeriscaping, microclimates, plants and planting, mulch and oh-so-much more...there were also fun activities for kids like scavenger hunts, snacks, ribbons, awards, games, planting flowers in peat pots to take home, and did I mention snacks? And a BBQ wagon on site for lunchtime sandwiches and such.

Of course the hundreds of attending adults got ideas for plans and plantings---including us docents! The CSU experts were all on hand as well to answer questions and give input when needed. The weather was wonderfully cooperative...glorious day! Daffodils were blooming big time as were several other plants like the Fern Bush and pineleaf penstemon and a few other perennials proudly showed their colors. We invited all to return in a month when the Demo Garden will really be resplendent!

OK. No growth on this plot of the mountain to report yet ... so over & out.
Labels: trail under development

Wise Weathermen, Snow Still Blows

When 'they' forecasted snow storms last night for the next couple of days here in the Colorado mountains...they hit the mark!

As you can see in the photo right...that I just now snapped, not only has the snow accumulated about 5" deep but also it is still swirling strong! My cabin road, wildflower patch, and everything else around is buried underneath the gorgeous powder. Quite a difference from my attempts at gardening back in Texas this time of year, oh yeah. But even though it is a shivering 26 degrees here right now, I'm loving it!

However, with no greenhouse (yet!) guess best I can do today on this mt. gardening blog is share a few more 'lame landscaping' attempts from yesteryear ('06). So. Let's begin with the less appealing, unsavory subject of septic tank camoflauge:

OK. Above is the bold, bad and ugly thing encircled by cut posts, fallen limbs and such I dragged up from the forest floor. Atop the stumps I nailed some old pots and pans which I filled with sedums and other drought hardies, then I filled the circle with pinecones from the property.

Since I'm a transplanted Texas gardener, I put a huge metal Star atop the round septic tank cover that hides it...and a friendly lizard atop a post overlooking the whole mess (below photo).

Next photo below is a before view looking up towards the cabin & septic tank area from the Wildflower Patch, near the road. This depicts what eventually became a flagstone path winding from W.F. Patch through a small arch formed by bent pines and continuing to up and around the camoflauged septic tank towards a bench near a raised bed close to the cabin (path was laid last season, '07).

Once the weather cooperates, I'll again hang a small garden flag from each side of the bent pine tree arch.

Will have to take more pics to share once I drag all the whimsical stuff back outside from the garage where it 'overwinters'...but at least you get the gist of the septic tank camo effort and how it ties via flagstone paths to the

Wildflower Patch and Deer Run Trail

(see previous posts on those two projects).

By autumn, lots of wildflowers and native grasses fill up the Wildflower Patch, line the paths leading up toward the cabin and surround the whole septic tank area...but alas I'm usually not here then to enjoy that part; however, my cabin neighbors tell me it all looks great then!

I'll leave you today with this photo below which shows the grasses and a few early blooming wildflowers beginning to pop last April, '07...what a difference a year makes! Then, balmy breezy beginnings of spring, ... today, April, '08, snowshowers!

Chill over the mountains

April 9 turned out to be a nice day all 'n all; snow forecasted hasn't fronted, yet!
Though chilly enough for a light jacket, still a decent gardening day, so guess what? Wildflower Patch got another 2 layers of stuff mixed into the existing elixer: finely composted cotton burr and some garden soil enriched with earthworm castings and light mulch.

Deer were nosing around, investigating but walked on off after a sniff or two.

Wanted to start a second raised bed but got a bit lazy after the soil spreading and went inside to warm up a bit. Raised bed will have to wait yet another day and since planting time won't get here for a while, no loss yet.

Sunshine Today, Snow Tomorrow

Yesterday, snowstorm. Today, sunshine.

Decided to "make hay" while sun's shining...at least make grass clippings.

Got rest of Wildflower Patch covered in weed fabric and loaded that up with soil and amendments. And decided...what the hey? I'm going to go ahead and plant those bulbs, glads, I've been dying to get in the ground.

Cutting down all the dead stems, grass and such, digging up some huge stubborn grasses by the roots, raking everything and bagging it all up...well that took most of this sunshiney day.
Have to admit though, I actually enjoyed it. Fresh air, bird chirps and balmy 53 degrees...what's not to enjoy?

Now tomorrow...weatherman says another round of snowstorms and snowshowers coming for a couple of days at least. Guess that means back to the seed/pllant catalogs.

By the way, I did learn a neato tip from H.A.S. (Horticultural Art Society of Colorado Springs) newsletter today passed on from Avant Gardener: "Another common household item besides aspirin is proving to be useful in seed germination. 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, the common drugstore preparation, is the magic ingredient. Add one once to a pint of water and soak the seeds over night before planting. Added to foliar sprays or irrigation water, hydrogen peroxide prevents or cures bacterial and fungal diseases and supplies oxygen to the roots in compacted soils."

Over & Out for now, Jayne O'Hara