IN Carmel

                           It would seem that it is time to liberate the straw flowers from their protective jug.                                                                                            There will be many plants. Today started with a sharp cold wind from the North.  Once again Jared left the door open.  And it stayed that way for quite a while.  The sun did bring a false sense of warmth.                     The morning sun gave the burgundy leaves of the Smoke Tree some extra excitement.  I stayed in the chair reading about Dahlias.  I ...

 Almost the end of the week and I didn't do much today.  My hips could not have been happier. Just a few things but not much gardening if you might call covering a few things against the cold.  Yes, it was cold all day.  Mich. kids are having a frost tonight.  No so much for us but it will be cool to cold for sure.                                                   St. Francis has a job to do tonight.  I hope he stays awake. I was out and about  twice looking at plants.  Cool Creek Park north of Carmel continues to have native plants for sale, at comparatively good prices so to speak.  Of course I went to look and then came home with a plant called a Royal Catchfly.  It's flower looks similar to a Cardinal Plant's red flower that humming birds might like..  So we'll see what this o...

            Old fashioned Iris.  If I could remember correctly I think they came from Dougs dad's garden. A cool start to this Thursday.  I had three layers of clothing on for most of the morning never feeling very hot.  I started the day thinking Dahlias and space.  So I checked out my idea of moving plants and whacking off some Lambs ear plants making more space available.   But first Kathleen arrived.  I dug up one more Lenten Rose plant and cut everything into more clumps.  There were a total of 9 I think.  She arrived and we did a complete walk around.  Kathleen loaded up and additionally I gave her two kinds of ginger.  One came from a mutual North friend, no longer on this earth but remembered with great memories.   After Kathleen left, it was time to attack the soon to be D. Bed.  The Lambs Ear lost some of their width and once again the stepping stones were moved to make mor...

                                                                                             Now there are more. This morning I woke up with sore hips.  Over use reminded me that something different needed to happen today.  And it did.  I spent time thinking and came up eventually with a plan.  But first there was the walk around with wet feet as usual.  It became clear that there must have been a good rain again with all kinds of leaves evident in the ditch running past the house.                  Yogurt lovers.  Not really but support comes from many places for the Butterfly Weed.   There was a little TV and a whole ...

                              Another mint tea plant is shaping up for a cooling off time on a hot summer day. Today's walk around proved beyond a doubt that plenty of rain was delivered last night.  All survived but probably could have done with a little less of the grand shower.  The ground received a good patting down and all the transplants said it was a good thing to received after giving up their first place of business. Not today but in the days ahead I'll be getting rid of some Lambs Ear.  Speak up if you want some.  I hope to take some to North's plant swap in May.                          A first time for us gifted to us by neighbor Bill and Kathy.  A beautiful white Iris. Today was designated as weeding day.  A god rain storm makes it so.  And any plant in the wrong place if not ...

            Picture from my Kathy friend.  This is why we like to watch birds.  Always something interesting.  Today, I tackled something I have been putting off in the garden.  I ran out of other things to do and this one came to the top like heavy cream.  Maybe it was sour cream by the time I got to it.                                                          I never get tired of looking at these each year. You have heard me write about creeping Charlie.  Then there is creeping Jenny and there is another creeping something that I can't remember the name.  Charlie is around but under control in the garden.  Well, at least so far this year.  C Jenny is way out of control.  I think the early spring helped that along.  I love Je...