My garden 2000,Ilona's Reflecting Pool

This is a sort of garden journal to give you an idea of how my gardens are working out without cluttering the main portion of the garden section; which should be reserved for the more general writing on subjects that can benefit any gardener. Also, the more ephemeral matters of this particular seasons weather or observations can find a place here. All new journaling will be in my blog, Ilona Garden.

My Garden

year 2000

(Aug 28) I have never been good at this diary stuff. Daily doesn't go over well with me, but that's my problem, and the problem for you, dear reader, is that the whole season went by and now all you get is a synopsis, a summary. But maybe that is just as well? Yeah, let's do the pollyanna thing. HA!
This would have been an interesting season to have notated, actually. It has been unusual in many ways. Cooler, more evenly moist, showing what a year after a deep drought results in. First, the bad. Let's get that out of the way: more die-back than I've ever seen in my garden and the whole area. In fact, I thought I had problems til I looked at gardens in the city- then mine didn't look so bad. The dogwoods were miserable looking-but at least mine still had their leaves, albeit turning color and mildewed. Rust and mildew and bacterial blights were big this year-due to the cool moisture I guess. And yet, lots of the good: the beginning of the season esp. was full of exceptional bloom. The plantings that made it through last years drought are showing good growth due to the fact that the moisture has come in just the right amounts at the right time. My new trees look great. My annuals are still going strong...the nasturtiums a little too strong.
The pond went through the viscissitudes of the animals and then someone(could have been me) broke the pump- so the rocks had to be moved and a new pump installed. The surviving fish have grown and had babies. Some of the cats have enjoyed a snack or two, and the waterlily and pond plants have been dumped a time or two - either the big ol' dog, the little kids and their makeshift boating of their toys or over enthusiastic cats- you pick...I just cleaned up the results! So, it was somewhat greener water than I hoped, but the waterlilies have been beautiful and the pickeral weed is fabulous. It is a very peaceful place to sit on a summers day.
The heliotropes were excellent, and I am always glad I plant them. The ferns by the little pond are taking and doing well. I have nice tomatoes and peppers, but not using them like I should. That's normal. Hey,folks, I just like to grow stuff! I would have made a great "mistress of the manor", the serfdom of canning and cooking evokes no stirring of my soul. Any available serfs out there? Apply at reflectpool@yahoo.com.
The saddest note of the season, that I truly found depressing is the fact that until the mid-summer I did not see one honey bee; then, I only saw a few on my borage plant. Also, less varieties of butterflies and birds, with no more hummingbirds after that first view. I still have many types of butterflies, but they have only shown up recently. But I do miss the honey bees, especially. People -wake up! Stop using all those insecticides and poisonous things. I know the honey bees demise is due to a parasite/disease problem, but I think we weaken species and help bring on their suseptibility to problems with our promiscuous use of chemicals.

(May 29)Friends, neighbors, and interested passers-by, greetings. I saw my first hummingbird of the season and thought I would record it here. Just whizzed by me, but I was excited, nonetheless. I have planted every single plant I bought; did not waste one. That was a a feat to be proud of, although I did not plant many of the seeds I bought, only managed the nasturtiums and annual baby's breath. There is still time, still time although the flesh is weak-know what I mean? I walk through my gardens aware of design weakness, but not caring as the whiff of peony, rose, dames rocket and fresh earth revive me. Fragrance in the garden is a strange ephemeral thing. The breezes can tantalize and tease , while pressing close for more of the exhilarating smell disappoints with either sharper or nonexistant sense than was hoped. You must simply enjoy and breathe deep when the blessing falls. It is one of the enchantments of gardening. One day the apple scent of eglantine rose, another the clean inexpressible smell of rainwashed air and damp grasses, then the waft of sweet woodruff, some days intoxicated with oriental lilies, some vanillaed with cut meadow grass. But the best, the best is the incense compounded by the unknown alchemy of the gardens mixture on a special day when the perfumery of Gods hand anoints your day. Then I understand why God placed man within a garden; and why He met with him in the cool of the day.

(May 25)Been unbelievably busy! Planted three new sweet gum trees, two new crabapples, one cherry, one peach, two young arborvitaes, two baby Norway spruces. The crabs each have a large bed around them with newly planted shrubs, everlow taxus and birdsnest spruce. My roses are in full blooming season, the wetness of the past week is making the growth a little too lush. Planted the water garden plants, including a new waterlily that is supposed to have "copper" blooms. Planted the veg. garden with tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, chard, and flowers, and now time to weed. Moved many hollyhocks and rue to a new bed beside a shed. Moved fence plants to new places and mowed down that bed-too weedy to recover. Put in a number of flats of annuals, and weeded most of the garden beds. Dug out some of the cotoneaster for new bushes by the house. Planted up the hanging baskets for the porch and the flower box. Only have a few daylilies and heuchera left to plant. Plus have overworked on the webpage, so excuse me if I don't go into detail on my plants right now. Next time, ok?

(May 4)I have put alot of time into the garden and into this webpage- that didn't leave much over for cooking meals or anything, but hey! My husband is used to it now, Springtime is salad and snack time- it is kids making macaroni and cheese time, and mom being tired, dirty, and sore time. All these years I pretty much had the garden work to myself with whatever slave/aka kids help I could muster. Now, my husband is showing a little interest which translated into the pond, and some herbicide on the lawn. What is it with men and lawns? They are mad scientists at heart with a love for gizmos and chemicals. Any ideas on diverting that new found interest to digging and compost turning?
Back to my gardening: this is the time of year when you can truly assess winter damage. If the late frosts caused damage the new growth starts to wilt and you notice stems that are split and dying (or dead). I found more damage than I at first thought- the lonicera fragrantissima had die-back, the lilacs lost a number of blooms, and some of the new viburnum mariesii died back. The lonicera (honeysuckle bush) was trimmed back with hedge shears and hopefully will recover their bushy appearance. That was work! I had to use a ladder since they are about 7-8 feet tall -exercised those lats and deltoids as I chopped away.

News on the pond: I planted a miniature waterlily, pickeral weed, mini-cat tail, and bog-bean. We purchased 12 baby goldfish, and the cats had a midnight snack, but I think I saw about 8 or 9, and placed some rocks for shelter within the pool. The dog and the cats are making a mess of one of the underwater planters because I succeeded too well in making it look like a natural rock shelf-that they kept stepping on and sliding into the water. I'm telling you dogs, cats and gardens are mutually antagonistic- with the animals confederate against the garden. And me in the middle!

(Apr.17)Occasionally, you get it right, -not always on purpose- but that doesn't matter. I have been working getting rocks in place aroung the little waterfall/reflecting pool and moving lots of dirt, and it all looks wonderful, so far. In the meantime the pinkcup daffodils and grape hyacinths have been blooming and all the garden is greening up and budding. The pool looks just right situated between two other gardens and makes a cohesive whole. I, as expected, have been researching ponds and out buying the plants. This will translate into a new page for the garden section, eventually, OF COURSE. Listen, how would you people like to make me rich? Just let me know if you would like the most succulent organic dandelions on the face of the earth! Think of the possibilities: Dandelion pie, dandelion tea, dandelion salad,....need I go on? And all for the low, low price of five dollars a pound. Just to cover shipping you understand.
In case you didn't get it that was a joke. I might get rich, but the harvesting would about do me in. I bet I could win a dandelion contest, though.
The seedlings in the house are doing fine, but haven't planted any seed in the garden, yet. All the ponding you know.

(Mar. 25)It is warming again, my sons came to help and WHOOPEE! my pond is in place. I need to transfer more dirt to the mound behind which also involves placing rocks in a terraced sort of way, but it is already looking as good as I had hoped. I hate things to look artificial in the garden, so a plastic formed pond is a challenge. The rocks and mound are making things look more natural, and after I paint the waterfall part with tuffa mixture to encourage moss and lichen growth on what plastic I cannot disguise with rocks, I do believe it will be as envisioned. Maybe some river rocks in the bottom, and then looking for just the right plants. Right now, I am planning on adding a few goldfish, but I just know they'll end up as cat snacks. Oh well, fun for everybody (except the fish, of course).

(Mar. 15)After the last cold snap with its sprinkling of snow, I surveyed for damage. Thus far, only the iris reticulata were ruined - they are delicate and were in full bloom. The snow crocus managed well and are again opening in the sunshine. Fruit growers often spray down their trees to give a protective layer of ice, but I take no precautions and take what the season hands me. No special reason. The cherry trees had been neglected, so I took out some large limbs when I pruned last week. That is a job you need to do some exercise training for! Upper back strength work for pulling yourself up into the tree; deltoid and shoulder work for pulling on the saw in those lovely awkward positions. The seeds have sprouted in our trays and we are excited to see the baby seedlings.

(FEB 29)This past week was exceptionally warm, so over the weekend I gardened: cleaned the veg. garden of debris, edged a little, straightened brick edgings, turned compost, pruned a few things. I re-arranged the pyracantha and climbing rose and pruned them, so it looks like I was in a catfight! I need some falconing gloves. I don't like this warm weather now, it looks forebodingly like last year. We are not totally out of the drought and I am thinking that this could be another year of it. I live in a climate that keeps the gardener guessing. I guess it is a good thing I am putting in a tiny pond- at least I control the water in that! The little children and I are starting seeds, perennials that I want in the garden and in a week or two I will have them plant something easy like nasturtiums for the thrill.

(JAN. 7) The year has begun with so little in the way of winter-if it keeps up my roses should be beautiful,but(shame!) I have not covered them for the year so if we get a cold snap I will be sorry. Maybe I'll do it this weekend (Jan 24) My catalogues are slow coming in, maybe I was dropped for lack of response! I started to make an order from Thompson & Morgan because they have some unusual seeds I like. The snow came with the cold temp. so the roses are probably safe. Snow is so beautiful laying heavy upon the branches and lacing the shrubs.