If you remember a few weeks ago I mentioned wanting to totally redo my overflowing herb garden that had been damaged by some flooding in that area earlier this year and the frequent visits from deer!
The “herb” garden had become oh so much more! A place I put extras. A place for experiments. And, a place where many plants had run amuck. I needed some order. I needed more options.
So, on one of the hottest days of the year, I got busy. A huge job to dig up everything, decide what to do with the extras, and get the new raised beds down, leveled, and filled. Armed with shovels, my hori hori knife, snips, my trusty wagon, and one of Mr. G’s levels, I got started. It went faster than I thought but still took about 3 days. Plants are still in recovery mode and things look sparse, but the garden is taking shape. I am really going to like it and the opportunities the new design brings.
I still don’t know what to do with the entrance. For now, I have flagstones laying on top of the mulch. Maybe I will like them better when they are better placed and have groundcover around them. We’ll see.
We are continuing to discourage deer. Most recently I have covered some of the most popular items on their menu with bird netting. Mr. G has purchased a new spray — DEER OUT. Read about it here. Tonight will be the first night to use it. 🤞🏻🙏🏻
RECENT ROSE CHAT PODCAST
On the most recent podcast, I chat with good friend Ron Daniels about the amazing growth the Nashville Rose Society has had over the last few years, and he offers tips to others on how they too can grow.
BLOOM THYME THIS WEEK
Can you have too many white hydrangeas? I just love them and think they cool things down in the summer heat!
Since confession is good for the soul, here goes…
- 16) Bo Bos
- 7) Pinky Winkys
- 8) Annabelle
- 2) Little Limes
- 2) Limelights
- 1) Limelight Tree
- 2)Twist and Shout
As I type this, it doesn’t seem like I have that many… hummmm. 🙄
Pinky Winky is probably my favorite in the garden, with Bo Bo coming in a close second. My favorite hydrangea to dry is Little Lime. My least favorite is Limelight. It is just too big for my space – I thought they were Little Limes when I bought them. And, their stems are more floppy than I’d like.
Proven Winners has done something about those floppy stems and improved a few other things in an updated Limelight … Limelight Prime. Read more HERE.
BLOOM THYME
Many of the roses are taking a break as I have trimmed off buds to “protect” them from the Japanese Beetle invasion. They will have their time to shine later. More about that next week.
A few roses are being snubbed by the JBs and that is okay with me. JBs seem to avoid Sweet Drift, Popcorn Drift, Petit Pink and The Faun. I am very good with that. But, I can assure you that they will travel miles to devour a Rugosa. They do seem to love the fragrant ones. Oh well, their days are numbered.
Our weather has been quite pleasant this week and we are getting a break from the intense heat. A quick peek at the weather app revealed that the heat will be back on soon … but those hot days are numbered too.
The COVID news is getting a bit “complicated” again too. Be well and be safe my friends… 😘
We, too, have had really cool and pleasant weather this past week here in Virginia. We have welcomed the rain, and more is expected tonight. Today I found only two JBs on one rose and a crape myrtle flower. You have done an outstanding job on your design and raised beds for your new herb garden! Your photos are just so lovely, and the white flowers show up so lovely at night. I have the Pee Gee hydrangea, and it is white and has been in bloom for almost a month now. Just love it! I have an oak leaf hydrangea, but it is not in bloom just yet. I wanted to make some tomato jam or preserves this week, but I haven’t done it yet. The ripe tomatoes are ready when I have more time. I think I will add just ginger to my batch. And there is always a tomato pudding to make. We have baby bluebird chicks in a bluebird house, lots of hummingbirds, butterflies, and other birds in our yard. Dragonflies, too. My marigolds are so large now and just beautiful! And my Tiffany rose is in bloom, so feminine and pretty (pink with some yellow on the petals). Celery may be my favorite herb as I am still getting nice green leaves for my apple salad and potato salad. If you can find some celery, do purchase it and plant it in your herb garden. You will be so glad that you did. Got mine at a privately owned garden center, not at Lowe’s or Home Depot. I don’t know if celery is an herb, but the leaves have so much flavor and even the thin tiny stems also. The news is NOT good regarding the delta variant, and now the lambda variant. Thank you for your blog. Do be safe and stay well. Happy gardening!
Looks great, and LOVE those hydrangeas! They just don’t grow like that where I live. Enjoy the herbs, hope that the deer do NOT!
So far this week we have had ground hogs and raccoons. Equally destructive. Sigh.