Again

-

I've been m.i.a. as I had another trip to Portland a week after The Fling.  My husband's family had a reunion the 3 brothers, wives & children and my husband's folks.  My garden is in a typical August state, with overgrowth and even more scorching here & there.  I can't seem to focus on any one area like I need to.  I went out to deadhead and saw the Spirea by the driveway looking especially horrific.  I don't actually think it's dead, but that thing is a goner. Also that canna could use some reigning in. 

I know it's August when the compost bins are prettier than the actual garden :(.  

As I got to tackling the Spirea, I thought maybe I'll just keep going and clear the whole space!  It's roughly 16' long x 6' deep.  Partial shade except next to the driveway, the possibilities! The further into the web of roots, the more I was changing my tune.  Hmmm, well maybe not everything. *That looks like nothing, but it was a challenge to get out - took me an hour.  There was a sapling of some sort that complicated the removal.  
Good riddance!  I was a sweaty mess by the time I gladly hucked it into the bin.  It's cooled to 92 today, thankfully.
Still, more improvements need to be made.  This needs defining.  The crocosmia is a mess and I think that's a Ribes Sanguineum, currant coming up which would be entirely too tall for this spot.  I came in for a drink of water and maybe I'll just have an early lunch to think things over.  


A few nice things to come home to, the Crassula falcatas are blooming.  


A shy begonia bloom.


I've done a good amount of traveling in July/August and managed not to catch covid-Knock on wood! My sympathies to everyone who did, it is an energy zapper.   
Some lunch for me, and then decisions to make.

Comments

  1. AnonymousAugust 8, 2024 at 2:19 PM

    You work hard at your garden and it shows. we don’t have much, and the daylilies are all but done and the echinacea is starting to fade, or much of it is. /AC

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 9, 2024 at 8:10 AM

      Yes, I feel the same - much more to chop back out there.

      Delete
  2. Kris PetersonAugust 8, 2024 at 4:29 PM

    August is pretty much always a downer for me. I start questioning just about everything I've planted. If it wasn't generally too hot to get much done, I'd probably pull up half the garden. This time around, Covid has kept me from attempting any whirlwind cleanup sprees - maybe I'll manage to hold off the hack jobs until September, when cooler temperatures and a cooler head allow me to see things in perspective. I'm off to see if any of my Crassula falcata have deigned to flower yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 9, 2024 at 8:12 AM

      Oh Kris, I feel this. I have a lot of ?'s for myself. Right now I'm ok pulling things up and chopping, but need to remember it's a horrible time to plant anything. I sure hope that covid passes soon!

      Delete
  3. Liz A.August 8, 2024 at 4:40 PM

    Cooled down to 92? Yeah, it's okay to let things slide for a bit. August can be such a blah month.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)August 9, 2024 at 8:26 AM

    August is the worst, but at least you get to assess what needs to be redone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 9, 2024 at 12:14 PM

      Yes, as long as I can stick to pruning & ditching (not planting) I should make it, haha.

      Delete
  5. danger gardenAugust 9, 2024 at 9:13 AM

    Yesterday was 96 and smokey so all I did outside was water a bit. I too have got an area I'm reworking and trying to make sure I stop and think things thru rather than get carried away. It's easy to do, even in August!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 9, 2024 at 12:16 PM

      Oh no, smokey and hot is the worst. I got a good amount thrown out yesterday and am feeling inspired. I can't wait to see the area you are reworking, I do love a makeover.

      Delete
  6. Hoover BooAugust 9, 2024 at 7:18 PM

    Cooled down to 92, cooled down to 92...oh my. I'm impressed how you can do anything outdoors in that heat, and look at all that you did!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 10, 2024 at 8:22 AM

      We're getting a week of 80's starting Sunday, which is fantastic for August!

      Delete
  7. AnonymousAugust 10, 2024 at 7:37 AM

    Cooled down to 92°.... WAY too hot for me: you'd find me sitting in the shade with a frosty drink till mid September probably. I find your late summer garden looking good, exuberant really (crocosmia Lucifer!). Maybe a little tinkering here and there, as that's what us gardeners live for.
    Chavli

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 10, 2024 at 8:24 AM

      Thank you, I didn't show the real ugly parts. And you're right just having fun tinkering in August is the way to go.

      Delete
  8. JerryAugust 10, 2024 at 4:45 PM

    Not feeling the heat nor the August browns either. Can't believe you dug UP the spiraea. I would have been tempted to cut it down and plant something right next to it to hide the branch stubs. Lazy @%% gardener technique right there, but August has me uninspired. I might go out tomorrow and do some creative chopping of my own. The midsummer annuals have dried up and it's time to move the seeds to more opportune locations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 11, 2024 at 8:06 AM

      I really feel the same, August brown. I adhere to the "leave the stump method", but this was right at the corner of a path and I knew it would drive me bonkers. Have fun with the chopdown!

      Delete
  9. Carla from The RiverAugust 11, 2024 at 2:00 PM

    Hello, I understand. We had a wind storm, and boom just like that the garden changes. But after a cup of tea and a cookie, I went out and started to clean up. I moved some pots in some areas that took a hit.
    Love, Carla

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 13, 2024 at 7:58 AM

      Your recommendation of tea and a cookie is ALWAYS a good one!

      Delete
  10. Open Your Heart to GardeningAugust 12, 2024 at 12:46 PM

    Wow, you have beautiful gardens. I love that begonia in bloom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tz_gardenAugust 13, 2024 at 7:58 AM

      Thank you, I love the foliage on that begonia.

      Delete

Post a Comment

I'd love to hear from you, ~Tracy

Popular posts from this blog

-
Image
 Ugh!  I noticed a gaping hole in one of my Golden Barrel cactus when I was wandering through the garden yesterday.  We are in the midst of 3-4 days of rain, which will be followed by a morning freeze - BAD, bad bad.   I will try to lay some poly-tarp on them just for a few days to keep the slope as dry as possible.  I thought being planted on the slope would provide them with enough drainage, and most do seem nice & firm.   These were just planted Spring 2022, if they can make it through this deluge should be fine in the future.   Goo. and more and more goo. 😒 Here is the before - thankfully those big boys Goldens seem solid.  The rot was on a mid size 10" and a much smaller 3".  One portion of the Golden Fox cactus was rotten in our earlier rain in December 2022.  But it looks like the rest of the plant will pull through unscathed.  Fingers crossed. On a positive note, the manzanitas by our driveway smell &...
Read more
-
Image
 Looks like we are headed into a nice drying out period.  Livermore didn't get too overloaded with rain, thankfully.  I'm going to share some more pictures of the Aloes that are beginning to wake up, some of these blooming for me for the first time! Aloe mutabilis  Aloe ferox x capitata -blooms a little damaged from being moved/planted but still that nice fluffy capitata look. It's raining now, but these are so bright it's joyful to look out the kitchen window and see the blooms.  Aloe munchii a little behind but should be open soon - along with A. tangerine  I like this little vignette (by the AC unit) - this area used to hold a too big for the planting bed Bay Laurel.  I liked the laurel, but too tight quarters.  I planted it, I'm the problem it's me.  Ivan helped me get the base of the hefty roots out.  Although I'm seeing the pedilanthus is absolutely NOT taking off against the house.  Which is ridiculous, this is a sweet spot. ...
Read more

Back home

-
Image
I visited Puget Sound with the 2024 Garden Fling for the first 2 days (of 4).  I thought I would post a few of my favorite pictures/moments, as I've not organized all my photos yet.  From Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden.  This blew my mind, not algae but a tiny fern Azolla covering the pond.  I live in such a dry area, this was mindblowingly green.  There was even a little sign warning people not to walk on the water.   Closeup. A private garden on Vashon Island.   Oooh, cones. A sort of natural swimming pond, 7 feet deep on one end. This may be the most inspiring section I saw.  Not just using rock in the slope, but the addition of wood was so great. I left early to visit my parents in Portland, I don't see them enough.  They will be 82 in September.  They are doing great, and had added 40 shrubs to their garden just recently! After moving them in and out of their garage all winter to protect them from the awful freeze. ...
Read more