New Project Completed At The Woodland Garden

Posted on April 10, 2011 by

door replacement at the woodland gardenThe weather yesterday was spectacular it was sunny and 77 degrees the perfect day to get some work done at the woodland garden. I have known now fro a while the door to the trailer needed replacement so with a good day of weather I knocked this project out. Because this is an original park model manufactured back in the 80′s by the Park Mobile Home Company you can not just get a new door from the manufacturer. Well you can’t get any other parts either as the company is no longer in business. The alternative was a new door from the home improvement center that hand to be cut down to fit. It was a bit of a challenge but it got done.

 

Tree Eating Deck At Tha Woodland GardenThe next project is a bit more serious as you can see the tree at the left is starting to grow into the deck. The choices cut the tree down or cut the deck. I believe next weeks project will involve modifying the deck to make the tree happy. This is a pretty large oak and it was there first over the last ten years or so it has grown into the deck. While cutting into the deck and giving the tree some room will alleviate the immediate problem a more permanent solution will be needed to address this issue as the screen room will need to be relocated in a couple of more years. This looks like it will be a major project in a year or two but for now it will relieve the stress on the tree and the deck.

 

The new woodland plants did arrive for the woodland gardens but because the ground was too soggy due to heavy storms the day before the plantings will go in next week. I will post those pictures with the article. Have a great week and get out in your gardens!

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New Plants At The Woodland Garden

Posted on April 5, 2011 by

May Appleswhile visiting the woodland garden this past weekend I see the May Apples emerging.The two little nubs coming up out of the ground do not look like very much. The fact is in about a month or so there will be a whole big patch of May Apples in this corner of the woodland garden. May apples like many woodland plants appear for just a short time and then disappear for the rest of the year. The tiny berry size fruit is edible when it is soft and yellow and has fallen from the plant, but poisonous if eaten while green and not matured. I have never tried them but the squirrels go crazy over them. The real attraction for me is the umbrella like foliage.

 

Speaking of woodland plants this week my order of woodland plants will be arriving so next weekend they will be planted out at the woodland garden. A new variety of Astilbe as well as a ground cover ‘Karasuba Mukdenia rossii” and a couple of other plants which I will share with you in the next post. Thank goodness I have finished cleaning up the lot this week and will be ready for them. The beds are in need of some attention and this is just the thing to get them spruced up some new additions.

The days at the woodland garden never seem long enough to get my chores done or to relax in the serene setting  of a beautiful habitat surround by nature and the woodland critters, before it is time to head home.This weekend will be the next to last last visit before Easter so basically I have two weeks to get the place in shape as the weekend after Easter will be the first weekend long visit. If it were up to me I sometimes think that I would just go live in the woodlands,  but me and the state lottery officials can not seem to connect with the same numbers.

This weekend past was another great Spring day and I really did enjoy the weather this coming weekend the weather forecast is for 67 degrees and sunny on Saturday now that is a day to look forward to but today is only Tuesday “Oh Bother”! I will be working on the beds and settling the new plants in as well. I will probably have to go pull a construction permit so that I can replace the front deck as it is well past it’s prime and need of attention. Each week I find a new project to attend to but I also find some time to just sit and absorb the peacefulness and beauty and after all isn’t that what a garden is for.

 

 

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2nd Visit To The Woodland Garden This Year

Posted on March 27, 2011 by

Well I have just returned from the woodland garden for my 2nd time this year. The weather was a little chilly but mostly sunny. I did not mind a little briskness in the air however because the burn pile can get pretty warm. The leaves are finally cleared off the majority of the lot and corralled down by the fire pit. This is usually the hard part getting the leaves down to the burn area. Now they are there it should be easy to dispose of them.

Leaves Gatherd By Burn PileAs you can see there is a large number of leaves to burn. The big chore of course was gathering them up it does take some time. With all the leaves off the lawn I will be able to over seed  bare spots.in the lawn and get those areas repaired. With out he leaves covering them I can see what is going on in the planting beds as well. The leaves make a great mulch over winter but can end up smothering the new spring growth if they are to thick and left on too long.

 

 

Bleeding Hearts Emerging From The SoilLooking closely you can see the Bleeding Hearts starting to emerge from the soil. In a couple of weeks they will big and bushy and ready to bloom.I think this is one of the all time stars of the early spring garden. It really is the perfect woodland plant. It is not a season long addition and starts to fade away in  the heat of the summer but it always comes up in the spring ad the flowers are just gorgeous. A must have in any woodland plants list.

 

 

DaffiodillsThe Daffodils have doubled in size since last week and look strong this year. With herds of deer free roaming it is important to have plantings such as Daffodils that the deer do not bother if you want a lot of early Spring color. I love the wildlife but they will raise havoc if left to their own devices so as I see the hostas and other meal time favorites start to emerge I begin spraying with rotten egg deer repellent. This does help to keep them away from the plantings.

 

 

I have a list of projects that I will be working on this Spring the first one which I mentioned above is over seeding the turf areas. Due to the sandy soil and dense shade growing turf grass is a problem so I only grow it on those areas with enough light. The front deck and the front door to the trailer both need to be replaced and I would like to do that before the new plants arrive for Spring planting. The trailer could use a new coat of paint as well. That will be left until the summer time when the weather is a bit warmer.I also think I need to thin out a couple of the fern beds as well not to worry plenty of places to transplant them to.So the early projects are set for this year with any luck next Saturday will be as great as the long range forecast calls for. We will see the weather is always changeable and that is why you need to treasure those good days and make the most of them.

Have a great week and get out in your gardens. It is Spring and there is always a little something to enjoy.

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