Garden Blogger Bloom Day August 2015

 

One would think that a recently retired person would have all sorts of leisure time and have prepared a fitting Bloom Day post considering all the Bloom Day photos taken over the last year that never made it to a post...due to the fact that no Bloom Day posts have happened for quite a while. However, I have had no time to relax, instead spending most of 2 weeks in Ohio cleaning out my aunt's house then hosting house guests then working on organizing the items shipped from Ohio to be divided between my siblings and then...well you get the idea.

This evening I decided that I would make a quick foray into the 100º garden and see what I could see. First up, passiflora with the reason I grow it...a fritillary caterpillar. I never realized they eat the flowers as well as the leaves!

Next, wisteria with one of its biggest fans, the carpenter bee. The wisteria has its main bloom in early spring (see header photo!) but by removing the majority of the seed pods it continues to bloom lightly all summer.

Lastly, the plumbago which is grown up into one of the arbors along with a banksia rose. The rose blooms first in early spring and then by  midsummer the plumbago takes over the floriferous job.

While there are other blooms out there this recently retired person has decided to be happy with a few shots and go from there. Maybe next month I can post 4 photos! 

Now, everyone go throw away one box of papers. Or some out of focus photos. Or broken bits of something. Your heirs will thank you.

Going Down a New Path

 There is a new path in my garden, as well as a new path in my life. After 32+ years of providing child care in my home I have retired. New paths beckon but I am taking time before I go down any of the life paths.  I wasted no time, however, removing the last of the grass that I had kept for the children to run on and in its place is a new garden path. After all the years of play there was a fairly worn path already but I wanted a brick path for getting to the compost bin during the rainy (pleasepleaseplease) winter to come. 

I then expanded the two beds that bordered the grass area opening up new areas to plant some of the things I have been starting in anticipation of retirement. I also have some items on my Annie's Annuals wish list for purchase when summer winds down.

 The remaining area is currently covered in wood chips; they are serving as a place holder and also to add some organic matter to areas that have been trampled for years. 

I am loving the view from here that for the first time in many years does not include a Little Tikes climbing structure!

At the far end of the path is the compost bin...and beyond that the next item on my garden redo! Which I am saving for next time. Let me just say it is something I have wanted for years and can't believe I never got around to building. Retirement opens up time for all kinds of things!