Spring in the Rockies

Snowed Friday and part of Saturday. I was able to work in the yard on Thursday, knowing that it was going to snow. Prepped some of the beds... worked up the soil. One more week of work and then it will be spring break for two weeks. Really hope to hit it hard in the yard with my clean up chores. I found some pictures that I took of the east side of the yard... and this is a part of my clean up project.


It looks daunting, but I know that if I can spend a few hours everyday working on this it will get done and look wonderful. I bought a chipper so I am excited about being able to chip through all the branches and twigs that have accumulated in this part of the yard. PS. I just want to point out that this part of the yard was a disaster when I bought the house.. I am not the sole mess maker in this area. I plan to clean through the dirt/rocks along the fence and put in sunflowers this summer. My long range plan is to put fruit trees in this area.. espalier. My extravagant long range plan is to put in an archway with vines or plants that form the arch. Plans like this give me the incentive to get out there and get the work done. Taking pictures and logging progress also helps.. as I can see where I started and where I have gone with the work.

I think gardeners are some of the most optimistic people.. no matter how badly a place has been neglected, a gardener will persevere and dig through the mess in order to beautify their piece of dirt and make it soil. There is a deep satisfaction in making progress and see the results. Knowing that things can only get better. And if it doesn't turn out quite as planned there is always tomorrow or the next season to try again. Gardeners work with hope and optimism.

Mid March

It is coming up on Mid-March and I still haven't accomplished much on my TO-DO list. Was hoping to spend time in the garden today, Sunday, since I had the whole day off. And it started to rain, nice slow, earth soaking rain. Of course, by tonight it will most likely turn to snow. But it is great to see the moisture.

Noticed that some of my spring bulbs are poking through.. it will be wonderful to see the tulips in bloom. Hope to add some more bulbs to the front yard.. I will want to mark and tag where there are bulbs now so that I can add some more this fall. It will look wonderful filling in the flower bed with tulips instead of just having a scattered amount of flowers. Put in early, mid, and late season bulbs. It all takes time. I wish I could develop a long range plan for the garden, but there are so many things I want to do, but often times run into a snag in getting them done, whether it's money or time, or the weather, or knowledge about the plant, or plant failure; it seems as though I have to revamp my plans so many times. Intention is always way better then the actual.

And now that it is March it is time to start working on things that are coming of season and not just jobs to "get-done"

ANNUALS: Seed planting. Plant outisde; Sweet pea, pansy, and snapdragon seeds FERTILIZE with slow release fertilizer.
BULBS: I brought home some spent bulbs and plan to let them go dormant and then put them in the ground so that they will come back next spring.
LAWN: Core-aerate when the ground is thawed.
PERENNIAL: Grooming can begin. Start indoor seeds (if time in the next couple of weeks).
ROSES: Prune roses. Slow release fertilize.
SHRUBS: Prune and clean up shrubs. Trim out dead and overlapping branches.
TREES: EGETABLES: VINES: WATERGARDEN: Not much happening in this arena. April will be the start of these areas.

Orchid Show

Planned on working in the yard this weekend but ended up working both Saturday and Sunday at the garden center. The weather was mild and sunny. The garden center had the Denver Orchid Society Orchid show. On Saturday it was busy from the time I walked in at 10 am until close that afternoon. Because I worked both days this weekend I didn't get any work done around my yard. But it was worth spending time at the garden center among the wonderful sights and scents. Lots of people came in to see the orchid show; some just to get plants for their home in anticipation for spring. Everyone who came in was in a positive, uplifted mood. What a pleasure to work with people who enjoy the plants and flowers.

The Orchid show was beautiful. Took some pictures of the orchids at the show and also ones that the garden center has available. Beautiful and unique plants. Wish I knew more about them, but I am learning all the time. And want to learn even more.

Enjoy the pictures.

Link: www.denverorchidsociety.org

Winter Once Again

Last weekend I spent Saturday working in my front yard.. raking and trimming a few shrubs and tidying up some perennials. Sunday it snowed all day. Oh, well, such is Colorado. Heading into work at Tagawa's today. Pre-Valentines Day sale. And then a few hours tomorrow. Stopped out there the other day.. it is beautiful. A great big huge building full of life and growing things.

Not much I can do yet to prep for the growing season. Too early to plant seeds, too early to work in the garden. Got the one day of cleaning work done and plan to get outside to keep up the cleaning projects. And on top of that I have added one more big job to the yard projects.

POND
In March or April, maybe during spring break?, I want to take apart the pond... completely.... put in a skimmer, take out some of the plant shelves, dig in some bog/plant areas around the perimeter of the pond in place of the plant shelves. Hide the pump hose that leads to the waterfall and rework the waterfall (again!) and hide the waterfall box. And since I have the pond tore apart and am digging up the area, I might as well add a new liner since I have not found that leak yet. It will be nice to get the pond reworked, but I visualize the mess that project is going to make, pulling up the rocks, pulling back the lining in order to dig and rebuild... but if I can work hard and steady on it during spring break I will have it done and up and running before the rest of the yard is under way.

I love my pond, the water sounds, the coolness of it in the evening, the look of the plants and lilies... it is one part of the garden that rests my soul and brings me to peace. And with that in mind, it is the best project to undertake and worth the time and effort to rework. And if I can get it done I can once again sit out in the yard and enjoy the pond instead of looking at it's flaws; the lining and low water level, the tipped over plants. Yes, this is the spring to dive into the pond, again.

With love and dirt, Kristi

What a wonderful day

Forgot to mention something in my post about what my goals and intentions are in using this journal format and gardening. If my primary goal is to use this journal for my list of things to do, I am missing an important element. I also want to use this journal to evaluate and re-evaluate how gardening touches my soul and life. What gives me pleasure and what excites me about gardening.

Got to spend some time outside this afternoon. Mostly raked the front yard and cleaned up some flower areas. Which adds to the anticipation of spring coming around the corner.

TO DO:

*Soil; several areas in the front that could use some soil added to cover the weed barrier.
*Plant some flowers and bulbs under the trees.
*Trim the evergreen shrubs out front by the bench.

ALSO:

*Black plastic to cover areas in the veggie garden.. to prep for spring. Also want to rework the walkways to block weeds and to lower the brick a bit more.

Loving the dirt, Kristi

Ideas and Plans

Next paycheck I am going to get some plastic sheeting so I can lay it out on the veggie garden area to smother out the potential weeds.... and keep it down for the next couple months so that hopefully I can eliminate some of the weeds that come up each summer. And then cover the area every fall. And/or try a cover crop of buckwheat and see if I can smother those weeds out...

I am really excited about gardening this year... really hoping and planning to get out there and make things happen. Lots of plans and thoughts... and if I spend even an hour or two a day in the yard.. I can make them happen. Trying to be patient... yet I know that there are times over the last couple of days when I should have been outside getting some work done... so get on it...

Loving the dirt, Kristi

February: Carry over list of projects

Weather was nice enough to get outside to putz around a little bit. Moved the river rock out of the SE corner... need to get some soil to put into that area. The river rock will go in the small stream that I am taking out.. but first I need to puncture some holes in the lining so that it no longer holds water. Didn't get much done in January because of the weather and now when it is nice enough to do some things outside.. I have no money... hopefully later this week or next week when I get paid I can pick up a few things so that I can keep the projects rolling. Want to get some lattice or wood for a trellis, paint it a sage green.. keep it on the light to white side. and then hang in the SE corner.

Next project is to focus on the East side of the garage.. lots of work in that corner and it's cool enough to do some digging, but is the ground still frozen? That would be the hold up for working on the dirt pile and sifting through the rocks.

But, it's already February.. so springs is closer.

Love and dirt, Kristi