Pond Work Today

Got off work early today and went home with plans to work in the yard. The pond has been really dropping water fast. So I thought I'd pull the rocks away from the side and get everything ready to dig tomorrow. So I got the rocks moved, went into the house and checked the weather for the rest of the week, looks like there is a strong possibility of rain, SOOOO, I ended up getting a garbage can, filling with pond water, hooking up a pump for aeration and proceeded to tear into the digging part of the pond. Figured if I was going to have to move everything for a new liner, I might as well remodel the pond. So I took out the shelf under the waterfall area, it was a mistake to leave it there in the first place, and then I revamped the planting area, by putting up a retaining wall in order to have a growing, bog area, so that I can fill the area with soil, pebbles, etc and plant directly in the bog marginal plant area and not have to mess with the damn planting pots and how they tip in the wind and never seem to be just right. With that having been said, I also picked up my skimmer today, which I am going to install in hopes of getting the pump filter bucket out of the bottom of the pond and bury the pump to waterfall hose. I am hoping this will make the pond look less bucket and pail at the bottom and more like a pond for fish and plants. That clay soil is heavy. And it was dirty, messy work, but I enjoyed the process immensely. My fear is not getting it done and done the way I envision it. I also hope that this will be the last season that I have to tear the pond apart every spring to "fix" something major with it.

I also am going to rebuild the waterfall, AGAIN... and this has to be the last time that I have to major overhaul that also. It takes so much time away from prepping the rest of the yard.

I thoroughly enjoyed the lifting and digging and being out in the yard again. I sat for a while and listened to the water fall, and the wind blow, and the birds sing. Looking forward to the season. Love and dirty dirt to all, Kristi

Spring Break a Bust

Had two weeks off from school, but still worked at the garden center. And now it is coming to a close and soon it will be "back to school". Spent too much time helping my daughter enroll in school. Thought I was going to have Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week to work in the garden.. But weather didn't cooperate. Tuesday was cold and windy. Wednesday, woke up and found snow on the ground, several inches. Melted by the end of day. So Thursday was finally able to get outside. Definitely didn't get to cross off a whole lot of items from my list of things to do. Take what I can get and look for more days ahead. In actuality, spring break is too early in the season to really get a lot done outside. Often too wet or cold. And now it is back to work so I will have to take small snippets of time and work in my yard.

Loved working outside, digging in the dirt and smelling the worked soil in the warm sunshine. Listening to the birds and feeling the breeze on my skin. What a sensory explosion.

April, It's April

March just blew right by. Wow!! Got some things started.. making notes of what needs to be done before the season gets into full swing. Weather wasn't always in my favor for getting outside on my days off. That is the hardest part about spring.. being patient and not getting discouraged when things don't go as planned. Spring break is here which is great, but in reality it is too early in the season. Sure I can get some things done, but too often the weather turns, it is too wet, or too early. This week was spent helping Megan get ready to go to school. Next week, everyone should be in school and I will have the days to myself... hoping the weather cooperates cause I want to get some non-planting jobs done before it is time to plant.

I struggle with my garden. I have an image of my garden in my mind and I know I can get it close to this image. I contemplate... how things go over the season. There are times when I can't stay on top of things... too much weeding, too many plants that don't make it cause I didn't get to that corner of the yard when I should have. Is my yard too big for me to handle? What would I do with the areas if I were to eliminate the garden area/s? It's not like I would be able to convert it.. presto, chango.. I now have grass! Is my time spread too thin? Do I waste too much time? Am I working inefficient? What are shortcuts I can take? How can I garden better and more effective? How to I etch out more time for my garden work? This are the stumbling blocks I want to work with this summer. Work as efficient as I can and bring my yard to fruitition.

March Madness Yardness

Didn't get much done in the nasty corner, but I did get some work done in the yard. Spent some time cleaning up the perennial raised bed area.. planning out what I want to plant in this area. Moved some river rock from the corner. Needing some soil for the corner. Cleaned up the back patio. I had wanted to work on the "Nasty" East corner, but didn't want to pull out the chipper for just a couple of hours. Instead I am going to wait until spring break so that I can get all the chipping done in one day... which is a lot of chipping. I did get a little bit of digging done in the "nasty corner".. lots of dirt and rock mixed together. Found an old decomposed shelf or board of some kind and a huge inflatable ball or swimming pool of some sort under the dirt... I have a feeling there is going to be a lot of debris coming out of this corner. I am going to rig up a soil sifter for getting the dirt and rock seperated. Or it is going to take me forever to get through this pile of dirt/rock. Phew. Just keep plugging away at it and soon I will see the rewards of my labor. Weather is supposed to turn again, tonight, chance of rain or snow... if it doesn't I am going to hit the nasty corner again tomorrow.

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