Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Yard Work

We have been really busy with the yard work the last couple weekends.  Here's a recap -

1.  Pool Time:  We opened the pool a couple weekends ago.  We figured we'd find green water and we did.  We also found about 3 1/2 feet less of it than we expected.  Seems that at some point over the winter our pool sprungeth a leak.


Of course it's the busiest time of the year for pool companies, but luckily our installers were able to fit us into their schedule and we *hope* they find said leak this coming Thursday!  On the positive side - we have managed to get the water super clean and clear!

2.  Clematis Vines:  I'm happy to report that the vines are growing really well out front this year!


Last year they were a little sparse and I was more than a little nervous.  We had just a few purple flowers and the white (middle) ones didn't bloom until late fall.  I think we had a total of three pink flowers by last fall.

Not this year!


Pink is sprouting all over and they are HUGE and so pretty!  The blooms are much more full than last year.  Maddie has commented more than once that she thinks they look fake.  It's also kind of fun to hear the kids say each morning as they leave for school, "these flowers look so great!"


The purple and white have yet to make an appearance, but I haven't lost hope yet.  I doused everything with Miracle Grow yesterday so hopefully that stuff is true to its name!

3.  25 Perennials:  That's the number of plants I bought on Saturday morning - and that was after the kids declared I needed to stop shopping!


I found this GREAT nursery called Ambergate Gardens located just outside Victoria.  The kids and I made a road trip there on Saturday morning.  You have to want to find this place - first, because Google takes you to the completely wrong spot.  Second, because there's a tiny turn-off and a dirt road that you feel will never end.  Suddenly you are in a clearing surrounded by thousands of plants.



This place only sells perennials, and I believe they grow them locally. What I loved was that they had so many varieties that I didn't feel I was buying the same thing that everyone else buys from Lowe's, Home Depot, or even other local nurseries.  At one point the woman helping me said, "Don't buy that grass!  Everyone buys that...get the different kind," which is exactly what I wanted to hear.  They were also so incredibly helpful.  I showed her a picture of our backyard and she said, "Whoa...I guess you are wanting to break up that fence!".  YES!!!  She walked me around and pointed out plants that would get really tall and how to balance them out overall with shorter plants.  


When we got home Saturday I got to work planting and got about half done before it was too dark.  Sunday afternoon I finished the rest and by the last three Maddie was out helping me.  Any oomph I had to finish it was gone.  I have a great sun burn on my back to show for it and today was the first day I haven't winced every time I sat down.  Hopefully in a year or two we'll have some great growth and a fence that doesn't look a mile long.


4.  Bunny Tree:  Last but certainly not least we must have a yearly deformed tree or it wouldn't be our yard.  A few days ago a neighbor was out for a walk and commented on our bunny tree in the backyard.  I knew which tree she was referring to because from our family room windows I could see the "ears".  However, when Mike and I were in the yard last Friday I looked up from a different angle and saw this:


 Next year I'm hoping one of the other super skinny trees turns into a giraffe.

1 comment:

Sheri said...

Awesome post Kerry, and I am definitely going to scope our that nursery. I need some major help with plants for our lake home. It's sandy and dry and shady. :(

The last picture absolutely cracked me up. You two will certainly go down as the neighbors remembered for your trees. Too funny!!