gardening at night

remaking the outside

an exterior transformation is taking place at the north park ho house where i have stayed for the last 15 years. its hard to imagine... this old dilapidated house is getting a face lift, gradually, from the outside in.

• phase one. clean up.
  trimmed back all the bushes and plants that have grown out of control over the last year (the last time i tackled the outside was january 2005). bundled up all the greenery for the city to pick up. removed the black plastic weed-control that blanketed the entire yard.
  
• phase two. mulchify
  spread medium-size decorative bark on the dirt to prevent weed regrowth & retain moisture.

Here's the front yard with mulch.

---

• phase three. plant

two out of three hybrid tea roses which i grew while living in ohio (all varieties AARS winners)

1. lowell thomas, butter yellow, hybrid tea, 1944



2. tropicana, orange-red, hybrid tea, 1963



3. mister lincoln, fragrant dark red blooms, a classic beauty, 1975

4. heirloom, a clustering pleasant-smelling lavender rose

several bulbs including:

• 3 oriental hybrid stargazer lily

• 12 gladiolus, firecracker hybrid

• Callas: 2 flame, 2 white, 2 yellow, 2 lavender, 4 pink (they are supposed to bloom in late spring... we shall see!)

next step is groundcover!

• groundcover is planted around 2/3 the house,
• alternative clumps of blue fescue and honeysuckle border the sidewalk. the vine will trail over the walk and the clumps fill in between
• the neighborhood kids have added to the interest level of this project in a positive spin on negativism approach. instead of slowing me down from this sudden project of Lady Bird Johnson social activism, the bi-weekly vandalism of the plantings over about two weeks by false truants and thoodlums has only led to a greater and ever singular effort to care for the vernal new-born into the hostile urban landscape. so everyday i go outdoors and check over the new living kingdom.

i water
i water
i water

one day someone cut off my water at the house, stopped me from watering that day. funny thing is, i try this year, of all years, this winter, one of almost endless spring days and no rain, to plant my yard.
bark doesnt stop the growth of oxalis or crabgrass or dandeloin or sprucegrass,
crocuses or irises
are sprouting off the west wing, next to the severely pruned New Dawn climbing rose.











i dug up some bulbs last spring, but i dont remember which ones.
to be continued... (no, REALLY!! not like those earlier posts)

shoutouts

Wow! You've been working your ass off on your yard! Come spring, you know it's all going to be beautiful!

thatguyheath sent this shoutout on Feb 16, 2006 4:23:24 AM