Summer looms...

Yes, I know it seems like spring just got here, but I can feel summer breathing down my neck. I want as much of this potted stuff as possible to be in the ground before it gets hot. I am sick of spending hours each evening watering potbound plants. And the solution is - new flowerbeds!



I've been working on getting more terracing done and the soil amended. This weekend was a big finish, with a huge area being planted up and dozens of pots being emptied - including four lilacs and an ozmanthus! Last years emergency dahlia holding bed has been taken apart and its denizens spread out for further evaluation this summer. I tossed three last year as I hated the color. We'll see who can survive this years purge.



These beds below will be amended and planted this week. Hopefully some of the terraces above them as well, but we'll see just how much rock gets hauled over to work on it with.



Dear friends Kellie and Doris were down last weekend for a gardening consult, sleepover and hike the next day. We found this newt while showing them around the property. It is a Taricha granulosa or rough skinned newt. I love how many amphibians we have crawling about.