Sunday, June 4, 2017

A Sunday Garden in the Rain, the Park and Other Things

It's Sunday.  It is raining and I am not complaining.  It's been more than a week since it rained and if we didn't get any I was going to have to water the flowers.  I may still have to water, just not so much.  Plus, on Doppler it looks like we may get more rain this morning.

So, back here at my Sunday garden, I spent yesterday trying to rescue some hostas whose root systems were destroyed by voles.  I think I am reaching the point of being disgusted with fighting vermin.  There are things I would much rather spend my money on than killing various forms of rats - moles, voles, mice, chipmunks, ground squirrels, tree squirrels...  The next person who tells me they were here first and are god's creatures is going to get punched.  I guess if you are not a vegetable or flower gardener you think they are cute.  I already had to stop trying to grow vegetables due to rabbit and groundhog damage, so I do not appreciate the critters or the comments.  Now...

First, I have a video of the Cowsills singing The Rain, the Park and Other Things.  I only ever bought one 45 rpm single and this was the song.  I was never much of a rock and roll fan, but I did like this song.  Enjoy it while you look at this morning's pics.

I have three varieties of ninebark shrubs and this one put on a beautiful show this year.  It is an older variety and I am not even sure it had a fancy name like the new cultivars do.  It is quite large too, topping the six-foot fence.  Below is 'Cup Race' iris with another ninebark shrub in the background.
My Cornus Kousa dogwood opened and it is just lovely this year.  Covered completely in white flowers.
Next to it is a very old - 40+ years - mock orange shrub.  Last year it did not bloom because I had cut it to the ground the year before when we relandscaped the deck area.  This year it is lovely and the fragrance is magnificent.
A new addition this year is an Itoh peony 'Bartzella':
I don't know about you, but I think this close-up of the flower is just a little creepy:
The first of the knock-out roses has opened.  Since this shrub is in the front yard, I have to keep spraying it to keep the deer away.
And I just had to post this picture of that peony with all the white blossoms now open:
Last but not least, a photo of Wednesday's wisteria growing in front of the neighbor's ugly fence.  Can't wait for all the grasses to fill in and cover up it's ugliness.  Another neighbor called it a 'not neighbor friendly fence'.  He is right.

From the 'Flower Girl', have a great week.

28 comments:

  1. You're totally right about spending time and money on better things than dealing with critters. The flowers displayed in your pictures are awsome!

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    1. Thank you. I spend several hundred dollars each year on various deterrents. I rather give it to someone who needs it.

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  2. It is so discouraging when wildlife keep going after your edibles! We have a bad groundhog problem (and squirrels destroyed all of my container plants last year - have to work on a solution for that - so far it isn't as bad this year) so I feel your pain. But what a long list you have! (Lovely flowers, and your peony center isn't creepy for me.)

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    1. And I didn't even mention possums, raccoons, crows...

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  3. Replies
    1. Glad to know someone else remembers them. The song was released when I was in college - 1967.

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  4. That Ninebark is wonderful, could it be 'Diablo"? Also love the white peonies and the Wisteria. Your garden is a delight in June.

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    1. It could be Diablo. It has been there for a very long time and my memory is shot. The garden will peak next month but I really enjoy my sprjng blooms.

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  5. Your title immediately made me think of that song! Gorgeous blossoms!
    Visit me @ Life & Faith in Caneyhead. 😉

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    1. I immediately thought of the song when I sat down to write my post.

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  6. I remember the song and the sound but not the group or their name. Your flowers are lovely I especially loved the white iris and of course, I love peonies.

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    1. Where were you in 1967? The song was a hit here but do not know about elsewhere.

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    2. In England. I had started working. It may well have been a hit here, but I wasn't big into that stuff in those days. Although I presume I had seen the Benny Goodman Story by then which was a big hit with me. I bought all the records - you know those things made of vinyl!! I was more into musicals I guess.

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    3. Vinyl is making a comeback with a store opening in Detroit. Wish I had kept more of my old albums.

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  7. Beautiful flowers in your garden. Maybe next year, we'll be done landscaping.

    Here in California, we have to water during the summer. No significant rainfall in summer. In fact, our sprinkler system needs some repair due to the ground impaction from the hard drought the last 3 years. Oh we'll get it done, sooner or later -meanwhile I can enjoy your garden and others.

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    1. Do folks really finish landscaping? I've lived here 45 years. How long does it take? ☺

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  8. Hi Denise, your garden is gorgeous and the flowers beautiful. I especially love the peony, so lovely. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. I love the peonies. We don't really have to deal with rodents in the garden since we have the dogs, but 90+ plus pounds of dog rolling around in your garden doesn't do it much good either.

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    1. I would love to have a little terrier chasing the animals out, but then I have to deal with their digging.

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  10. Beautiful pics, Denise!

    I'm a gardener and I love the squirrels and birds, but I wasn't so happy when mice got into our home in the fall. Thankfully, we were able to relocate most of them, but the cat got the rest. The rodents died from shock, which is better than being torn to pieces.

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    1. Birds I don't mind, but the squirrels throw the eggs out of the robin's nests. I've watched them do it. They also chew branches off the evergreens and riddle the bark trying to keep their teeth in shape. They are a terrible nuisance.

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  11. Your gardens are beautiful Denise! I love many of the same plants and just planted a Bartella Peony three years ago. They get bigger and better every year with even more blooms! I also like your Ninebark blooms..very pretty!

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    1. Thank you. The comments mean a lot coming from you.

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  12. What beautiful blooms. Living high up in a loft, 4-legged creatures don't bother with my steps to attack my flower filled balcony, but for some reasons snails do! It must take them days!Shame they are not the French type - if they were I could eat them with my baked brie!

    Click to visit Keith's Ramblings

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    1. I have a blog friend who lives on the 8th floor of a high-rise and squirrels eat her flowers. Forget Spiderman, she has the Squirrel from hell. Snails? Ick!

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  13. Your flowers are absolutely beautiful. I don't fight voles but have more than my share of gophers and moles!! Grrrrr!

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    1. It cost me $200 to have someone remove a gopher. I've had good luck with using 'mole worms' in the tunnels.

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