Spring Workday

Yesterday was a beautiful day to work outside...and work outside we did! The aches and pains this morning are letting me know that maybe I tried to cram a little too much into one day!

Everyone was busy doing something different. Hannah and Sarah worked in the garden putting up stakes and wire for the peas to climb on. Hannah continued pulling weeds in the flower beds, and Sarah drove the lawn tractor, filled the wagon with mulch, and made the beds look nice, surrounding the shrubbery with the big piles of fragrant wood chips.

I worked in front of the house for about six hours planting red begonias in five hanging baskets and in various other flowerpots. Our front porch gets the hot afternoon sun, and I have a hard time finding plants that will survive in a hanging basket. I've never killed a begonia, so I'm giving them a try this year although they're not "hanging" plants meant for baskets. We'll see how they do. My garden cart worked wonderfully well.

The johnny-jump-ups are still doing well I planted last fall in the four flowerpots that sit on each of the steps, so I left them alone for now. I planted red and white geraniums in two huge pots by the front door, salvia around the Bed & Breakfast birdhouse at the end of the sidewalk, lantana in another clay pot that sits on the sidewalk, and re-potted many houseplants while I was at it. I used two of my Wolfe clay pots I bought at Country Boys in Greenville when I was there last month.

Everything was back in its place by the time Tom arrived home from work, except we all still needed to shower and scare up something for supper. Today rain is arriving...whew! A bit of a reprieve from outside work, but lots to do inside for company coming for dinner tonight! I'd better get off the computer and get busy!

~Deb

Comments

[Randi]

WOW! You gals were busy, busy! I am sure that your harvest will be wonderful!

[Kim]

Sounds like you got a lot accomplished!

[Susan]

A lot of work, but I know it looks beautiful! Enjoy your rain day!

[Chris]

Deb, What about verbena for hanging baskets? I put some in a few hanging baskets last year right in the hot sun. My only problem was the day I forgot to water! :( They did well and flowered SOOOOOOO beautifully. I have seen them in a red, deep purple :) and bight pink. I actually bought a hanging basket full of pink ones last weekend, and am putting a red one in my little iron girl and boy people I have on the front porch.

All your work yesterday sounds fun but I KNOW you were all tuckered out once it was over. Isn't it nice to have a rainy day!

[Dorothy]

The picture looked so inviting! I need to get some planting, weeding, and mulching done myself! Enjoy your weekend and dinner guests!

[Mrs. B]

Whew, you sounded BUSY!!

Enjoy your company and have a great weekend. (o:

Blessings,

~Mrs. B

[Lydia]

Oh, the porch looks sooo pretty! Is that at your house? It looks similar to the front porch of one of our elder's family's home from church. I just love front porches. We have one too but it is not as big. One of my Dad's qualifications for their new home was for it to have a nice size front porch to sit out on a porch swing in the evenings. Thanks for sharing your day's activities with us.

[Deb]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I wish I could have every one of you come over and sit on my front porch with me and chat! Wouldn't that be great?!

Chris, verbena is a good idea. I had that in my flower beds one year, and it was unbelievable how long it lasted--some even came up the next year. Maybe I can try verbena in the baskets and plant the begonias someplace else. Or you can visit and switch them all out for me...hmm? :)

Lydia, yes that's my front porch. It does have a swing at the left end (not in the picture) that I received for either a b'day or anniv present. I love it! And the rest of the porch wraps around to the side. In the corner where it wraps I have a wrought iron table and chairs and have had ladies over for lunch, and we sit there and watch the mountains and have fun together. I would love for you and your mom to come visit, and we could do that! :)

[Tammy]

Chris is allergice to bees so we never ever flowers in a garden.looks nice and I am sure you all fun working together as mom and daughters.

[Rhonda]

This year I'm trying geraniums in baskets for the front of my house. I, too, have trouble keeping flowers alive in baskets because of the hot afternoon sun. I'll let you know what happens with the geraniums. So far they look great! I'm also trying a gerber daisy on a hook by my back porch. So far that one looks good too.

[Tammy S]

Hello, Deb~
Stopping by to look at your beautiful blog! I'll be back for sure! =)

How fun to have all your planting done! I'm in Michigan, so I get to wait till the end of May. Although, I did notice that annuals are already for sale. Maybe they are out so that the stores will get double profits. LOL

[Deb]

Hi Tammy S, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I know you only by your comments/picture on various other blogs, esp. Susan's. But I think I did visit your blog when you won the Valentine's Day contest (Great ideas) :) I agree with you on the stores' thinking. Once we gardeners get in a planting mood nothing holds us back--whether more frost is called for or not! Unfortunately, the stores know that!! LOL

Rhonda, I KNOW your flowers look great! It's been so many years since I visited you, I've forgotten exactly what your house looks like on the outside. I saved two of my geraniums from last year and kept them inside by the nook window. They're still living and looking great--they are huge! I'm putting them outside on the front porch, too.

Tammy C, I'm allergic to bees, too--not in the "got-to-get-a-shot-or-I-die" type of allergic, but still pretty bad. I just try to stay away from the flowers when the bees are out.