Mish Mashing

Monica, from Garden Faerie's Musings, hosts Mish Mash Monday.  This is the first time I've remembered to join in, even though it's right up my alley, since I am so talented at getting sidetracked, and changing what I'm doing at any given moment. 

We had wonderful gardening weather this weekend, and I enjoyed my flitting here and there doing tasks that I saw needing done.  Our grandson, who was at our house Saturday, gave me quite a look when he saw me in the middle of one of the flower beds, wondering what I was doing in there, since I'm not a flower.

Speaking of mish mash, I put these photos up last night, then did the writing during my breaks, and then after work.  Some of the time, I was having trouble staying awake, so I hope I was somewhat literate here.

Monica showed some mismatched supports in one of her flower beds in a Sunday "willy-nilly" post.   I thought I'd show the area of the back yard where we've put all kinds of things around to  keep Heidi from digging the plants out.  This is the north side of the house.  The two ferns are escapees from a pot I had for a number of years.  The bottom finally gave out, and I am going to sink it in another bed to keep a plant from spreading too far.

The hostas are looking pretty good this year.  They don't seem to mind the dryer lint mulch.

I've been trimming back some plants, such as the Jacob Cline or is it Kline monarda so they won't get too leggy.

This is the east side of the yard.  I didn't trim the asters or rough goldenrod.  I probably should get to the asters.  I did trim the lavender back further than I had the first time.  There was new growth on some stems that had dried dead stuff on them.  They overwintered in the egress window well, and I didn't get them watered.   The one in the clay pot is one I just got last week and potted up.

The next couple of photos show the area where Heidi has been digging off and on.  I think we may have her foiled, at least for awhile.  She actually has knocked down the green ones and dug where they were before.  This is the south side of the shed, but it gets some shade from the house.

So, what do you think, Monica?  Are we trend setters with our mismatched plant supports and decor?  The lavenders and sweet smelling stock flowers are in this area for a reason, by the way. 

The variegated false sunflowers seem to like this area.  They need a bit more water than the other plants in the area.

This is the west side of the shed.  It gets some shade from the deck, but, like the other side of the shed, I have sun plants there.  There are goldenrods and liatris in here.

I've mentioned my husband, Larry does not garden much, but has certain plants he likes to have around.  He's realizing that gerbera daisies don't bloom all summer, so is deciding they aren't on his every year list anymore.  This pot, however, he took inside last fall.  He put it in a dark area of the basement, and kept forgetting to water it.  He put it outside a couple weeks ago, planning on dumping it on the compost pile, but look!  It's alive!  It will be fun seeing how well it does.

I've been thinning the lettuces and spinach, and eating the thinnings.  I love this time of year!

I just wish the rhubarb wasn't at its peak this time of year, because I am so busy getting things planted and weeded, that I don't always have time to fix things with the rhubarb.  This is on the west end of the veggie garden.  That is the neighbor's bush on the other side of the fence.

I planted a tall and a short green milkweed plant near the rhubarb, on the south side of the compost pile.  Since I'm a monarch waystation now, I am planting several kinds of milkweed besides the few I already had.

This is swamp milkweed, which needs more moisture than other kinds of milkweed.  It's in a front yard bed.  I had 2 of these in my bed in front of the garden for 5 years or so, but this is the first year, it looks like they aren't coming back.  I have 2 white, and 1 pink one in this bed.

This woodland phlox has lived in the washtub here for over 11 years.  It's supposed to prefer part shade, but it doesn't get much here.  I've planted out divisions of it in different parts of the yard, and they lived for awhile, but not as long as these.  Maybe it's because of the drainage.  I currently have 2 clumps of it in my east flower beds, and hope they live awhile there.  They look healthy so far.

Heidi is always happy to see me pick up my camera.  She is ready to go out to enjoy the weather, and see what's going on in the neighborhood.  I didn't get my catmint trimmed back, so it's starting to sprawl.  It's about to bloom, so I'll cut it back after the blooms fade.

Here's the tub that the ferns were in.  I need to figure out how to sink it without disturbing the plants around it.

Here is the little spriny bear's breeches that I've read can get invasive.  I love the flowers, so plan to do what I can to keep them, and keep them under control.