No Helecopters this Year & How Have You Gotten Rid of Voles?

Our son called last night, asking me to ask other garden bloggers and readers if they've had voles, and were able to get rid of them.  He said they've tried lots of things. They had gotten rid of a lot of them last year, and didn't have as many problems, but they are back in full force this spring.  Part of, and maybe most of the problem, is that they live on a circle, and the other neighbors around them don't seem to be doing anything about them.  He's thought of resorting to some kind of deal with poison peanuts in it, but is worried neighbor dogs or cats may eat them.  Please let me know if you've won the battle with voles.

After considering the estimates for getting the tree cut down, we ended up going with the company who gave the first estimate, which was the second to the highest.  They were willing to work with us to let us decide how much mulch we can use, once we see the amount, and are willing to cut some circles for us to use in paths.  They also said our yard will be cleaned up well, and won't be torn up.  The flower beds will be safe.

Tuesday, they said the work will be started in 3 to 4 days, depending on the weather.  They also said they will call the evening before they plan on coming.  It's been raining today, so I don't know when they will get to it.

It is hard for me to visualize what the property will look like with the tree gone.

One of my favorite views of the sky to photograph will soon be gone.

There will be no helicopters this year.  I guess I won't mind that, but the squirrels are losing one of their food sources.

Yesterday, we marked out where the underground sprinklers are for the tree crew.  One of Larry's brothers used to work for a company that sells and installs them, and he put this one in for their parents over 25 years ago.  When we use it, it's around 4 in the morning, and we don't see where the sprinkler heads are.  Larry had taken parts of the planter down, and I had started taking plants out the day before.

It didn't take long for birds to fly over to enjoy the brief shower.

Heidi likes to have Larry and I stand at different parts of the yard, and call her so she can run back and forth between us.  I usually go to different parts of the front yard, while Larry is by the driveway, and I frequently hide behind the tree.  We have fun going different directions around the tree.  She will miss it, too.

I watered in the plants I moved, but they were dry again last night.  I gave them a drink, and took their photos.   This yellow blooming columbine has lived under the tree for at least 10 years.  I hope it does OK in this spot.

I moved 2 clumps of lady's mantle.

I just planted this 'Jack Frost' Brunnera last year, and it was a bit of a splurge.  It looks like it will be OK.

I was most worried about moving the bleeding hearts.  One of Larry's brothers planted a couple under the tree for their dad.  The originals died, but I replaced them.  It would be hard to tell this one was even moved.

This is a white blooming bleeding heart.

This is the 3 or 4 foot tall coreopsis that was to the right of the garden window, up by the house.  I moved it to a better spot, near the fence, just around the corner.

There are some tall summer blooming yellow flowers in the corner of a curb on a street we drive on a lot that I have admired for years, and wasn't sure what they were.  I helped myself to some seeds from them last fall, but I don't know what happened to the napkin I put them in.  I decided I was going to be bold and go to the door to ask for  a start.  I stopped on my way home from work Tuesday.  At the duplex, one door had a big cardboard flower on it, and the other had a big snowflake.

I decided to ring the doorbell at the one with the flower.  No one answered, so I knocked on the other door.  No one answered there, either, so I wrote a note, and just as I was writing, asking for it to be given to the person who gardens there, a lady came out of the door with the snowflake.  She had just gotten home, and yes, she is the gardener.  I told her I had thought she would have been the one with the flower.  LOL

She was nice, of course, and took me to see her good sized back yard, offering other plants to me that I either already have, or don't have room for.  I gave her my information so she can come see if I have any plants she'd like to grow.

So, I am pleased to introduce what will be one of my new favorites this summer and fall.  I planted it about 12 feet from the Rudbeckia 'Herbstonne', where the coreopsis was.  I think I found its name in one of my books.  Rudbeckia 'Goldquelle' gets 4 to 5 feet tall, with a 3 foot spread.  It can be grown in zones 3 to 9.  How's that for a nice range?  My book says the flowers are good for cutting.  It can tolerate light shade.  I planted the 3 small clumps close so they would fill in fast and become one good sized clump.  I'm sure I'll be dividing it and sharing with others in the future.

Here are some more blooms from the day.  I just looked back and noticed I've shown most of these flowers recently, but since it's a new day and a new post, and there aren't many blooms yet, I decided to keep them in.

The new flowers above are in the area just to the left of the tub.  When they get tall, I may put the tub over them to support them a bit.  The 'Yellow Lady' Hellebore is near the butterfly stake.  The daffodils are more filled out now.

This hellebore in the front bed decided to look up a bit instead of facing the dirt.

I love hellebores!

Pansies are my friends.

Hyacinths are a welcome source of spring color.

I don't remember the names of my daffodils.  These bloom a touch later than the first ones, but there are others just starting to bud.

We had a nice spring rain today.  It is supposed to get into the 80s Saturday.  Spring is really here!


I am finishing this up, and going see what's going on in other gardens. I've been so busy outside, that I've gotten behind again.