**WARNING** WHINING ALERT TO FOLLOW
I need more time in the day. I would absolutely pay top dollar for it. Maybe it’s not more time really; maybe it’s more light at night, like let it stay light until about 10:00 PM or so. That would totally work.
Without a doubt, I’ve spent the least amount of time out in the garden this year when compared to the past ten years or so. And you know whose to blame for this? Those damn kids of mine. Yep, if you notice more weeds than usual in any of my photos, it’s their fault. They have the nerve to get involved in such things as baseball or dance or, get this, ask me to play with them. Seriously, you want to play Trouble again? Isn’t that popper thing broken yet? What, you want to me to pitch to you? Selfish things they are.
Saturday’s are spent watching my son throw out a kid at first base. Or watching my daughter perfect her dance moves for her upcoming recital. What kind of fun is that? That kind of stuff doesn’t warm my heart or make me want to hit the pause button so the kids don’t get any older. Nope, not at all.
Each weekend, I only manage to get outdoors some time late Sunday afternoon to check out what’s been going down in my plant world. Here’s what I found this week:
Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ still grabs my attention as I step out to my car each morning:
It doesn’t wow you, but Achillea (Yarrow) is such a consistent performer and requires absolutely no care at all. You need some of these to offset the more high maintenance plants:
Pycnanthemum (Mountain Mint) is a native plant I picked up at a local plant sale two years ago. I stuck it in a hidden location and it didn’t do much year one. It has now exploded and the plan is to relocate now to a more prominent location. More to come:
I friggin love the foliage on Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’ and may even cut off the flowers as they emerge this year. The deer and/or rabbits have had their way with it but now that “Project Liquid Fence” has been launched, all things look grand:
Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer’ looking good and the blooms are imminent:
The first Echinacea (Purple Coneflower) bloom of the year is here with many more to follow (albeit much shorter this year thanks again to the work of the f’n rabbits):
Geranium ‘Brookside’ is in full bloom … and I’m still not sure that I care all that much. You be the judge:
The Coleus ‘Alabama Sunset’ looks tremendous so far getting about half a day of sun:
You crack me up….you and your f’n’ rabbits.
lovely pictures! The Hydrangea just waiting to burst out is going to be stunning!
I enjoyed seeing your Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ as I just planted one. I hope mine grows up to be a lovely as yours.
The Coleus ‘Alabama Sunset’ is a stunning color!
Kids can be a real problem, can’t they? Some nerve they have, interrupting our garden time. Although I didn’t use the FF button, they grew up really fast and now my time is much more my own. Fancy that. Just wait, you’ll see. BTW, that coleus is a stunner.
sounds like you need to trade your kids in for more yarrow… 🙂
For having interruptions I have to say the garden is looking very nice.
I hate to tell you….but, it’s only going to get worse. The bigger they get, the more running around! I’m serious, it will be many many years until you have a lot of time to spend in the garden and with your wife 🙂
Love the Alabama Sunset!! I had a lot of coleus plants and that one will get prettier as the season moves forward.
Hi ONG,
I never cared for Brookside as it became too out of bounds. Rozanne is a more floriforus choice and not as overwhelming. I bought a new one this year that I may even like better called Blue Sunrise, yellow and green leaves, travels lightly amongst the plantings rather than covering them. Stay tuned, I may change my mind.
Eileen
Love that coleus! Now I know why I didn’t start gardening (except for veggies) until after the kids have grown.
I totally feel your pain. During the school year, I have an hour commute, and I’m thinking about getting into the garden. We don’t eat dinner till 8PM most nights cause I am out in the garden till it gets dark, and then I’m like, oh crap, I better feed him (my son)and get him ready for bed… But now its summer, and I’m off work, so I can get my gardening fix and feed the kid at a normal time…better balance. Your plants look great.
Your speak for many of us!! I think the geranium is gorgeous…keep the wife happy!
Maybe you could trade in the kids for some radishes and cukes? 🙂
Another reason not to have kids! I would be a terrible father. I’m too self-centered and “me” oriented. There is not enough time in the day as it is.
You crack me up! That’s kind of how I feel during the school year when I’m teaching and too busy to work outside. Now that school is out though, I miss my students. It’s nice to work in the garden and plot school ideas…
That coleus you have is gorgeous! It’s so bright red. I’m waiting on my echinacea to bloom. There are a zillion of them coming up out there.
Ha, I saw another gardener write about kids “Warning! Very invasive!”
PS. I also wish there was light until 10 PM. That would be great.
I had a big smile reading your post! The time comes when they make their own life; our gardens will sustain us during the ‘in between’ years… when our children leave home / till the grandchildren come. I’m in Garden training now (big grin)for that moment…you two?
Great blog and so pleased you found time to visit and follow 😉
Nice post. I’m with the wife on replacing the arborvitae with the grass.
Argh! I had a Kopper King. Once. Now it’s dead, or it never returned anyway.
“Project Liquid Fence” sounds…. rather inventive. Do tell!
i totally understand what your talking about with the kids…i got twin boys that are 4 and im always chasing them down to get back in my yard,or off the porch, or out of trees, or making amess bydumpingout my recyclingbin
i actually have started getting up half our to anhour earlier in my day to get stuff done out in the yard, without worrying if kids are runninf the road