busyPhoenix and Cheryl have been coming out to help. Yesterday we got most of the new honeysuckles planted along the south hedge, and finished that today, so there are 12 more of them out there. The oldest ones are now head-high on me and starting to do their job of visual screening. Last year's batch should reach that height this growing season; they're already leafing out. The hedge roses are just starting to bud, along with the miscellaneous other things in the hedge. We also planted 3 purple-leaf bush plums and 3 bush cherries. Also on the list of things to be done is cutting loose the suckers from the earlier plantings of hedge roses and replanting them elsewhere. Do it right and it's a cheap way of propagating bushes. And what do you know, there's lemon balm volunteering somewhere in the line, because while we were digging, there came an incredible burst of lemon scent.
Elsewhere we planted a pair of pawpaw trees. They're bare-root and don't like being transplanted that way, but I've never been able to afford potted ones. I tend to plant lots of small cheap trees and shrubs on the premise that some will live; only occasionally do I buy something large and expensive. It works pretty well; some of the earlier plantings are big enough to bloom and fruit now. The first rosehips matured last summer. We also got two of the four Russian olive trees planted along the west fence.
That leaves 2 Russian olives and 2 hazelnuts, plus the surprise rosebush that the nursery stuck in the bag. (If you order a lot of stuff, often they tuck in something from overstock.) Tomorrow it's supposed to rain, and most of the rest of the week too. We might get a clear day on Wednesday, then again, maybe not till the weekend or early next week.
The hedge in general looks much better, though. Most of the plants are leafing out already. We pulled loose all the tall dead spears of fieldweeds, heaped them into the firepit -- twice -- and burned them. Our fire elemental, Drake, is a long sinuous dragon. He was happy to wake up and devour the brush. When there's a huge heap of burning ashes, you can see him moving around in it as the glow ripples and shifts, like a cat under a blanket.
Overhead, the first crescent of the moon hung high and white in the twilight sky. The breeze was sharp and cool, smelling of mud and feathers and crushed greenery. Breath of spring, light of new life.
Yeah ... some days, life is good.
April 8 2008, 03:29:30 UTC 13 years ago
April 8 2008, 17:17:56 UTC 13 years ago