With temps in the 60's on Thursday and 70's on Friday, I decided it was time to clean out my huge perennial bed that we put in last year. The echineceas, the bee balm, the coreopsis and sedum had long ago died down for the growing season and the remnants remained. So with the break in the weather, decided it was time to get the beds ready for spring.
So Sean and I cut back all the dried flower stalks and cleaned out all the leaves that accumulated on Thursday. We got a huge bag of debris.
Friday, Joshua and Sean went to Home Depot and picked up 23 bags of mulch. I like to use bagged mulch as it's easier than moving a truckload of mulch one wheelbarrow at a time. We just put the bags where we want them and then open them up.
After working 2 hours, we got the front perennial bed, the lower front tier, the bed under the arborvitea, the bed around the linden tree and the side yard perennial bed all mulched.
We still have to mulch the pathway in the side yard and all the backyard beds, but that will have to wait til my back rests and another warm day comes along. I still need to prune back my rose bushes and wisteria in a few weeks.
I can't wait til spring gets here, so I can see which of my perennials have come back and which haven't. I am really hoping that they all do, as they cost me a fortune last year.
Oh my you sure did work hard today, I got tired just reading all that you have done!! But won't it be worth it, I love flowers and can't wait until Spring. Hugs, Lecia
ReplyDeleteI only wish I had half your ambition.
ReplyDeleteSeriously! It looks like a lot of work and some awesome pain! As we have gotten older, I have begun to say that I am not replacing the ones that don't come back. Then last spring we planted the hedge of seven different lilacs and in the fall, we planted 60 daffodils, 40 hyacinths and 100 crocus. As if the ones we have weren't enough! Mike usually does the clearing off in spring because he wants to see the bulbs coming up. I didn't put these new ones in the beds. I scattered them throughout the grass to look natural. We'll see how that works. Do you save your cone flowers seed heads? After they quit blooming in fall, we cut about half of them off and dry them on the picnic table. I store them away in a big tin. Then I can give them away to family or friends or spread them in the ditch. If even one comes up, they will spread. The birds usually eat what's left. I also cut off marigold heads, zinnia heads, Mexican sunflower heads--dry and store. I haven't bought annual seeds in years. We have regular sunflowers come back in the fence line every year. This year is the year to divide perennials. Gotta find places to plant them or people to give them to. It is a never ending joy!
★Linda★
Oh I wish I could be out in the garden Dee, still way to cold up here for that unfortunately! Can't wait to see pictures of your flower beds this summer after all of your hard work, I bet it will be gorgeous! Go put the heating pad on your back and put your feet up! Deb
ReplyDeleteyour yard is looking spiffy.;) wish you lived next door to me.:)
ReplyDeleteI know it's a lot of work now.....but soon the beauty comes and you will reap your rewards!!! Wish I could have been there to help, Don't remember what green looks like in NY!!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Becky
I'm not quite ready to get the yard ready but I did enjoy some time out friday with the beautiful day.Warm Blessings!~Amy
ReplyDeleteYou have got a head start on spring. Yes shovling mulch is not one of my favorite things to do, but it makes the flower beds look so nice. Yes, I hope a lot of my flowers come back, every year I spend about 2-3 hundred dollars on flowers. The warm days have been so nice want to start working on my flower beds. Vicky
ReplyDeleteWow Dee, you really worked hard and got so much done and ready for spring! That's wonderful! Can't wait to see pics of all your flowers! Not quite ready for anything like that here... still snow on the ground. I'm so ready for spring and all the beauty it brings!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
~Trina
we atill have a ton of snow. I wont see my flower beds for a couple months yet!
ReplyDeleteLecia,
ReplyDeleteI love working in my garden beds. Just need to take it slower but since I knew the weather was changing again to be cold, I wanted to get it done. I can't wait til all the flowers start popping up.
D
Linda,
ReplyDeleteI saved a whole bunch of seeds from my echineceas in the fall and left the rest for the birds to eat. I also saved some of my black eyed susan seed heads too. Some days I wish I had my ambition too! LOL! I just wanted to get the mulch down as the weather is suppose to turn to cold again and that definitely doesn't make me want to work outside. I still have the backyard to do, but that will wait til another springlike day.
D
Deb,
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that our warmer day came so late this year. Normally we have a few in January...not this year. All the snow is melted but we are suppose to get a little more on Tuesday. I would be just as happy with a pass on that!
D
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI would love to be your neighbor. Mine still has leaves to rake out front. When I was cleaning out, I just blew the leaves over into their bushes...they only raked leaves once last year and have a huge sycamore. I have a little linden tree and raked 4 or 5 times.
D
Becky,
ReplyDeleteIt's always amazing just how much work it does take to get things looking great. I usually do it in phases but this time I didn't. The front bed is new as we put it in last year the beginning of June, so my sideyard and backyard beds were already done by then. I can't wait to plant my annuals too...always plant impatiens as they put on such a show.
Hope the snow melts and you see a little green soon.
D
Amy,
ReplyDeleteIt was beautiful on Friday. I had the windows open and the house smelled so good...love that fresh springtime air.
D
Vicky,
ReplyDeleteI have 3 boys and while they have nice strong backs, they don't usually help with my flower beds. They get the mulch from the store and place the bags where I want them, but that's as far as it usually goes. Although Sean, my oldest does help me some.
D
Trina,
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for everything to rebloom either. The plants should be so much bigger than last year. I want to find a wagon wheel for my flower bed...some of my echineceas are over 3' tall and the wagon wheel will be a perfect backdrop for them.
D
Holli,
ReplyDeleteThat's how it was here last year. We had so much snow in February, but I did have impatiens planted the beginning of April in my side yard. I had to cover them a few nights because of the frost threat, but that was all. I hope to be able to plant early again this year. Our frost date in the beginning of May here.
D
Looks great!so much fun isn't it~ I love working in the garden~ and when it is all done the pain is so worth it~ because you can sit back & look at how pretty itis all done up!
ReplyDeletesmiles
Teresa