tired now

 after doing just three things outside. I cut out the small-leaved holly that grows under the big japanese one. I do like its small, neat and glossy leaves, but it has such an untidy shape- all leggy and sprawling, probably reaching for more light. I chopped it down to a bare trunk six inches, might make the effort to dig that out later if it regrows. I couldn't picture planting it anywhere else with the awkward shape it had.

 In its place under the japanese holly, I planted four lady ferns. They look so nice there. Will take a picture tomorrow.

Then pruned the row of viburnums. Still uncertain if I regret having planted the volunteers. I've kept all the younger ones clear of the fence- cutting out branches on the back side, there's actually enough space to stand back there. Hopefully this makes it easier to chop them out if I have to remove in future. My pruning job made it look a lot neater- an actual hedge now.

Earlier in the week, sitting outside after some work, I was admiring the light airiness of the spider azalea across the yard, moving in the breeze. Yesterday I looked and it wasn't as easy to see. It looked sparser. I walked over and yes, there were twig ends nipped off, fluff of foliage missing. I found deer droppings near the panicle hydrangea. I looked around the yard- the deer haven't once touched the young japanese maple hybrid on the second sideyard. They haven't eaten any of my transplanted forsythia scion, or the new growth on the younger euonymus shrubs. Just this plant right now. They had to taste something new? 

I got my husband to help me remove the fencing from around the japanese maple, and we moved it to surround the spider azalea. Sigh.

on the second sideyard

where the maples came out. This spot against the house looks nice right now- until the deer get at it. I should dig and move that ostrich fern that's come up in the middle of the hosta- but not sure if I can do it without damaging one of the plants. Maybe to divide the hosta.

The sensitive ferns are coming up. 

Pulmonaria is almost done blooming- all the flowers fallen over from center, they sure are glorious. Caught a bee in the photo- upper left!

Lily of valley starting to flower

All the gladiolas arising-

Milkweed is coming up-

It's already spreading! Which the swamp ones on the other side of the house never did. This one is further downslope, right next to one of the little hollies.

Which isn't doing so great. Some leaves yellowing with spots. I think it's holly leaf-spot- a fungal disease. Starting to wonder if this is another volunteer plant I'll regret having moved and encouraged to grow. If a thicket of milkweeds does better in this spot, I'd rather have them here!

Not really on the sideyard, but on that same side of the back area- I was cleaning up more leaf litter and weeds, and found to my surprise that what I think is the canna lily, regrowing! I had planted these because they were freebies, and then mulched them heavy against winter instead of digging up to store indoors, without much expectation they'd survive. Well, I think one did but looks like a deer chomped it. Either that or I accidentally got it with the lawn mower blade.

little holly

I'm trying again, to dig and move young holly plants. This one a three-year-old plant that I'd let grow up beside the fence.

Because the two I dug and moved in fall, appear to have failed. I had only watered them once a week or so but maybe even that was too much. This time, I'm not going to do anything past the transplant date.

outside plants

My rhubarb is flourishing since its move. Hope it continues to do well.

One that's not so well is the inkberry. I cut out all the dead branches and it is very reduced. I recently moved all the remnants of my old wild cherry tree- short trunk sections that have been sitting on-end here and there convenient for me to place things on- away from the under-deck area and across the yard for shrubs. They're starting to decay (which is probably why I've see the wren so often flitting about below the deck and through the garden- I bet it's feeding on insects in the old wood). I put most of the wood pieces on the downhill side of shrubs. Idea is that as they continue to decay will feed my bushes, and being on the downhill side, when rain sweeps down the hill maybe it won't push as much mulch down against the fence, but some will get caught and stay in place under the shrubbery. Well, the inkberry got a full circle because it needs the most help.

I do like foliage so I hope it makes it

The bayberry nearby is doing much better.

Pannacle hydrangeas each got a log piece too

and the rhodies

Also the little hollies.

My arum is springing up again in the cooler weather- among zinnia 

Center of that yellowed hellebore definitely looks more normal green, so I hope this one recovers

Joe pye weed had big poufy blooms and I didn't want it reseeding all over the yard, so cut them off. It's so grown through the pokeweed now, hard to distinguish between the them. Soon will cut that back, too.

little prickly

Found a few little hollies growing here and there on edges of the yard. I dug some up and transplanted them to spots where I wouldn't mind having a shrub to fill in space or shield from neighbor's view.

I especially like this one that has lighter color to some leaves.

Done this before and lost track of where the plant is, or it died or got out-competed by nearby plants. This time I took more care in their placement (nothing else nearby), gave a mulch of broken twigs and have been watering when it's dry for a week, a bit more care maybe they will make it.

planted

a week ago actually, but I'm only just now getting around to all the pictures. Beautyberry- between the base of the shady sideyard slope and the large holly shrub, against side of the house.

From the other side it's barely visible, but I hope it will grow out and arch over/through the railings, reaching onto the lower deck.

Oakleaf hydrangea to one side of the rear perennial bed-

I'm rather excited to have this plant. I hope it fills in a great blank space back there, and I love its foliage

not to mention the flowers will come. I fenced it against deer and rabbits-

I feel like it's already making a statement in the rear left of that bed

Just in front left of that main oak tree, I put the st. john's wort. 

Looks small now, but already I like its contrast against the hellebore.

View from other angle:

The wandflower went to the side near pannicle hydrangea, between smaller rue and the two jacob's ladder plants 

(all of them rather inconspicuous right now)

Up front I rather ruthlessly dug up all the echinacea that were next to my lilac- it was getting crowded

Also dug up the two hyssop here on the driveway edge- even though it's been doing splendid

I wanted to put these bright bold blanket flowers there instead

(there's still a few rudbeckia and marigold in between)

That meant moving the hyssop- and assuming it's part of the plant scent keeping rabbits from my garden, I figured to use it elsewhere. Replanted on top of the shady sideyard slope- in a curve around edge of the turtlehead patch and yellow salvia.

The two plants divided into four- one I pulled apart and the other broke when I was digging. 

Don't know how well they'll do here- probably not quite enough sun- but I wanted to try

Well now the lilac has all its space. Underneath it I've planted little plugs of bugleweed, but that's coming up.

wild youngn's

Out tromping around the yard checking on things, cleaning up leaves again. Found a young white oak:

and several more little hollies:

and another ivy plant in a different part of the yard. This one near a tree I ought to pull it.

I think this could be wild ginger- ?

Not sure- the larger leaves have got beat up by foot traffic and the rake