the bigger sideyard

I still think of it as the 'sunny sideyard' and the narrower one with the steps as the 'shady sideyard' even though now they both get sun, what with trees removed years ago. So- it was all shabby and a mess over here. At least, the plants against the house. The huge hostas all eaten away, and edges dried out from the heat we had up until just recently, too. All the sensitive fern looking terrible- I ripped a lot of it out, that had spread too far.

There was sensitive fern encroaching on the pulmonaria- dug that all out, pulled mock strawberry, pulled out older dead leaves underneath that had aphid sign, and tidied it up. Mulched with leaf mould.

Sensitive fern had also grown in among the lily of the valley patch- cleaned that all up too. Lots of these crisped edges from the heat and dryness as well.

Here's a long shot of all that. It's so uneven. I really need to edge this bed with stones, too, and I want a path of big stepping stones or pavers all down the side, and then the main group of plants to the right (center of the hillside) just fill in so there will be no more mowing over here. That's my long-term plan.

Closer photo, though at an awkward angle- you can see from left to right (going uphill) the edge of beautyberry, spiderwort, lily of the valley, lungwort, sensitive fern and then ostrich ferns mixed in with the remnants of the hostas, euonymus and yellow salvia at the top corner. Really the ostrich ferns are doing the best here right now! 

I threw down dried seedheads cut off the spent joe pye weed on the other sideyard, into the bare gap against the wall here. Hoping they grow nice and tall. Don't know if they'd get enough sun, though.

Bright spot here, top of the middle flower bed, is the red-hot poker my friend gave me. I did water it extra during that super hot week we had- and cut off the flower stalks when they faded, and it surprised me by sprouting two more! So I think this one's going to do great here.

And when I was pulling up crabgrass and digging in the catmints, I found a little bit of hyssop in the other corner, still alive. I thought that plant had all died out in this area. It's nice to know there's still a bit here, because the one down in the planter by the rear deck, isn't looking great right now. (I've trimmed it and doused with soap against the bugs, and given it new mulch, so we'll see).

all beautyberry

I've been all about the beautyberry yesterday and today. So here's a ton of pictures! Vivid color is beading the graceful drooping stems; of course I went out to take pictures.

I really like how it's growing over the fence on this side.

On the other side- facing the large sideyard, the drooping stems were dragging on the ground. I propped some up from underneath with sticks.

It was kind of smothering and crushing spiderwort here on the other side-

And then I was shoving leaf mulch underneath, and found all these straight stems growing up just under the skirt edge of the branches- the main clump of stems is way further back by the fence. These forward stems were there last year but I wasn't sure if more beautyberry or some other volunteer. Now I compared the foliage closely- it must be more beautyberries grown from dropped berries.

I was thrilled to dig up/pull out seven substantial young plants-

plus four tiny ones which I stuck in pots.

I promptly planted two on the other side of the holly, and two more further up the slope, flanking the euonymus (where I yanked out a ton of yellow salvia- that plant is going rampant everywhere I put it years ago!) - not pictured- and then another two here on the lower end of the bed alongside the back lawn. It's behind the second rue, between pannicle hydrangea (bare stems where the deer have been eating it!) and false indigo- and the pale artemesia behind. The beautyberry will fill all this space, so I'm going to have to move most of these smaller plants- but I don't mind at all.

The last one I put between a bunch of stuff- there's the other hydrangea on the left, patch of turtlehead on the right, 'autumn joy' sedums in front. And a hosta kind of buried in there too. My plan is to dig up and move the sedums and half the turtlehead patch in spring, to give this beautyberry room to grow. But for now I've just left it tucked in there.

Here's that space from a wider view. Most of that turtlehead clump I'll be shifting over to the right.

some things

around the yard: boarage is getting big leaves and filling in thick around the mailbox spot!

Some sensitive ferns are growing in among the lilies of the valley- I don't mind how it looks mingling, but probably will have to dig/pull some ferns before they go too far. 

My first cranesbill, that seemed to have died off earlier in the year, is doing just fine now! Although still half the size of the other one.

Spiderwort blooming. Looks taller and fuller this year.

All the joe pye I hastily dug up and moved to be against the house wall on the first sideyard, survived the winter and are coming back. They did much better here than the swamp milkweed (I still haven't found more than the first three clumps to move) so I think the milkweed wasn't really thriving here.

That one orange flower came up again among the bleeding hearts and hellebores.

Mountain laurel is starting to bud! Though it doesn't look so happy in this spot- still doesn't have many more leaves. Now I'm starting to wonder should I move it yet again.

Rumex. I always like seeing this plant in spring, though later in the season it always looks ragged from the bugs. . . 

second sideyard

Starting cleaning up a bit more over here, too. Pulled weeds, mock strawberry and old mulch away from the lungwort. I think I could divide this one next season! It's grown so much.

Did the same around the little clump of spiderwort, and found something that puzzled me

what is this plant, growing near its base? I feel like I really ought to recognize it. Maybe pokeweed.

The ostrich ferns further downhill in shade aren't showing above ground yet, but some here against the house in the sun are, and I found fiddleheads of sensitive fern just starting to push up.

It feels good to get out and work in the yard again, to get dirt under my fingernails. I'm still feeling sad at not having enough energy to go further and plant the whole garden, though. 

One lovage has come up- did the second one die this winter. Which would be okay, I never use all the plant anyway, but I like having two.

the big sideyard

I have to differentiate the two. The first sunny sideyard, which is narrower, I think of it as the smaller one. And the second sunny sideyard, which was in shade before we had those huge maples cut down, is wider and more open, so I think of it as the bigger one. I spent half a day out there, pulling crabgrass and the worst of the weeds. Left some things alone, like the wild violets

Found a few bugleweed (ajuga) that survived the tree-cutting

Yanked out a bunch of wild rose that was all tangled behind the beautyberry (those thorny stems had grown a lot thicker with more sun) and now it looks so nice! Anticipating the purple berries

Lungwort also impressed me how much it grew!

Ostrich ferns are doing way better now, too.

And the sensitive ferns seem to be reviving from the heat, and the bugs-

there's new fiddleheads under there

My shady 'purple corner' looks promising- I need more persian shield!

I like how the wandering jew has done, need more of that also!

Spiderwort is blooming again- floating above the green

I planted some stuff

perennials from the swap, mostly. In various edges of the yard, the yarrow, artemesia, spiderwort, strawberry begonia, blanket flower (with red/orange coleus moved next to it), ostrich ferns, and creeping jenny- divided into bits to make a little row of it. Some were looking very sad and I don't know if they'll make it- it rains tonight so I hope that helps. I was in too much of a hurry to take pictures, before a thunderstorm passed over. I did take clippings of the creeping jenny and put in a jar of tank water, see if they convert and root can plant some in the aquariums.

Also momentarily brought my fig trees in the house to repot- slightly larger- they barely gained an inch or two all round. These are the largest pots I have. Might be time to buy some nice very large planters for them.

plant swap!

I was delighted to attend the spring plant (and seed) swap at my local library (not hosted by the library, it's an individual group). I missed it in the fall, and last spring due to covid. This is what I took to give away- pink turtlehead, echinacea, a sprig of lavendar-

some coleus (the best ones leftover from the first set of cuttings I grew out) and one cilantro

A brandywine tomato, and a jade I've been growing for a while- one lady in particular was very happy to get the jade, and asked me how I grew it "so big!" so I showed her how I pinch them to encourage branching. Also, some packets of seed I'll never grow (sweet corn) and of saved seed I have so much of- cilantro, parsley, sage, echinacea, marigolds.

And here's what I got! The idea is you can take as many plants as you brought (though nobody checks, it's an honor system). I took twenty plants plus the seed packets, and didn't bring home quite as much- but some I'm so glad of that I don't mind. To start- a bunch of stonecrop. 

Creeping jenny

Yarrow

This one wasn't marked but I am pretty sure it's artemesia, or dusty miller- which would be nice because the ones I dug out of someone's yard and moved the year before all died on me, and the wormwood I'm trying to grow from seed hasn't sprouted at all.

Salvia lyrata- I kind I hadn't seen before

A sad-looking ostrich fern. There were many more, nicer ones- but other people got them first! (Behind it you can see the row of new geraniums, which I just moved up into larger pots yesterday)

A group of aloe vera pups, and a variegated spider plant- happy to have these because I used to have these plants but they died. I think I'm doing better by the plain-colored spider plant I have now, and with semi-succulents in general, so hope these do well!

Strawberry begonia. Again. The one I got year before, died. I mentioned that to another attendee at the plant swap and she said with surprise: "how did you kill it? they grow back outside!" It's usually grown as a perennial groundcover. Well, I got four clumps of it- one I'm going to try to keep as a houseplant again (because I do find it attractive) and the others put outside like everyone else does.

Not a great picture, because I'd already stuck it in the greenhouse, but this is spider lily, or spiderwort- scientific name tradescantia virginiana. I remarked on it when I saw the tag- yes, it's a native plant but what struck me is that it's related to tradescantia zebrina- or the wandering jew. They look nothing alike.

Most of the plants I got, had obviously just been dug out of the ground, a lot weren't in pots but just bare root. A bit wilting, and it was a warm day plus I am not sure yet where I will locate them all. So I put the bare root ones in pots with a bit of soil, and put most on the floor in my little greenhouse, to get some humidity and recover a bit from their shock. Except for the spider plant, aloe, and one strawberry begonia of course, which I kept inside. And this- my prize: 

It's a crown of thorns plant! Three cuttings, to be exact. I was so thrilled to see this I snatched it up immediately.

Years ago visiting a friend of my husband, I saw a large specimen of this plant in their living room window. I'd never seen one before and it was so striking. Wanted one ever since but never seen it anywhere for sale- in person that is. So I am delighted to have acquired this one, it was worth the whole swap to me. A bit concerned I might not have enough sun exposure for it (nearly all my windows are indirect light, the one window with direct light is always crowded)- but the lady who brought it said she puts hers outside for summers, and just overwinters it indoors. I'm certainly going to read up on it!