On Saturday morning I finished organizing the laundry room and cleaned it up some before the sun came up. Once there was enough light, I went outside. The humidity had dropped during the night as had the temperature. This state of affairs is to hold through Monday morning. I had to make the most of it.
I started at this end of the South garden, whacking back the 4 O’ Clocks so people could use the steps again. The poor liatris had been overwhelmed by them. Just 2 stalks were left. The alyssum my husband liked so much was everywhere.
The guys arrived at 7AM and I had to stop and be doorman. I did get a little more done once I’d gotten the front porch cleaned up. But I really couldn’t work steadily until they finished.
The tall one is chocolate mint in a pot. There’s also hybrid spiderwort in a pot, geranium, hens and chicks, and a tiny sedum. Along the porch I found the remains of the sweet peas I’d planted. They never had gotten a trellis.
The West of Steps garden had been weeded and wasn’t bad. Most of the plants had hung in there and were flowering. The chrysanthemum in the back is doing well.
The East of Steps garden gets just that much less sun and the plants reflect this. But they were doing ok. This garden’s chrysanthemum is also doing well.
The New West garden had gotten pretty weedy and was hard to do. I was glad when it was done. I’d lost a couple plants in the back.
I gathered up every ounce of energy I had left and sat down and tackled one of the violet beds. I finished about 12:30, giving me 6 hours in the gardens and numerous trips up and down the front steps.
I got a call from a new helper and she is going to come out on Sunday morning and tackle the dust in the house. One of the helpers the carpenter brought in had wanted to work in the gardens Saturday afternoon. But his car keys made a secret trip to another town in the first helper’s car, so he didn’t make it out. He will also be out on Sunday morning at 8AM to work in the gardens.
I’d hoped for a nap before supper, but a friend called with plans for us. She is coming to the Memorial and bringing her sound system. So I never got the nap and went to bed at 7PM instead.
I will be tackling the New South garden which isn’t too bad, and the other violet bed. I also plan to do the tiny bed by the back porch. I haven’t decided if I will do the New East garden, or work on garden perimeters. Probably the later, as they are crucial.