[Diana in Wisconsin]

I had such a fantastic day in the garden, yesterday! We got the roses planted all around the greenhouse, then Beau moved the six Current bushed (red and black) to down along the driveway where they are away from White Pine (Blister Rust) and the wildlife can eat them. In their place we planted three Blanc Double d'Colbert roses. I will fill the other spots with three more rose-hip producers/fragrance roses.

I did my first mowing of the season after changing the oil in the mower. I watered things in the greenhouse 4x yesterday, and also took apart and re-potted my HUGE Aloe Vera plant (named, 'Audrey') so she is settled back in and all of her babies are in the greenhouse to grow on a bit before I give them away.

Today I am catching up on indoor chores, but also want to finish pruning the lilac suckers that I can get at now, now that Beau has taken out some more dead wood for me.

Still too early to plant much in the garden, so I am working on weeding and getting everything ready to receive.

The first Orioles showed up today and are already crabbing at each other at the feeder filled with jelly, juice and oranges. Waiting for the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, which should be along any day now.

Our Foster Son is here for the weekend and is continuing to paint the house. Yippee! Progress!

[Ellendra]

I had been planning to use heavy-duty landscape fabric in parts of my garden this year. I got one 50-foot piece laid out and planted last week before the rain. Yesterday I went out to lay more down, and instead spent the whole time wrestling the first one back into place. I had forgotten exactly how strong the wind is out there!

Staples every 18 inches along the edges weren’t enough. The wind would work its way under an edge and lift the whole thing like a kite. It now has large rocks every foot or so weighing it down, but I am NOT doing that any more than I have to! So, fabric is being set aside for trees, shrubs, and perennials. Everything else is just going to have to deal with the bare dirt.

I can’t even use mulch out there because of the wind. My plans include several types of windbreaks eventually, but until those are up I get to do things the hard way.