Friday, August 6, 2010

Triumphs and Tragedies

My goodness this week went fast and so has this day.  I actually took the day off work and thought I would put up a post much earlier as I wouldn't be too busy.  Obviously I was wrong.  Despite the stifling heat a free day off to garden was too much to resist.  It was a Triumph kind of day.

First I weeded, trimmed, edged, and mulched the rhubarb/asparagus bed.
How great does this look?! This is what it looked like back in the spring.

Both the rhubarb and the asparagus have really taken off.

Then I finally finished the new bed for the Diablo ninebark I purchased a month ago.  It's taken me over a week to get this finished so I was thrilled to finally be done with it.

Although I did run out of mulch at the end so that will need to be finished.

And finally I also planted the last hydrangea.  This one is Hydrangea paniculata 'Quick Fire'.

Overall a great gardening day.  Now I'm off to rest my poor aching feet.

7 comments:

RURAL said...

And no poor aching back? Looks like a lot of work that you accomplished this day.

Take a good cup of tea, and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Jen

Marguerite said...

Funny enough my feet were killing me at the end of the day but my back was fine. Until 5am that is when I had to pop an advil for my aching hip. oh well, more work to be done, back at it today, aches be damned!

Laura said...

I love your rhubarb/asparagus plot. This is my first time growing asparagus. I gather it is a two year crop. Do you know what I do with the feathery plumes come fall. Do I cut it back or leave it be? Or rather what do you do to yours?

Marguerite said...

Laura, I have to admit this is the first time I've personally grown asparagus. I recollect my mother growing it but mostly I'm going on what I've read. Essentially it's a perennial fern, and the spears are the plants new leaves forming. Until the plant is large enough to sustain this 'damage' you shouldn't harvest the spears. Usually 2 - 3 years. I don't trim my perennials in the fall. I leave everything till spring so there's a natural mulch on them over the winter. I would do the same with asparagus but it's probably a matter of preference.

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Diablo ninebarks will look great with their dark wine color drawing attention to that part of the garden! I don't have that plant just because I enjoy it growing on my neighbors'border.
Thank you Marquerite for your comment on my blog! That slope garden gave me some good ideas for my own place. I hope to see Terri, the owner, one day and show her all the comments about her garden.

Jennifer said...

The Quick Fire hydrangea looks like it will be a great addition to your garden. I have a second very small crop of rhubarb this year and so I am very happy.

Marguerite said...

Tatyana, I love purple plants so the ninebark was an instant favourite for me. I'm sure Terri would love to see your comments, so many people obviously enjoyed the tour both in person and virtually!

Jennifer, when I bought all the shrubs a few weeks back I knew there was something wonderful smelling in the truck but I wasn't sure what it was. Turned out to be Quick Fire hydrangea. So not only is it pretty but it smells wonderful too!