So Depressed

Category: My journey into Gardening | Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:44 am

Hi All, I know it has been a while since my last post but it was a busy holiday season, I volunteered as the leader of my oldest daughters girl scout troop and that totally consumed my life for a while, but cookie time as rolled around and I have gotten the hang of things. I just lost my job on Tuesday and was a little down about all the things I wanted to do to the house then I made the mistake of going outside and looking at my yard, it was just even more depressing, everything is so lifeless looking, it just depressed me more. I can't wait for spring. I can't remember if I told you all about the new plants I bought the end of the summer, so I will tell you again. I have found a nurdery I like very much but it is about 45 min away in Warm Spring GA. It always seems to have fun plants you can't find other places. The first thing I got wat called Milletia Reticulata (summer wisteria). I planted it next to the wall I have been having so much trouble figuring out what to do with. It is a very beautiful woody vining plant. I got 2 and will probably need to buy another. It was warmt he other day and my DH and I finally built a trellis for it. It started to grow really fast as fall started but the last hard frost we had (18F) really did it in. You see the weather warmed up considerably (60F) for more than a week and things started to open then the freeze hit, it really to a toll. I think it will do well there despite this. We plan on building a arbor out of PVC pipe and chicken wire to cover the patio and to support is as it grows. It is very beautiful in full bloom with deep green foliage and little purple flower clusteres that look like wisteria only smaller. If anyone knows more about it send me a note. The lady said it should grow about 20 feet or so which should cover the area I need it to cover but I would better be safe than sorry so I think I will buy a third plant.
In October I bought a verigated lacecap hydrangea from the same nursery, my mom has one in her yard and I have always coveted it but never seen it for sale except online. I planted it behind my deck in a semi shaded area and it was dooing well until the 18F freeze, but no fear it has pretty green shoot near the groud under all the fall leaves. I even have a daffodil, some crocus sprouts and hyacinth buds.
I decided last summe to plant some periwinkle I clipped from my mother in laws yard around my big tulip poplar, It is doing well too, I think it will grow like wild fire this spring and summer.
After the fall I raked all the leaves around my new plants to help insulate them from the winter and to help mulch for the coming year. I decided to use pine bark this coming year instead of pine straw.
I also used my contact at the university to get a bunch more free plants. I got 5 gardenias I am going to plant in the front yard this year, as well as 4 knockout roses, some lantana, a butterfly bush, a juniper and a magnolia (FREE).
I plan on pulling out all the bushes in the front of our house, overgrown boxwoods, then planting a gardenia flanking each window along the front of the house.

We have a hideous holly my DH pruned the hell out of and well it looks hideous.

I want to plant a Ginko, I love their beautiful yellow foliage in the fall, my mom has a baby thats popped up at her house I will try to transplant it. I will then plant azaleas in between the gardenia. My DH is none to happy. He says I don't like anything he had in the yard to begin with, the thing is he didn't plant any of the stuff to begin with he only left it because it was already there, so I don't see it as getting rid of his stuff because if the thinks I want to plant had been there to begin with he would have left them too. I have tried to accomadate he like and dislikes, he told me he like very low maintenance plants that stayed green year round and so far all the plants I have picked conform to those specs. I think he just likes to give me a hard time. I will post more pics soon.
Thanks for listening, I'm feeling better now.

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Netty wrote on Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:59 am:

Oh dear, you do sound a little down faunsnyder. That's exactly how I feel in the middle of the winter here when everything is white and cold. I think you did a great thing by mulching your plants. Some of the plants you mentioned do just fine after our very cold winters here in Ontario so I'm sure they will be fine. I look forward to seeing photos after you start the front.
Cheer up...it will be spring before you know it! :)

Droopy wrote on Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:07 am:

I so totally understand how you feel. *big hug* I usually find me some lovely flower photos to cheer me up, and I also have a daylight lamp that I use every morning. It helps a lot, take my word for it. Find yourself a book, brew some tea, take care of yourself and your family, and spring is there before you know it.

Jewell _2009 wrote on Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:04 am:

Love your ideas for changing the yard. Nothing like being out in the fresh air to make me feel better. Sometimes I even do it in the rain and cold, but then I have been told I'm a little crazy by my significant other. Keep gardening! And take care of yourself.