ashcats03's Blog at GardenStew.com

Flagstone pathway coming along...

ashcats03 — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:37:40 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 12:37 am (GMT 0)

I can't belive it has been over a month since I wrote in my blog. Time sure flies. I almost have the fence complete, only one more hole to dig and three sections to go in. I have gotten several loads of flagstone (including some my great-grandmother had put in at the "old" house up north at my parents. Quite a find with many nice pieces. Makes the garden mean all that much more to me). I have layed out all of the pathway I can, now I just need to find more funds to purchase more flagstone. I also have to figure out how to get the sidewalk out. Even though I said I wouldn't plant anything until next year, the temptation of season end prices have gotten the better of me. I acquired a couple of small hibiscus trees, as well as some Echinacea, Foxglove and a Candy lily (which I have never seen before but is very eye catching) that had a white liatris growing with it in the same pot. 2 for 1 is always good!!! I weeded, added compost and topsoil to the area and I have the start of a nice looking sunny patch of perennials. There is still room for more plants so perhaps I will make another trip to the nursery!!! I have two days off without kids next week so I will begin the laborious process of digging out the flagstone pathway. Need to get some sand before that though. Lots of work to do yet and fall is quickly approaching.

It's been awhile....

ashcats03 — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:07:42 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:07 am (GMT 0)

It has been awhile since I have posted. This is mainly because of a couple of injuries I may or may not have gotten working in the cottage garden. I have a very painful pulled muscle in my chest (it feels more like a broken rib) and a sprain to the thumb on my left hand. Being that I am a lefty it makes it difficult heal because I am always using the hand. Went to the doctor and was told to keep lifting to less than thirty pounds (there goes working with the flagstone) for one week. So far I have been a pretty good patient. It was difficult this weekend as the weather was absolutely gorgeous. My hometown of Port Washington, WI has a garden club that sponsors a "Garden Walk" every July. They pick six gardens of local residents and we are able to tour the garden and ask questions. A couple of the gardens were just jaw dropping. I got quite a few ideas, namely that now,instead of using my old fountain as my water feature, I am thinking of digging a very small pond and building up a waterfall with rocks. I think I am probably getting out of my league but I think I can do it. I am getting pretty sick of digging!!! My picket fence is so close to being finished, but I guess I have to wait to dig the last few post holes until I am healed up. The weekend after this my family and I will be visiting my parents (my dad is Tom, or Calomaar) in the Northwoods of WI. We cannot wait!!!

58 degrees in July???

ashcats03 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:52:27 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:52 am (GMT 0)

Typical Wisconsin, cold, windy and cloudy on the first day of July. I was able to get another panel of fence in, although it took several hours and a lot of effort to dig the post hole. The clay, which starts about 6 inches down is like trying to dig through cement. I ended up cutting the post about 4 inches short because I couldn't dig anymore. Hopefully I can finish the fence on Friday. Then on to the flagstone pathways.

Actually did a little garden work..

ashcats03 — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:14:38 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:14 am (GMT 0)

Well, Friday was a bit better, although I was not. My boys have had some kind of stomach bug that they so nicely shared with me, as kids tend to do, so I ended up sleeping until 11 am (unheard of for me) and right when I got up and made myself presentable the daycare called and said Connor needed to be picked up because of runny bm's. The also have had a confirmed case of Swine Flu in his room so any child with any sort of symptoms is sent home. So much for getting the outside cleaned up and ready for the boys b-day party on Sat. Connor helped me sweep the maple helicopters up for a while, and then got cranky so I put him down for a nap. He actually slept for about 3 1/2 hours!! I was able to get some weeding done, finish planting petunias and mulching around the part of the fence that is finished. Erich mowed when he got home, and everything ended up looking really nice!! The party was today and the weather was beautiful. The rain started at bedtime so I will have some happy plants in the morning!! Hoping to get more fence work done tomorrow.

Hot, hot, hot....

ashcats03 — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:56:13 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:56 am (GMT 0)

So much for my plans of working on the fence today. I was out with the boys for 20 minutes and we had to go in. In the mid-nineties today with no breeze off of the lake. I managed to deadhead at dusk, the temp had dropped to 80. Turned on the A/C today and thankfully it still works! Wish we would have had a chance to get our pool up. It would have been a great day to play in the water! Here's hoping Friday is not so hot.

The roses are blooming...

ashcats03 — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:45:17 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:45 am (GMT 0)

Well finally after a cold spring my roses are starting to bloom. I am actually getting some buds on plants that haven't bloomed in years. I'm excited!! As soon as I have the time I will post some pics. The cottage garden has lain dormant for the last 4 days. Took my boys to the beach todsy and we had a great time. It is nice living on Lake Michigan (most of the time). Hopefully tomorrow I will start back up on the fence, and I have a ton of deadheading to do. Too bad the irises don't last longer.

An ungarden weekend....

ashcats03 — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:44:52 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:44 am (GMT 0)

Well, another weekend spent taking care of the sick animals. Definitely time well spent, especially since I get paid for it!! Thought about the garden alot, as the weather was decent. Waiting for my Tuesday and Wednesday off and hoping there will be decent weather. I really need to get the fence finished, my goal was before the boy's birthday party which is this coming Sat. I also have a Japanese Maple that needs to get in the ground. I am excited as I have wanted a Japanese Maple for a long time and found a nice tree at a decent price. Maybe another trip to the landscape supply place for more flagstone will be in order. Of course I should probably find time to clean the house, pay the bills, put party favors together, finish the boy's playset, mow the lawn, etc. etc. !!!! Hopefully I will have a more interesting entry on Tues.

An un-garden day...

ashcats03 — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:20:04 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 3:20 am (GMT 0)

Well, I had to work from 8 am until 6 pm, then went home to celebrate my oldest son Alex's 5th birthday. No work outside done today. Storms last night and tonight have made the cottage garden site a watery mudhole. I hope it will dry out before Tuesday!!

A day of fencing...

ashcats03 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:02:11 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:02 am (GMT 0)

Well, I got lucky with the weather again. Predicted T-Storms never happend. I was able to get the gate and another section of fence in. That took pretty much the whole day. I did a lousy job on the gate, and I think I put the hinge on wrong!! Hopefully it can be fixed without too much problem. I have over half the fence up now, but it will not be finished by my boys birthday party as I had hoped. I work (my real job!!!) the next four days so Tuesday is the soonest I can get back to work on the garden, and that all depends on how the kids behave!! Here's hoping that Tuesday will be a productive day.

A good day in the garden...

ashcats03 — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:16:18 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:16 am (GMT 0)

Well, the day started out rainy, but it cleared up nicely in the afternoon. After much debate in my mind about putting sod down between the fence and sidewalk, or doing plantings with mulch and river rock border I decided to go with the latter. Purchased petunias, weeded the area and started planting. All in all it turned out nice, if I do say so myself. Harvested the rocks from other areas in the yard where they will not be needed anymore. I ran out of petunias, but can get some more tomorrow. I also purchased hardware to make a gate in the fence, so weather permitting tomorrow will be a work on the fence day. THis project is coming along faster than I anticipated! The next big step after the fence is jackhammering the sidewalk out so the flagstone walkways can be laid. Still deciding on whether to use mortar or plant ground cover in between. I really like the creeping woolly thyme that I put in amongst the stone steps going up the hill in the back yard...

A semi-productive day.

ashcats03 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:20:57 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:20 am (GMT 0)

In spite of being sick with a sinus infection I am still drawn to the gardens whenever it is not raining. My efforts to rid the Cottage garden area of maple tree helicopters seems to be in vain. They are the bane of my early summer existence! I found a nice landscaping place and picked up a small load of flagstone to start piecing together my walkways. Hopefully the weather and kids will cooperate tomorrow and I can get some more fence work done.

progress update

ashcats03 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:42:04 -0400

Author: ashcats03
Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:42 am (GMT 0)

I have been working hard over the last couple of months to create the area where my cottage garden will go. First was cutting and removing all of the grass. What a difficult job! After that was done, I created a rock wall planting area around a large birch tree in the yard. Now I am in the process of putting up the white picket fence. Post hole digging is a lot of work. Once the fence is done, the existing sidewalk needs to come out and the flagstone walkways need to go in. If I can get all of this done by fall I will be pleased!