Mostly about memorial day weekend...

I hope everyone had a long and enjoyable weekend. There is nothing like a three day weekend for getting all of those projects that you know you should do, but never have the time for. It is also good for relaxing in case anyone did that. If you read my last post, you know I am planning a fragrant garden right now, so there was a bit of research and shopping to do. Also, there were a few parts of our yard that had been overrun in the last month. Things around here seem to have noticed that it isn't winter anymore and are growing like crazy. The weeds are trying to double their size overnight - and succeeding! I won't bore you with the details, but there was some weed whacking, mowing, digging, planning, weeding, shoveling, poisoning, and playing. All lots of fun!
The roses are all just about to bloom. A few have poked their heads out ahead of time, but they will all be in bloom by the end of the week. Right now is a very fun time if you are an avid rose gardener because there is flower proof of all of the love and fertilizer you have been putting into them. I added a few roses this year so they are a little behind the rest, but seem to be coming along nicely.

I also added a rustic wisteria trellis to the other side of our porch as it always tries to climb everything it can. (I've tried to kill it for the last two years, but like some one who might have been wise once said, "if you can't beat them, join them." So not we are going to let it grow) Here are five simple steps if you want to make one like it. 

1) plant a butterfly bush approximately 10 years ago.

2) let it grow, and grown, and grow until nice thick canes are there, then have an ice storm that kills half of the bush.

3) cut the dead branches into relatively straight pieces.

4) tie or screw the branches to each other

5) feel satisfied that you didn't spend any money and it has that rustic feel!

Last of all, here is a list of what we are going to have in our fragrance garden. Feel free to stick your oar in if you feel like there is a need.

Korean lilac.    

Mock orange (tall).     

Ludwig spaeth lilac.  

Sensation lilac

Bloomerang purple lilac. 

Charles Joly Lilac

Skimmia.  

Carol mackie daphne.     

Summer ice daphne       

Daphne adora.      

Harlequin glory bower         

Black negligee actaea.  

Chaste tree.      

Pink dawn viburnum

Bridal bouquet abelia. 

Heliotrope   

Winter sweet    

Sweet box. 

Stoppable ground cover -Corsican mint or thyme

Star jasmine

Honey suckle 

I wanted to see how it would all look, so I taped it out with painters tape (we had some extra, emphasis on had) To me it look great. I can see each bush, plant, and bench and even start to smell some of the fragrance. To our neighbor, it looked more like I was loosing my mind. He got quite a quizzical look on his face and said, "What is that supposed to be?" I just answered it is my new garden! At least he'll have a good story to tell his friends at work.