The Blog: 2011
2011

January:  How we'd love to get started out in the garden but the weather is not cooperating. We've had so much rain the bottom
of the garden looks like a lake! I've ordered a few interesting items from Bluestone Perennials. Now, if only I can remember
where I intended to put them when they arrive in April.

February:  Good grief! It's so cold and wet! We should be starting to do a few things in the garden but it's too miserable to go
outside. Christino came and cleaned up the debris and some leaves on the lawn. I usually get out there around Presidents Day to
cut back the ornamental grasses and prune the roses. Not this year! We went to the Tacoma Home & Garden show and each of
us got a $20 gift card to Windmill Gardens.

March:  There has been only a couple days this month that were dry and warm enough to get out into the garden. Managed to
get the roses pruned and grasses cut back. Gordon took the covers off the fountains. He's been putting Rid Moss down on the
lawn. There is a lot more moss than usual this year. Christino came twice this month to rake out the moss. It's still much colder
than usual and our rainfall is two inches over normal. We've seen deer in the back garden and I went out after them with the air
pistol. They just look at me like I'm crazy. I stop at the property line and they look back to see if I'm going to follow them. Put
down slug bait and sprayed the plants deer especially like.

April:  The Ribes sanguineum is blooming, along with the hellebores, brunnera, hepatica, primroses, and epimediums. I cleaned
out the bed in front of the living room window and am hoping the two Dichroa febrifuga come back. Everything seems to be so
late this year... except the weeds. Went to Windmill to shop. We bought another nice pot, some vegetable starts, and annuals.
It's still too cold to put them out so they'll stay in the greenhouse until it warms up. There was frost on the ground this morning!
It's the last week of April and it's still cold and wet. We've had a couple dry days in the 50s but the lower garden is still a sodden
mess. Gordon is working on the tractor (mower) and hopes to have it working again tomorrow. Birthday presents this week
included a welcome sign for the garden and a mosaic glass fire pot. What fun!