Sunshine on my Shoulder

Last week, when I was planting the hollies in the front bed, I mentioned in my blog that I wanted to introduce some color into the bed by planting more daylilies and some perennials.

Since it was so lovely and sunny this weekend, I was eager to get out and plant a little sunshine of my own.

I've already got several daylilies in the bed. Unfortunately I have no idea which they are, having lost the piece of paper on which I had all the varieties marked out on paper.  I do know, however, they are mostly reds and yellows, so when selecting some varieties to plant this weekend, I opted for the sunny hues of El Desperado and Strawberry Fields Forever. 

The Little Path to Nowhere, that I put in that bed at the beginning of February, is working out even better than I could have hoped. It made it so much easier to have stepping stones that I could stand/kneal on while planting the bulbs.

When I was done planting, I turned my attention to the back yard, where I had noticed patches of green where there shouldn't be any...

Even as recently as last year, I would have gone after them with Round Up (in fact, I did).

But I'm making efforts to use less chemicals in the garden, and maintain a healthier environment.  So instead, I used a little hand tool that popped them right out.

And since I was on a roll, I looked around the back garden with a critical eye and decided it was time to relocate some plants.

When we planted the grape vine last year, my husband told me that one he had in his garden in California was a bush type.  Not knowing any better, we expected this one to be a bush type also, but it very quickly proved that wasn't the case and within a couple of months, it was crowding out the purple fountain grass.

Since I had already decided to remove the (apparently dead) oleander from its spot next to the utility boxes, today seemed as good a day as any to get that chore done and make a new spot for the fountain grass at the same time.

I hope it likes its new home and that it rewards me by putting up new growth in a month or so.

On the other side of the utility boxes, the other (dead) oleander posed more of a challenge to remove.  As you can see from the photo below, I apparently planted it right on top of the telephone cable last year!

I got it out using hand tools, cutting the roots one at a time, and lifting it carefully out of the ground.  I found the phone line too, so I was careful not to damage it. 

I think that area is now calling out for a large container with plants in -- I won't be planting in the ground there again!

All in all, a very productive weekend and, as always, my feathered friends were keeping me company.

Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.