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I received a garden catalog this spring, and after viewing all the colorful glossy photos, I eagerly sent them a check. When my items arrived, I noticed my rosa rugosas were sticks, my siberian elm smelled awful, the washington hawthorne was almost indestinguishable from the weeping willow, hydrangea, and tree rose of sharon. But,I lost five lbs.from all the work I didn't anticipate.
I dug, spaded, raked, and heaved sack after 40lb, sack of potting soil, sand,and mulch to each site. By June,just as my neighbor friendly fence was getting tall, my neighbor said if it grew on his side, he was getting out his shears. So much for neighbor friendly. My rosa rugosas became infested with spider mites, My moonflower vine is green and growing, but no flowers yet,the rose of sharon grew tiny blossoms that fell off, the giant hibiscus got mealybugs(yuk)my hydrangea dried up, and someone told me to get rid of the willow." It'll strangle your plumbing!" I didn't get rid of it, but maybe I should've. Now in July everything is finally coming together. I wanted a natural refuge for all things wild and free and just this week I've seen three contented screech owls, blue jay families, cardinals, rabbits, squirrels, worms, snakes, spiders. All feel safe here in my world with me, my adult son, 3 chihuahuas, and 4 labradors. it was all worth it after all.

I live in: United States

My zone is: z5Ne

First registered on July 25,2004.