indigo pears

Another part of being home now...I am becoming familiar with some tools. Especially the second from the left which is a wonderful weeding tool! It can dig out dandelions which have roots so strong and straight. [I once read that the Chinese name for dandelion is literally "nail root"]. "Nail roots" are hard to pull out! So today, with appreciation of perfect glorious weather, and the ground still soft from recent rains, I took the tool and attacked the "situation".

The "situation" is not good, the weeds have out maneuvered the mulch and desired ground cover around our huge old elm tree! Knee deep they are! See the dandelions????

Common vetch is another invasive weed which is thriving here!

"Common Vetch is a quick growing annual plant that produces paired pink to reddish purple flowers along the expanse of its length. It climbs over surrounding vegetation and favours neutral or alkali grassy banks and meadows, and situations where the grass is cut in the autumn. "

It also favors our front yard and climbs over everything in this bed!!! Below is a random shot of the bed. We planted and wanted the silver leaf ground cover. Everything else has to be removed!

So still limber from the yoga class this morning, I started in. I felt powerful, using my new tool, getting those "nail roots" (some 5" long) of dandelions to come easing out of the dark moist ground and tossing them into the bin. Many earth worms were also uprooted and carefully returned to the bed.

After about 30 minutes, of bending and pulling, I had made some headway. Maybe 10 square feet. Still not pristine, but better. [I'm thinking about the power of fashion and expectations of others in the neighborhood. If I were living in a cabin in the woods, my time would not be spent doing this. Dandelions would be my friends. I might even plan a meal or two around them, grow them for medicinal uses....who knows. Oh, the price we pay for our "civilization", I thought!]

Obviously, the fun was leaving this activity. Then I saw again my old archenemy, with 3 leaves and a bit of red on it's green stem. Poison ivy! I think it is time to stop weeding for now!

There are other tasks which need me. These impatients are still waiting to be planted. So I'll get another of those tools and make them happy (and me too!).

First I check on one more garden... on the east side of the yard, is a little garden ,where, 4 or 5 years ago I planted an "Endless Summer" hydrangea. It had not done anything other than sit there for several years, small, and making me wonder whether I should transplant it.

This spring, hurray! It has buds. Maybe it WILL bloom all summer!