A Spot of Rain

I am in the throes of frustration. I have bought a new phone. My new phone is 5 upgrades.  That should tell you all you need to know. It is making me crazy trying to get all set up where I can easily use it. Yet it gets worse. I can't figure out how to download photos to where I want them. Needless to say I went into the garden to try to find comfort. Found it I did.

As you can see on one of the last daylilies blooming in the garden we got a spot of rain today. I emptied 1/2 inch from the rain gauge and a bonus was there was a drowned Japanese Beetle in the gauge. Does that sound mean? I don't think so. The rascal was probably buzzing around looking for lunch when it fell into the gauge.

A nice result from this bit of moisture is that one of the last of the tall lilies opened. It was waiting for a good drink of rain. I had watered it yesterday but it wasn't satisfied until the clouds cooperated.

The beautiful Strawberry Vanilla Hydrangea perked right up too. It is covered with blooms. My favorite hydrangea. 

Another that benefited from this shot of moisture is the tiny start of my moss garden. 

You can't see it very well but it is growing. I need to get out there and pull some grass and weeds from around the moss as it grows. 

I am pleased that you can actually see the moss patch now. If I can just keep the violets out of it all will be well.

And finally the little patch of tall garden phlox was wafting fragrance on the heavy air. The best aroma therapy.  It gave me the sense of calm I needed.  

I hope you are having a calm restorative time. 

Cha Cha Changes

If you have read my blog very long you will have seen this water feature. I made it 21 years ago by digging out a hole and filled it with concrete. I think it took 3 bags of concrete. It has been so long ago I hardly remember. I also smushed rocks, shells etc collected on trips into the edges while the concrete was wet. My Garden Journal for that time doesn't mention how much concrete but I remember having to go back for more than I originally thought I needed.  I initially was disappointed because I wanted a shallow spot where birds could bathe. Since I made it a little deeper and larger than I anticipated I put a pump in it and let it go. I have a soft spot in my heart for it as it hasn't ever cracked and we have seen so many birds come to it. 

The area slopes down from the patio to this area so I put a little dry creek in. Now the times are changing and so am I. I hated stooping down to clean it out etc. Couldn't be that I am getting older.? No surely not. After so many years I wanted something different.

Since I didn't really want to get rid of it I figured I could find another place in the garden for it. That is  IF we could get it out of the ground unbroken. If it broke apart as we pried it out of the ground that would be it. It must be tougher than a chunk of iron. We got it out and moved it to this spot by the screen house.   I like the way it looks like a big mushroom sitting there.

The hole left behind had to be dealt with. I didn't have enough compost to fill this hole and level it.  I had to purchase  4 bags of 2 cuft of garden soil. That pretty well filled it.  Then I planted some ferns, moved some rocks etc.  The area is still evolving.

With the birthday money I got from my Dad  I bought this fountain. I love the sound of the water trickling. I really like the ease of cleaning it and keeping it full. 

After the Gray Catbird heard the tinkling of the dripping water...

She gave her tail wave of approval. I am quite pleased with this new arrangement too. 

If you look off the other end of the patio you see what might first appear to be a big black hole there too. Naw not really.

It is a beautiful new pot I also acquired this week. I found this pot as I was shopping at a nursery for some plants to put around the new fountain.  

I planted some of my mini hostas in it. Blue Mouse Ears in in the center and the Church Mouse is the other dark green one on the right. Are you seeing a theme here? 

I can tell you that I need a new rock that says Mouse Trap instead of Garden of Weedin. 

I still have some plants that need planting, rocks that need moving, mulching and other changes.

It is too hot to carry on with any more changes right now. That gives me something to look forward to when it cools down again.  Are you doing any changing in your garden?