Gardening

Last month I was rereading one of Alaric Albertsson's books( think it was 'To Walk a Pagan Path') and there was a chapter on creating a calendar meaningful to where you actually live...so I decided that this was going to be one of my projects for this yr.
It's pretty simple; just Journal what happens each month in the natural world around you. I live presently in E Tennessee and actually, the Solstices and Equinoxes pretty well "map" here in Loudon County but we can fine tune things.
This yr, of course, had to be anomalous;>! Normally, within a couple weeks of Winter Solstice we get temps in the high teens. This yr until last week it had actually got to 70F! Now, it's "seasonal" with today in the 40's.Due to the warmth my neighbor's early Daffs budded up and right now they don't look like they'd recover. Me? Mine are breaking ground and at least one Snowdrop has buds, though most are just breaking ground a well.
We've also got Canadian Geese, Ducks and at least one Heron here on the inlet....a BIT early.
Preliminary name for 1st month; "Frikkn Freezing Moon";>!
Cheers,
Pat

Started propagating some of the more "iffy" plants in my garden. Either they're tender in our zone or will rot if the Winter's too wet.
Got a couple of Salvias done: 'Black & Blue' as well as a collected form of splendid(MUCH bigger than the dwarf forms you find in the garden centers). Also collected some tubercules from the Amorphophallus bulbifer plants. They're hardy here but if it's too wet they'll rot(clay soil). I've had no luck blooming them here though in Florida some Winters they would. They look about like a cross between Calla Lilies and Skunk cabbage, pink through purpleish. Smell like roadkill, not skunk....unfortunately;>! Thankfully, only strongly the 1st couple of days opening.
May do some propagating of hardy plants too this weekend. I've a Gardenia and a Dbl Oakleaf Hydrangea that I wouldn't mind spreading around. Cheers,
Pat

So, I'm sitting on my porch, smoking a Hobbit/Churchwarden pipe, looking downhill to the TVA reservoir cove we live above, watching the birds and bees. Nice.....
This yr I planted Balsam Impatiens in the elevated beds along the N side of the house. My brother, Bless him's heart was in the right place when he put them in before we moved here but he's basically the anti-gardener. He can grow a lawn and that's about it so he didn't know that the N side of a house limits what you can grow. It'd be perfect for mini Hostas but they'd basically be tv trays for deer! I've had/have plenty of Tiarella/heucheras, Bleeding Hearts, Cyclamen and Columbine so after Spring blooms are a bit scarce. I'd originally planned to plant the Balsams in the E garden but with health issues this yr I wasn't able to go about on my knees so I just stuffed them in where there was space. So far they're Mauve and Lilac the former much more vigorous. The Bumblebees love them, esp the Mauves.
Lost pretty much all Lilies not far in the back of the beds to deer. Don't like the leaves but the blossoms?!?
With all the Rain we had this Spring I've lost about 1/2 my Lavender cultivars. Thankfully, most of those were Lavandins and the more sweet(and edible) angustifolias oddly were the survivors...including one vera from seed!
Unfortunately, with the various health issues and accompanying md visits I've hadn't the time, energy or md clearance(just had a spinal electric pain reliever installed 2 weeks ago) to even spend time smoking my pipe and watching the birds(and for you "woo-folk", Nature Spirits;>), let alone keep my beds up. Thankfully, things are slowed WAY down and starting this week I can do more than I have. Got the front 3 ft of the W front yard bed weeded and gave the Salvias a bit of a late "Chelsey Chop";>.
Slow and easy does it!
Cheers, Pat