Bloom Where You're Planted-Urban Gardening in Philly: One Area At A Time

Although summer doesn't arrive for weeks, no one told the weather this. We've been in a drought for a month and the fact that everything hasn't dried up is amazing. At this moment it's thundering and raining. I bet the ground won't even reflect that it's rained in the morning. It feels like the tropics here in Philly humid and sultry. The type of weather I hate. I can tolerate the heat but combine it with humidity, and it's almost unbearable. And the worst has not come. We still have 3 months of summer.

I was wise yesterday to get out in the yard and start doing some work. There's a lot of work to be done and I only worked on one area before dusk and insects made going inside welcoming. Rain is expected 3 days in the coming week and is predicted to last till next Monday so I won't be in the yard. Maybe I can make some more time after work but they say it's not good to transplant plants in extreme weather. I learned this the hard way last year. The hosta I relocated to another spot yesterday didn't seem to mind, at least not yet. Hostas are so resilient. The yard is a work in progress and still is not a picture of how I'd like it to look although it is greatly transformed from the years when I did nothing with it. Every summer spiders and webs take over my yard. I killed a huge black spider in my house last night. How did such a large one get in the house? My daughter who have died if she saw it. She hates spiders and to see such a large would mean to her; get rid of these plants. That's not happening.

Today I planned to pull the spring vegetables and plant my cucumbers and tomatoes. They'll have to wait. My greatest joy and dilemma is the added sun in the yard since branches from the trees were cut. Previously the yard was dark almost forest like even when the sun was out. Now there is light. Lots of light although there is still dappled shade from the heavy canopy of trees towering above. Cutting lower branches made a huge difference. That was my excuse to buy 2 perennials that I love. A shasta daisy and a banana cream one. I know I'm pressing the limits of dappled shade but lets see. The main problem now is trying to find 2 spots where tree roots aren't, so holes can be dug deep enough for the plants. My last option is to put them in pots. I really want some spots for 2 heuchera. I already planted one. I used Dust earlier in spring to keep slugs off the hosta and it seems to have worked. I couldn't find it yesterday. I also bought another product that is supposed to work before the slugs start eating. Maybe the added light will kill some since they won't have as much darkness to hide in.

The flower bed in shade is becoming what I don't want it to be, a container garden. Why plant in pots when you have ground? Trees are beautiful but tree roots that drink all the water and don't allow digging are a problem. Just to have daisies would be wonderful. As I write this I also envision maybe putting pots among the hosta where there is more sun. I think that would actually work. Sun may also mean no more powdery mildew because the yard is not so shaded anymore. Trees do grow other branches but I can keep the lower branches controlled. I'm really enjoying the added sun although it's hotter in the yard now which means I will have to do some watering this summer or everything will dry up. I bought one bag of mulch yesterday. It was on sale but I didn't want to lug home 5 bags in my car although I need it. My fern and bleeding heart still have plenty of shade. Lets see how it goes this season. I only got to work on one small area. Next time another section.

These have been in my basement since I bought them at 95% off at Home Depot one fall. I love a bargain.

They came out really pretty with a nice spray coating to protect them from water. Eventually they'll rot like all wood does but maybe they'll survive for a few years.

I had to move this hosta. It was hard to dig up.

I'll sit the container off the ground and water can freely drain from the hole in the container.

I planted one heuchera and some impatiens. I like the purple heuchera but these were the darkest ones at the garden center.

This hosta was planted last year and has done well. I moved it from the spot the planter is now in. The Lirope along the boarder should be cut in spring before they bloom and I didn't cut them so they look so bad. I'm thinking of taking my time and cutting the old foilage. This is supposed to stimulate new growth.

Okay that's my second four dollar rose that was abused and not planted. It even bloomed. It's a beautiful rose and smells so sweet and wonderful. Now I can't keep it here but for now until I decide where to plant it.

Isn't it beautiful! I know rose growers are laughing. Laugh in a few years when I show it to you.

If this could be planted in the ground in this spot, that would be nice. But that would never happen because you can't dig deep here and it would compete with tree roots for water.

That's my rose in the shade.

I hope these lilies are pink. I bought pink and red ones but haven't seen any pink in bloom yet.

Those are sweet potatoes. I've never tried any potatoes. I have just the spot for it. It was hot yesterday. Can't come out without that Thermacell device for mosquitoes, and of course water. What was I doing with that butter knife? Absolutely nothing. Too lazy to get a screw driver.