Late this afternoon, I grabbed the old carpet piece I use to sit on the ground and my little short handle shovel-I noticed that a lot of my perennials are still there amongst all that mint-That had me smiling. When we had that water leak from our well up above the rock wall-it flooded this area most of last summer. So I am surprised my plants survived. Most all of these perennials I grew from seeds.
I had planted different varieties of milkweed, and bee balm and others. Since we have had so much rain this area is easy to dig up-so I worked on digging mint away from these plants. I hear thunder as I am typing this tonight-so I guess we are in for more rain. I had thought it was moving on but guess not, more rain tomorrow night as well
I grabbed the camera
The two plants to the right still had the marker-milkweed plants. I love the wild violets here so after digging up the mint in this area I replanted the violets-in the middle.
This next photo is just to the left of above that includes those wild violets. There is a perennial in the photo to the left that I don't know what it is all that green is mint-it is that thick everywhere
This next photo is a little more to the left again-you can really see all that mint-ugh-and you can see the shallots. These were brought back many many years ago from Larry's grandfather's visit to Israel. When ever we moved we brought them with us. They did not do well at the woods house but they love it here have multiplied quite a bit this past year-perhaps from all that water.
Those panels in the back are parts to a lift for Larry to avoid the steps-hoping we can get that done soon. There are a lot of iris's getting ready to bloom a long the rock wall
Below is our patch of shallots-so happy these spread. I will work on getting the mint out of this area next. There is another perennial in the front left corner. I won't know what these are until they bloom. These were all planted to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and bees.
This is another photo in the area of the first photo-you can see this old stump-that holds that very large copper pot. A bunch of perennials in this area too that I don't remember what they are. That spiky plant to the right in front may be a yucca-if it is I will dig it out. For some reason many people plant these yuccas-and they spread like crazy-I don't like them-and I just noticed it here in this photo. Our neighbor has a bunch of them so they plant themselves in the area.
The photos will enlarge-just click on them.
Well, I am off to read a little bit while listening to the rain storm coming through
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Mints can take over the place, for sure. My back is a bit out of whack from doing so much digging and bending. I have cat mint in an old bottomless tub. It helps keep the deer away from the garden. Rain and a good book are the perfect combo. Take care!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Mary-you take care of yourself too-hugs thanks for the tip about catmint-we have deer here-last year they ate all the flowers on our water lilies-sigh
DeleteI've never had my mint spread like that but everyone says it does, so I'm glad mine died. That sounds weird, doesn't it? Good luck with the gardening. And I hope you completely de-mint your garden too Kathy. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteGood morning some mints spread more than others. this is chocolate mint and really spreads, I had apple mint at the woods house and that one grew tall and really spread too-all that water from the well accelerated the growth spread too last year. today we are back to cold and rain
DeleteOMGosh love yuccas....one of the few things that grow good here and spread! Yes! Funny how things are different depending on your environment... I would pay money for that yucca...lol... Red yucca is blooming everywhere around town here... so pretty.. Wow that mint has grown like crazy! So glad your shallots are doing well Kathy! What a nice heirlooom!!! Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteood morning, I never liked yuccas-to me they belong in a dry or dessert situation they spread like crazy and have very long tap roots so difficult to get rid of. our neighbor to the right of us as a whole row of yuccas on the property line-so when they flower and go to seed-they spread everywhere-I am constantly digging them out. ugh I can see them more in the setting where you are now. for some reason a lot of Missouri citizens brought them here.
DeleteI am very excited that the shallots spread and are happy where they are now-I know all that too much well water helped them too.
Your photos look fabulous. Glad your flowers are coming up. My mint too over and I had to cut it all back. Everything looks very healthy too.
ReplyDeleteLots of hard work digging up that mint I am so glad I never got it in my gardens I have had pots of it but since I do not like mint much, I don't replace them. When I eat mint all I can think of is toothpaste. I have walking onions and chives in my garden and both are doing very well.
ReplyDeleteCathy
There are so many different mints to choose from now-I love the scent of the mints-but will place it in a pot if there is a next time. I started some chives from seed this year--do they winter over?
DeleteYou've been busy! That's a good idea about the carpet piece!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, yes and there is just soooo much outdoor work to catch up on-we are back to cooler and rain again too this old carpet piece is perfect for sitting down on the ground to work
DeleteI sometimes wish that we had soil that was conducive to planting and growing things. Then I see your photos and am reminded at how much work it is to maintain a garden or any plantings for that matter! Love yours though!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, gardening is always a lot of work-I always had a large veggie garden that I harvested and put up never much in flowers. at the woods house the soil was so horrible but with amendments I had a smaller veggie garden for us. here at the lake house I tried a few tomatoes but the chipmunks and squirrels ate them all-everyone haha. so now I have been attempting a flower garden of perennials for the butterflies mostly and hummingbirds and bees. the leak in our well has made a mess of this area- but hoping to get this under control but we are getting lots of rain oh well that's mother nature
DeleteIf you access to those big plastic tubs that farmers and ranchers have when they buy minerals I think it is-those make great tubs for gardenng-just drill a bunch of holes in the bottom and I put a lot of gravel type stones on the bottom or can be larger and fill with container garden soil it's all contained and can grow flowers or veggies with less work once set up
Yeah that does look like a yucca. I dont like them either. Glad the shallots survived because of the memories. I regretted not trying to take my great aunts wild rose bush. The flowers were a beautiful red....but in a way glad I did not because we have just too many snakes here with the state land nearby. It seems more are coming around every year and am not fond of them. Snakes need thorns to shed there skin. I know because I use to have bayberry shrubs here...had to dig them out because too many snakes were hanging around. Good luck with getting rid of your mint. It will be a chore. Janice
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Missouri has lots of snakes too more so at our woods home. sometimes it is hard to transplant a large flowering bush too and have it survive. do have the poisonous snakes too? we had the copperheads-those were scary when all of sudden they are right there
DeleteHow wonderful that the shallots are developing so beautifully! A double joy.
ReplyDeleteI also have mint in my garden. Years ago, I bought a small plant that I planted in a rose bed. There are now three rose bushes in the bed, and everything below is covered in mint. It's incredible how it's spreading. In the summer, I add it fresh to cold drinks, like strawberries with a bit of lemon, water, and fresh mint. Many greetings and an hug to you Kathy.
Viola.
Yes this mint would make a great ground cover if I wasn't trying to create a perennial flower bed-smiles I love mint too-nice just in a glass of water too.
DeleteHappy new week Hugs
Always so much to do in the garden ...
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend.
All the best Jan
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/
Yes Happy weekend-hugs
DeleteGosh, that's a lot of mint! Are they all the same variety? Have a wonderful new week ahead, Kathy.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, yes this is all from about 4 small plants of chocolate mint-we had a water leak from our well so I guess the mint loved that haha huge job for sure
DeleteYay to the plants! And, ohhhh, a rain storm! I´d love to hear that! Hugs to you and the lake!
ReplyDeleteGood morning pulling weeds this morning no rain finally
DeleteYou have been busy in such a great way! I enjoyed your photos and post very much. Thank you so much for sharing, and warm greetings from a 68 year old lady living in Montreal, Canada. :)
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon, so glad you dropped by for a visit. I am a 75 year old lady-haha. Greetings from Lake in the Ozarks Missouri
DeleteKathy, I was tired after reading about all the work you ere doing to get rid of that over-reaching mint, but think of all the mint ice tea and juleps you could enjoy...or not.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, yes this is such a huge job and now I am having a lot of back issues-always something. so I have been working on the other side of the steps pulling weeds and soon planting flower seeds and plant I started. needed a break from the mint this is chocolate mint so may dry a little for teas
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