mostlygardening

I don’t have a great picture right now. (I couldn’t see posting until I took one.) But I was looking out my window and see them reaching up, looking to start to bloom in a week or so (a very rough guess). They are an interesting thing in my yard.

When we moved in, the grass area in the backyard was mostly a rectangle of grass that was bordered by a concrete retaining walls on the north and the east, the house and patio on the south, and that ran to the edge of a shady planting area under a big, beautiful Arbutus tree on the west. My intention was to plant along the edges of the retaining wall to the north and a bit around the corner to the east. I’d leave a gap/path to the retaining wall on the east, since it borders a path that gets to the second level, which is to the north of and below this grass area. And I’d make a triangular or quarter circle planting pocket in the south east corner.

I got as far as planting the north east corner and plopping a couple lavender plants along the north edge. (They were intended to be the ‘entry markers’ to a stair way that would lead to the second level that I was talked out of early on.) One lavender is going strong (if not way too overgrown and neglected) but the other one I just recently, accidently ripped out with a hose when I was dragging it from one level to another. I guess that meant it was tired and it was time to go. I’ve wanted to take them out for a while, but the hummingbirds love them so much and they’re in such a nice spot to watch from the family room. But I digress…

…the Lamb’s Ears.

I probably bought a six pack or two 6-7 years ago. I planted a climbing, Collette Rose and a Blue Skies Lilac in the corner. There was a fence along that north side initially, and I was going to put an arch over the path at the steps to the second level. I decided against it so the rose just sprawls. Which I really like. (It smells SO good right now!) The Lamb’s Ears went in on either side of the rose and lilac. a patch along the north wall and a patch along the east wall. They looked great for years. Blooming prolifically. Spreading and spreading. We eventually bought a GREAT fountain, which is nestled into that corner, just out from the rose and lilac. And we got the sprinklers redone. And…we got dogs.

I really didn’t garden for a couple years. Hardly set foot outside. But this year, the dogs are old enough and my interest in gardening has returned. The Lamb’s Ears are gone from the east wall. But along the north, they’re about ready to burst. They’re soft and fluffy and dense. I want to divide them and have them in many more spots around the yard. They’re just wonderful.

But for a while, I just want to enjoy them.