Judy's Spring Day

Yeah! A dry & sunny day.
I’m getting a bit picky on the kind of day I will play in my garden.
I won’t go out if it’s a steady down pour anymore.
Today was a perfect garden weather day.
I had a To-Do list of just 5 tasks. I’m trying to work smarter in the garden & not over do at one kind of job.
Task 1 – I finally trimmed back a few winter damaged branches on the Silver Dollar Eucalyptus. It’s about 10 ft tall & helping to shade some Rhodies in the back yard.
While I had all the trimming tools out, I did shape the crown a little. It looks much better & I even brought in some stems for a flower arrangement.
Task 2 – I am still in the process of deadheading perennials. I cut back the old flowering stems of Asters, Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium) & Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’.
These plants are just emerging so I didn’t damage any new foliage.
I had taken care of the earlier emerging perennials weeks ago so I’m still ahead of the game.
Task 3 – I am a bit late on stringing up my 4 Clematis that form a wall of foliage & flowers at my back deck.
They are Tall! 2 plants were already 3 ft. high.
I use fishing line strung from an eyehook at the top of the eave to a tent stake pushed in at the base of the Clematis.
The vine then travels up the line & flowers in June & July. I have a beautiful green screen all Summer.
Task 4 – Weeding, the Zen of my garden tasks. I know that sounds kind of strange, but that’s what it feels like.
I have a weedy patch to work on & my mind concentrates on that process. I don’t think of anything else but weeding. I used to get anxious about the weed issue. I’ve relaxed my stance on weeds, sometimes too much, but I do get to them before too long.
I work smarter by bending correctly & taking more breaks. And that leads to...
Task 5 – I took a walk around my garden. This wasn’t really a ‘task’,
I needed a break from weeding. I checked plants out, what was coming up and what was finished blooming. I saw the new little figs forming on the ‘Desert King’ Fig. I also saw the huge flower buds on my orange Oriental Poppy and I picked lettuce for dinner. I did made a few mental notes for the next ‘Task’ List.
Enjoy your task list too.
Judy