Phaedra's Adventure

[akroberts]

It's great you like it, Steve. Let me share the night mode~

I hope, the emtire pond area will turn into a very lovely spot in another few weeks.
View attachment 65821

That's a beautiful space for day or night. I want to make an area of my yard and oasis but I don't have the money for it

 

[Alasgun]

Many folks ignore “local materials” when considering yard art.
The ends of Beaver cut trees can be applied in a creative fashion and be the basis for any number of arrangements. Arranged ( helter skelter) as they would be in nature then plant flowers between them along with some river rock and your off and running.

 

[Phaedra]

That's a beautiful space for day or night. I want to make an area of my yard and oasis but I don't have the money for it

Hey, cheer up. Our garden is a true nightmare for many people, because tremendous effort and time are needed to maintain it. This might be the reason why nobody bought it for a while, and we (DH and I) had totally no idea about that as we are city kids. After we moved in, I did so many ridiculous mistakes along the way - I am still working to correct some of them today.

An oasis has no specific definition and needs no adjectives. While trying to understand, re-arrange, and integrate the legacy garden designs, I never stop creating all kinds of micro-oasis based on the materials and ideas I have.

For example, I am exploring how to make small-sized ponds that are mobile and wild-life friendly. We have a lotus pond built by the first house owner, but it doesn't me I have to be limited in his design.

This is already the version 3, and it's a very wallet-friendly and forgiving design. I didn't finish it yet, but I am already excited and can imagine how it will look like by the end of tomorrow.

The best super power we have is to create from things we have.

 

[Phaedra]

Okay, I just did some not that pleasant work in the afternoon - dividing the mini water-lilies I bought three years ago and brought back from my FIL's garden. Uh, I didn't plant to divide them at all, but it is slimy and smelly, yuck.

I took them out from the original container and tried to took off the old, whatever growing media. I discarded most of them in the compost, and then, tried to rinse the plants. At the end, I divided them and repotted four larger clumps with aqua soil. Two very tiny plants are kept in smaller pots and sit now in a bucket.

I also dug out some marginal plants from the lotus pond area and used them for this small water feature. After watching some Youtube videos talking about such mini wildlife-friendly ponds - it's never too old to learn and to create. I never know that there are so many things to consider while setting such ponds with containers.

Anyway, I will add a solar fountain tomorrow, and the 2024 version can be temporarily done.

The flower bed on the border - plants start growing slowly. The warm weather is helpful, but when we have some rain in the coming week, they might grow even quicker.

Many young leaves and shoots were killed during last frost - but now, the other dormant buds are waking and doing their jobs, how wonderful!

The bearded Irises I planted last year, can't wait to see their showy flowers.

Today's baking - one dough, three different final products

Milk Loaf with Adzuki Beans

Cheese buns

Strawberry and coconut rolls

DD is back from a two-week travel, so I also start making cold drinks - black tea and milk tea

 

[akroberts]

I have been working on getting my thought process to create a garden area that is more about wildlife than people. It is difficult to do when 90 percent of the yard is weeds and rocks, solid as a brick and almost 100 percent not able to dig in. The dry season makes it that much harder. I know I will continue doing the work it takes to make it a beautiful space. I will also post pictures after I get done with it.

 

[Phaedra]

My beloved Peony is blossoming! I ordered it in 2022 spring, received and planted the tuber in 2022 autumn. Last year, it offered one flower, and this year, although I transplanted it (and Peonies don't like such kind of moving), there are 5 flower buds. Today, the first one is blossoming.

I will cut the flowers soon, so the plant can save the energy. This is so far the most expensive variety I have ever purchased, and well, it's absolutely worthy.

And with all the hard work and blessing, the final examination from the authority was done this morning. My tiny Café can finally operate from now on.

The water feature #2 looks lovely now, and I think, for such small container ponds, regular washing and changing water is necessary.

Rhododendron season also starts.

Last week, when I cleaned the lotus pond area, I fell in love with my electric trimmer again. It's such a cost-effective device, but it worked like a pro. Today, I tried to use it to clean the edges of the pavers...OMG, why I didn't use it earlier?

The edges were cleaned in a very short time, and then, the mower took care of the follow-ups.

I harvested a lot of salad greens.

DH didn't like any kind of raw salad, but he loves when I pan-fry them. Therefore, most of the varieties I selected belongs to the iceberg or romaine lettuce - they can remain a bit crunchiness if I add them at the last 30 secs of pan-frying. We also love to use them in the fried rice.

 

[Dahlia]

My beloved Peony is blossoming! I ordered it in 2022 spring, received and planted the tuber in 2022 autumn. Last year, it offered one flower, and this year, although I transplanted it (and Peonies don't like such kind of moving), there are 5 flower buds. Today, the first one is blossoming.

View attachment 65889

I will cut the flowers soon, so the plant can save the energy. This is so far the most expensive variety I have ever purchased, and well, it's absolutely worthy.
View attachment 65890

And with all the hard work and blessing, the final examination from the authority was done this morning. My tiny Café can finally operate from now on.

The water feature #2 looks lovely now, and I think, for such small container ponds, regular washing and changing water is necessary.
View attachment 65891
Rhododendron season also starts.
View attachment 65892
View attachment 65893

Last week, when I cleaned the lotus pond area, I fell in love with my electric trimmer again. It's such a cost-effective device, but it worked like a pro. Today, I tried to use it to clean the edges of the pavers...OMG, why I didn't use it earlier?

The edges were cleaned in a very short time, and then, the mower took care of the follow-ups.
View attachment 65894

I harvested a lot of salad greens.
View attachment 65895

View attachment 65896

DH didn't like any kind of raw salad, but he loves when I pan-fry them. Therefore, most of the varieties I selected belongs to the iceberg or romaine lettuce - they can remain a bit crunchiness if I add them at the last 30 secs of pan-frying. We also love to use them in the fried rice.

View attachment 65897

This is the month of the most flowers blooming everywhere for us! There are wild pink rhododendrons that bloom in the forests around here in a week!

 

[Phaedra]

Geum 'Apricot Pearl' - I bought the bare root and planted it last spring, but there was no flower at all. Then, I forgot it, until it decided to bloom.

Same as Thalictrum

Lupine starts to show some colors - this year, I have about 10 plants in different corners.

My first Kenzan pinholder - a bit too small, I know.

The under-tree table becomes a shelf for potted lettuces and other young plants growing from seeds.

I harvested a lot of chives and sent them into the freezer.

And...I love clearance sales! 50%-off, so, I ordered new Gladiolus, Phlox, Nerine, Iris, and Agapanthus.

 

[flowerbug]

our first large purple bearded iris is out now. a bit earlier than usual. always so pretty, plus i love the smell of them AND I'M NOT ALLERGIC OR REACTIVE TO THEM!!!!!! yippee!!!!!

 

[Phaedra]

Rained in the morning, so I only did some weeding when the rain paused. The rest of the time, just enjoy reading gardening magazine and Netflix.

Bobo and Momo were doing their sniffing here and there while I was weeding. It seems that they like the same spot.

The soft pink one is even more adorable after rain.

There are already several buds from the water lilies.

Siberia Irises start to flower first.

Yellow-orange Honeysuckle also starts!

Yummy purple asparagus!