The Secret Patio After One Year

Secret Patio newly constructed February 2009 looking south toward the garage.

From In the Garden

I thought I might update everyone on my Secret Patio project from nearly two years ago. That original post talked of my building a circular brick patio made entirely from salvaged bricks I received from a fellow Freecycler.The patio was completed about this time in 2009 with the addition of a very large serviceberry tree. The first summer the patio gardens grew and did well. That was in 2009; which of course you all know we had a pretty good summer as far as rainfall. That was a big relief because it enabled all of the new plantings to settle in nicely which brings us to this past summer, the summer of 2010.

Secret Patio gardens looking west.

From In the Garden

These pictures were taken mid June 2010 and I tell you I just love how it all turned out. This is one garden I won't have to be moving any shrubs or trees-that's a first for me. The serviceberry (directly straight ahead on the other side of the chaise) has come along nicely and is doing well. I did not get a bloom from it last year though. I'm not sure why but hope this is a better year for both blooms and berries. The two 'Tamukeyama' Japanese maples I brought down from Maine in the back of a pick up truck provide a nice frame for the 'Royal Star' magnolia planted in the foregarden. Columbines, bleeding hearts, Solomon's Seal, a leucothoe 'Rainbow', a yellow twig dogwood, and miscellaneous other perennials round out the repertoire in these Secret Patio gardens. 


I call this area the 'Secret Patio' not only because it is tucked into the gardens and you can't even tell it is there until you get close to it, but also because it is in a convenient place for Mr. Fix-it to relax away from his GARAGE. He'll be doing a lot more relaxing because he is retiring from the Army very soon after a more than twenty year career.

Secret Patio looking south toward the garage.

From In the Garden

Now if I could only find the time to relax and enjoy the new sitting area....away from the GARDEN....


in the garden....it would be so sweet!

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Cotton

By SKEETER,

We left our Georgia Garden during the week of Thanksgiving. The Saint had a business trip to attend in Florida. He took a few days of vacation so I tagged along for a bit of fun in the sun. We must travel back highways for some time until we meet up with the Interstate headed this direction. I enjoy traveling the back roads as you never know what one might see along the way. Just look at what our eyes spotted within an hour of our journey. Fields of Cotton!
Of course I had the Saint pull the car to the side of the road for a photo op. He hates when I have him do this but on back roads there is not much traffic so I do not hesitate asking him for such small joys in life.

*Thanks sweet Saint for pulling over when I know you did not want to...

Not only did we spot fields of cotton but also bales of the white fluff.
Not pure white as there is some debris within. Where is Eli Whitney and his Cotton Gin ?
This field was stripped of the clothes making materials. The South Plains of the United States is the largest contiguous cotton growing region in the world.
A few late blooming balls remained. I did not bother the cotton as I feared a shotgun in my face. I just snapped pictures then off we went on down the road.
In this field the tarps on the cotton were blue in color. The first field had green tarps. I wonder if that has a meaning, like belonging to a different farmer or different quality of cotton. Hum, one can only wonder when they do not know too much about cotton crops....
Soon after we had gotten back onto the road, we came upon a truck filled with one of the huge bales.
I can only wonder what will be made from this COTTON, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden