Snow plow problems

 

Here is a tiny border that squeaked in just under the weather

A couple weeks ago, I dug up the vinca bed.

Vinca is also known as periwinkle. (1st picture below which I used in my ad, in that concentrated picture, it looks nice, as a whole bed, not so much).

I dug 1/3 of the vinca bed last spring, cleaned out some invading grass, and then replanted the vinca. I still just did not like it.

While I have other ground cover beds that I love (pachysandra, lily of the valley, ivy), the vinca bed just always looked messy. Even weed free, it was not very clean looking. And it seemed like a waste of a bed.

A neighbor, who has lovely gardens, was over and concurred. In fact at her old house she had done the same thing and eliminated a bed of vinca.

So two Thursday’s ago I posted a “free vinca” ad on Facebook Marketplace. And by Friday, when I had two people willing to pick up that afternoon, I started digging.

My mother came and helped me.

So much vinca! (In the 2nd  picture below with the pool and the cardboard and the wheelbarrow, one person had already picked up two huge boxes full.)

Both people came to pick up the plants. In fact one of them made a second trip for the rest.

It was a very big job, but by the end of the day, it was tidy again (3rd picture).

In fact middle and I rented an edger and cleaned up the lines all along the sidewalk and driveway that same night (4th picture). So it was really tidy.

This past Friday, my mother helped me plant a border in the old vinca bed (5th picture). It has 11 liropa as the outer border. 40 Grape hyacinth bulbs were planted as a second (inner) border (so as the grape hyacinth is dying back, the liropa will come up and cover it).

Rather than digging holes, I dug two wide trenches. I removed all the dirt. My mother planted (the liropa are 12” apart) and then I filled both trenches with good dirt. Tidy again.

I am planting Impatients (annuals which flower all summer) next spring to fill in the back of that bed.  Probably solid white impatients. Maybe light yellow.

Assuming nobunny eats any of it, it should be lovely. And being so defined, and full, it should be easy to maintain.

Friday my mom and I went on to get the last things in the ground before the weather turns.

Two day-lilies on the east side of the house (starts from a neighbor). That first neighbor also gave me the grape hyacinth bulbs. She also had given me all the daisies that went in another border several weeks ago. She has massive beds.

And we planted a Hosta (I had admired) start from another neighbor. That second neighbor was gifted the rest of my liropa.

It pays to have gardening friends. Everyone likes to rehome plant starts as they garden.

Cleaning out drop box

I bought the hat in Charleston in 2013, I think, in the gift shop at one of the plantations. It is nice and thick. I like the colors. I wear it all winter. Middle found the same company (Solmate Socks) in her wanderings over Christmas break and got me the mittens. I am not easy to buy for unless you are very clever. This was very clever. A total surprise. Notice how long the mittens are, they go way up my wrist and "no, air gets me".

I first looked at the mall. No slippers to be found that went way up the ankle (no air getting me) and had great traction. None. So, then I started looking on line. I ordered several pair from Kohl's and Target. These were the winners. I almost didn't order them because they were only available in an XL and I wear an 8 usually. But, oldest has taught me to always read the reviews. And one woman wrote how she had ordered several pairs of these in various sizes as Christmas gifts and they consistently ran small. I looked at my last pair of Totes/Isotoners and they were an L. So, I took a chance and ordered them. Very warm, very good traction, fit perfectly with athletic socks. And they are very fun.

Middle bought this at the Catholic Conference she attended last week. Not quite sure where I am putting her, but loved it. The book is going in my church bag collection. 

They were out shopping. This is just the regular grocery store. Not sure if they were headed somewhere, like a children's party or if they just do this for fun. From the looks of the crowd, it must have been a day or two before Christmas, it was packed.