That started me on another venture, something I do fairly often. I get outside, start to do one thing but end up veering away because I've seen a need to do something else. That may often lead to yet another item to tend that has nothing to do with my original task. That means that sometimes, I have projects in flux a little too often and nothing totally complete...something that drives me crazy. :). Guess I bring it on myself.
So I bring that up only because my adding a bit more garden sent me off on a task to build an archway using downed trees. You can see both the new gardens that I'm enhancing now with compost as well as the incomplete archway. My goal is to have that done this week. I decided to plant birdhouse gourds there this year...and may start a climbing rose or other climber there for a more permanent solution. But I thought the gourds would be pretty there. Their white flowers open at night and they will fill the archway quickly since they're a fast grower. I may put them in planters on either side of the arch. Not sure yet. That would give them the best growing medium. I'd use Promix, which all my plants start out in.
There are "sort of" 4 oval gardens, two to each side of the archway. Notice the little birdbath on the right in the back oval garden. I've added some stones in the water so that, when the bees arrive, they can drink the water without drowning. They will have something to perch on while drinking. This looks pretty bare right now but I have high hopes for something pretty later on this summer. Stay tuned.
It's good to get this work done now before the bees arrive. The date is now set at May 5th. I'm getting so anxious and looking forward to them arriving. Imaginethathoney over in Swanzey, NH held a short class a few days ago to show us wannabee (get it?) beekeepers how to add bees to a hive. They showed how to add a bee package and also how to add a nuc to the hive. Naturally I was most interested in the nuc since that's what I'll be getting. I had a chance to wear my veil and hat and gloves. My jeans were tucked into my socks. I wore an old chambray shirt I've had for years. I DID NOT GET STUNG. My only fear was that I wore my crocs. Then realized, oh goodness, they have holes in them! But I had good, thick socks on too. It turned out to be ok but it was recommended to wear full shoes to not take the chance. After seeing the bees inserted firsthand rather than reading about it, I was much less nervous about it. Looks easy enough so I am now looking forward to it.
Naturally, as I begin to beautify this area near the bees, I've decided I need a pathway and want to get some grass growing in the bare areas. I had several trees cut earlier this spring and kept the wood chips so I will use these wood chips for my path once it's dug out. I will plant the left side of the path this year. I want a garden to the right of the path too but that will need to wait a bit longer. Not sure I'll get to it this year. I feel like I have enough to do for the moment.
The pathway...in it's beginning stage. The newspaper is marking the left line of the path which will be 3-4 feet wide, enough for two people to walk side by side. I have quite a lot of vinca that I will plant to the left and it will form an evergreen matte that will bloom in the spring with pretty blue flowers. I am digging the path down a few inches and using that dirt to pile up on the left. Once it's all dug out, I will add some compost and plant it. I will also add some shrubs. And of course, woodchips on the path itself. I will lay black landscape cloth under the chips to keep out weeds.
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