Thank you, Bogie!

As Bogie wrote on Bogieblog, she sent me two large containers of her creeping phlox. Unfortunately, it took me seven days from her notification that she had sent the starts for me to get them into the ground (more accurately, on the ground). Little did she know that 1) there were/are many other outdoor tasks (that I could not put off) and 2) that the weather is so horribly hot and muggy, here in Kansas - unlike the too cool weather she's been having in New Hampshire! Mornings, it has been in the high 70s to mid 80s with 85%-90% humidity. I overheat even in the shade.  When the sun strikes my work area, which for the planting area is at about 7:25 a.m. these days, I am through working!

Be that as it may, I did get a narrow strip of land (next to the driveway) stripped of the sedum that had been growing there for the last 6-8 years, a shallow trench dug in the clay, a small amount of potting soil into the trench, the plants spread out along the trench, a small amount of potting soil over the plants, a thin layer of cypress mulch spread over the whole, and light watering accomplished. Now, to keep the planting damp but not soggy - not easily gaged in dealing with clay!

                

P.S. A line of 8"x16"x2" concrete blocks can be seen on the left side of the photo. It is there to give the neighbor a convenient place to run his mower wheels when mowing his adjacent yard (our planting area extends at least 3" into his yard, so it's the least I could do - if somewhat belatedly). That line comprises precisely 40 of the approximately 200 blocks that I've laid within the edges of our planting areas - mostly for the convenience of Hunky Husband when he's mowing - during the last month. A similar line of blocks is on the other side of our front yard for the convenience of the neighbor on the northeast side. (I'm not sure why I'm being good to him, a real jerk who allows all sorts of noxious weeds (per Sedgwick County Kansas) to grow on his part of the land between our houses. Part of my "must do", yesterday, was to clip the nearly ripe seed heads off of the Johnson grass on his land that I could reach while standing on ours. I don't want the seeds to drop on our land. It has been a hard-fought battle to rid our land of the grass.)

Comments

[Darlene]

It's nice of you to provide a divider between your yards. You are a good neighbor. Too bad the jerk on one side isn't.

That's one nice feature of living in a Town House. I don't have to do a thing to my front yard and bad neighbors can't let weeds grow.

[Wichi Dude]

You are too kind to the neighbors, but then, it also helps HH, so alright.

As for the Johnson grass, I know it goes against your grain to overtly harm nature, and the neighbors (pesky Police make that not much fun), but a little "accidental" over spray of Round Up might make the job easier. Just saying...But then, who listens to me?

It does look nice though. Bogie done good.

[bogie]

You're spoiling the phlox - it won't know what to do with potting soil; it is used to growing in clay.

I hope it does well for you!

[bogie]

PS - that cool weather we have been having? Record low temps yesterday. Thank goodness for global warming, otherwise we might have seen snow :)

[Cop Car]

Darlene--There surely are some pluses to living in a townhouse, condo, or apartment. Having lived in townhouses and apartments, I appreciate what you're saying. I particularly enjoyed living in an apartment in Hacienda Heights (Orange County CA) and in one in Sunnyvale (Frisco Bay area CA) where they were surrounded by park-like greenspace inhabited by all sorts of avian life. I saw three "lifers" in the Hacienda Heights complex - Anna's hummingbird, Spotted dove, and Lawrence's goldfinch. The Anna's nested in a small tree that overhung my patio!

WichiDude--For the first six years (five of those years, before I retired) that we lived here, I totally weeded in their side space in question (I had talked to Ms D when we first moved in and asked if that would be OK). When D&D retired, I told Mr D that I was stopping the practice. Since that time, I've suggested that we schedule a day, periodically, on which we would both (Mr D and I) be out there working. He rejected the suggestion saying that he would just get out there on his own. Fat chance! The area in question probably had not received a lot of attention before we built this house, being next to a vacant lot and their having only their small bathroom window and a basement escape window on this side of the house. There is a small tree that grows in the window well - sometimes reaching 10-12 feet in height before Mr D gets around to cutting it down.

Bogie--There is just a sprinkling of potting soil to give the fine, new roots something to hold onto (and keep them wet) before they tackle the clay. It may be my imagination, but I think it helps my plants get established.

You can have my part of global warming. We haven't had a really cold winter since the 1970s; but, the summers are getting more and more unbearable, here. (By scientific observation! lol)

[Kay Dennison]

Looks good!!!!! I need something that grows in shade.

[Cop Car]

Kay--You need to go ask Bogie what ground cover grows in the shade (if you don't already know). All I can think of are English Ivy (invasive), hostas, and ferns.

[bogie]

Vinca does well in shade and has pretty blue flowers in the spring. Also, it's not picky about soil (grows well in my clay).

Phlox will also grows and blooms in shade, it just won't spread very rapidly.

[Cop Car]

Thanks, Bogie, how could I forget Vinca? It is great as long as one has a contained area in which to plant it. Depending upon the climate, the blooming may last through the winter. We usually have a few blooms most of the year, anyway.

[kenju]

It looks very nice. Our yard has a large natural area and only a little grass, and since there are woods between us and our neighbors, we don't have to worry about edges. I'm glad for that!!