Other assorted plants among them were also dug up and temporarily relocated, heaped closely together on a tarp in the shade close to the house. I watered them daily and they managed to survive for weeks while we waited for the contractor to come and do his thing. Once the wall was put in place I replanted some of the plants and now I am waiting for them to reclaim their place in the landscape.

My love affair with roses seems to have reached the end of the road. Yeah, gardeners can be fickle that way. Plants catch our fancy; we buy all kinds of varieties, in all kinds of colors and tend them lovingly for years. And then one day we look at them and go, ugh, what was I thinking. I spray for black spot and mildew but they still get both and drop their leaves and look horrid. I pick off flower eating beetles. I pick of the itty bitty green caterpillars that eat their leaves and I still don’t find all of them and end up with a chomped up bush. Two of my Zephrine Drouhine rose bushes got a virus, which meant I had to dig them up and discard them. Sexy Rexy and Love Potion both went to that great rose garden in the sky one winter and never came back in the spring. Lovely Fairy will get the heave ho this spring (actually it will get relocated to my friend’s garden) since I can not abide its thorns and I have other designs for that particular garden bed. Dainty Bess has been temporarily relocated to large containers. Both plants seem to be happy in their pots and they are blooming. Time will tell if they are still happy next year. If not, maybe they will find a new home somewhere else. Bonica, also relocated to a large pot last year when we dug the new pond, has been moping ever since. It blooms half heartedly on and off. I guess I will find a new home for that one next year.

A bed in front has been enlarged by about 35 square feet, which means The Spouse is short about the same amount of lawn. Funny thing is he hasn’t noticed it yet. Last Saturday, when he came home from the work, we had breakfast together and he went off to bed. Here was my chance. Quietly I started digging up grass to mark the edge. I relayed the stacked stones for the boundary of the new bed. I put the dug up grass green side down (root side up) to decompose. The material from cut down annuals and pulled out plants from other beds were put in this newly enlarged bed as well. When topped off with a thick layer of mulch, all this material will decompose over winter, and create soil. When The Spouse woke up I did mention my handiwork, although I neglected to use the word “grass”. I just said I had made something disappear. He walked over; saw the plant material and was surprised I had started to cut down plants this early in the season. I kept my fingers crossed all day that day, but my luck held. To be on the safe side though, I think I will mow the lawn for the next couple of weeks and keep my secret safe.

I am still working on another project and the work next door will continue too. The long Labor Day weekend is ahead of us and with cooler weather ahead it is perfect time for planting. Hmm, I might even consider annexing some more lawn.