The Perfect Distraction

I cancelled my garden help today.  It's raining. We rescheduled for next Friday.  Something to look forward to.  I really can't afford to have him come every week, but right now, knowing someone is coming to work outside is quite a comfort.  I plan my limited energy to work out there too on less strenuous tasks so that at the end of the day I feel a huge sense of accomplishment.

Last week, he cut and moved a big mossy log into my fern stumpery beds. In addition to the many ferns awaiting their new home, I'm looking forward to dividing a lovely little pink primula given to me by a friend that is now a substantial clump.

I will intermingle the divisions with small ferns and trillium that are already thriving there. On the other side of the path, planted out last Fall, are many varieties of dryopteris, adiantum, polystichum, pyrrosia, and few small rhodies and paeonia interspersed with Japanese maple specimens. Log and stump remnants and woodwardia unigemmata planted up in a huge Chinese pot mounted on an old cypress stump dominating the scene.

Taken last Fall

Jesse also cleared out a huge lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold' that had overwhelmed the path leading to the little woodland courtyard and the stumpery.  I watched it grow from a 4" little darling to a looming behemoth in about 7 years. It's many offspring have been planted in much better territory to take advantage of its vigor.  Now I can see the length of the 60 ft x 20ft newly planted stumpery addition from the top of the flagstone stair. The view will be spectacular when the ferns and companion plants bulk up a bit.

 Rainy days are harder to navigate. I don't wander outside as much to get away from the constant wondering...are my people safe?  They are scattered across six states, both my children and my grandchild in the most volatile areas of the country. I know sooner or later I will pull on my hat and gloves and field jacket regardless, to get lost in the revelry of spring, if only for a while.