This Is One Way To Avoid Mulching The Garden


While mentally preparing self for the ordeal of mulching, I thought it would be a fun experiment to disguise the exposed return pipe on the pond.  
 I'd been attempting to improve this area.  
 It's highly visible and was randomly planted.  The new Trader Joes Hellebore went in, and temporarily, the three 'Julietta' hybrid bromeliads.  There are plants currently winter-dormant in there:  'Pretty Lady Emily' Anemone, 'Bartzella' Itoh Peony, chartreuse Hakone grass.

I gathered a couple of scrap pieces of wire grid and fashioned this:
The plan is to have a trio of Nasturtiums climb up the grid and hide both the grid and the pipe for most of spring.  There are volunteer seedlings everywhere that can be transplanted.
Unfortunately the Nasties will have to wait.  In being extra careful not to step near the newly planted hellebore, I tripped, staggered, then stepped on a small potted Agave titanota which made me fall backwards and break my arm.  
The Agave suffered less damage than I did:
 This is one way to avoid mulching the garden.  I don't recommend it.

In more cheerful activity, the new roses are leafing out beautifully.

 A garden-buddy gave me a very fine Aloe 'Vera', with an emerging flower stem, no less.  Aloe 'Vera' may be the most common garden succulent on the planet, so I never bought one, figuring that someday I'd get offered a freebie, which is exactly what happened.  It was rootless so it got stuck where it can re-root.  I'll move it later.
And Boris is enjoying life.
 The dog abides.
Be careful out there!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Comments

  1. Oh HB! I groaned so loudly when I read about your arm I was afraid I'd wake my husband up (he's sleeping in on Saturday morning.) Commiserations on the break. I'm still cringing at the thought of it. I hope it heals quickly and well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Alison! Hopefully your hard working husband got to sleep in. Nothing to complain about, really. Many others are much less fortunate.

      Delete
  2. OH NO! As someone who suffered a broken ankle I certainly understand that crazy feeling of moving through your space—like you do everyday—when all of a sudden everything changes. I was "lucky" to suffer my breakage in December/January when there's not much to do in the garden here, you on the other hand...yikes! Here's hoping you're right handed, if I read the photo correctly and the damage is on the left.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would think an ankle would be worse. Crutches are tough!

      Well, I'm right handed for at least the next six weeks...typing is now one-handed and very slow for a while, too.

      Delete
  3. Oh no!!! How long is your arm going to be in a cast/sling?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ouch! Also a broken finger in there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, only crushed fingertips, and they were pretty much all healed up.

      Delete
  5. Oh no! So sorry to hear about your arm. Gardening definitely can have its dangerous side! I just hope you had enough of your winter cleanup finished that you can enjoy seeing spring emerge without feeling the need to tidy more. Heal quickly, Hoov!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you kind Jane! I was going to mulch and dig out a couple of stumps, but not anymore.

      Delete
  6. Oh you poor thing. This is a most exaggerated way to get out of mulching. It would probably be the only way I would be able to get out of it. ;) The only good thing about it is that Boris will get more pets with your good hand not being full of mulch. It will be difficult typing too I would imagine. Do take care of yourself so you heal quickly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lisa!

      Yes my 85 wpm touch typing is now one-handed hunt-and-peck.

      Dear Husband has taken extra good care of me, so I'm very lucky!

      Delete
  7. I'm trying to imagine how you and the pups handled this event by yourselves, assuming Alan was at work. 6-8 weeks should give you time to catch up on the garden in April. What a nuisance -- stay strong!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I managed. Ice worked wonders! The pups got their dinner, which is the important thing.
      Alan took me to urgent care the next morning. Didn't want to spend the night in an ER.

      Delete
  8. Yikes! It is so easy to get hurt. I hope your arm heals rapidly and without complications. I admit, a broken arm is a good excuse to get out a lot of work. I would take full advantage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like work, but not digging out stumps, so
      I plan to get out of that!

      Delete
  9. Ouch. This is not a good way to move into Spring. Heal soon!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is not an auspicious start to the new year. Who knew gardening could be so dangerous. While you have some time there is a funny article on Garden rant by Scott Beurlain on Why He Loves to Garden. It will give you a chuckle!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, luv2. I will go read that. Can't really do much, keeping the arm still. A chuckle would help!

      Delete
  11. Catching up on my blog reading. Not the post I was expecting to find. My heart goes out to you. I'm sure something like this will happen to me one day. I always try to step over things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. watch out for Agaves in top-heavy little pots!

      guy who put on my cast said that is all he does, 40 hrs a week: put casts on broken wrists/arms. one after another. there were 3 others in the "cast room" when we were there, and it was their "slow day"!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Always interested in your thoughts.

Any comments containing a link to a commercial site with the intent to promote that site will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding on this matter.