I've long given up New Year's Resolutions -- but I do make some to-do lists. If I call them to-do lists, I seem to get around to them better!
This year I have a long garden to-do list. Perhaps committing it to eternal, world-wide view on my blog will help me check things off my list!
So, here goes:
1. Plant more trees outside the back fence in front of scrubby cedars. I love this smoke tree and planted one for a client this fall, wishing all the while that I had one to enjoy.
2. Have an a corner arbor build to showcase my tangerine cross vine and my wisteria. The cross vine winds along the fence and then climbs 20 feet up into a tree where I can't see it. The wisteria spends most of its time hanging out on the opposite side of the fence -- hiding from me -- to be closer to the morning sun. A tall arbor would give them both plenty of room to keep growing -- growing where I can enjoy them!
3. Replace the pride of Barbados that I lost over the last two winters. I love the explosion of color these trees bring in the late summer and I've missed mine. I vow to find some great hot spots for them to thrive.
4. I will buy more bigger starter plants this year. I've bemoaned the fact that my newer plants struggled to come back from harsh winters and scalding summers. Some years they even came back smaller than when I planted them! When I can, I want to invest in more established plants.
5. With too much on my plate, blogging and scrapbooking have waited in the wings too much this year. I love those creative outlets and want to give myself more opportunities for gathering inspiration from them.
6. Divide, divide, divide. I have irises, bi-color irises and lilies that really need dividing. In fact, they needed dividing this fall. This will be the year of dividing, replanting and sharing.
7. Prune, prune, prune. My cottage garden, cutting garden and hot southwest garden all suffered from overgrown-itis this year. Yes, the plants were all beautiful, but I know that pruned properly they would have complemented each other and showcased their individual characteristics better.
8. This year I will plant my bulbs before January ... oh, wait ... that means today! Yikes - better go find them and get to planting!
9. I WILL make homemade pesto from my basil "trees" this year. I say that every year when my basil gets out of hand -- I mean stunning -- but this year I really mean it.
10. And last, well, there never is a last, but I plan to dig up most of this and rebuild the dry creek with moss rock and other, larger stones. The recycled glass will come out and I will raise up the bed to help plants thrive there. With very little soil and a berm to avoid soil on the fence, the plants don't get enough water and the soil just isn't deep enough. The solution -- protect the fence from rotting by putting hardy board against it and rock in the front to add good soil.
That's the list -- for now. As with everything in gardening - it's organic and will change a thousand times over the next year. But it's a good start and I feel good about making decisions to tackle some of my current and perpetual problems.
Guess we'll see where I end up this time next year.
What's on your garden resolution list for 2013?
17 comments:
Well done you-getting your list down on paper. Lists in the head just don't work. Don't tell me you still have basil. I'll be checking in to see which project you make a start on in the New Year. Happy New Year Resolution.
Lancashire rose - I hope putting it down on paper (or the equivalent) will do the trick! Happy New Year.
Yes....a good idea, to get it on paper.
I need to do the same. Mine will be pretty long. It feels like we're always starting over here. :(
Good luck with your Resolution List.
And, Happy New Year.
That's a good list, a to-do list instead of resolutions is better. My garden is still such a work in progress that a list might be too daunting.
Your basil is amazing and your sunny garden is beautiful.
Happy New Year!
I laughed when I read your comment about planting bulbs (and then cast a guilty glance at the bag full of bulbs by the kitchen door...) My whole garden is a to-do list, so thank you for a very positive approach. Happy 2013 and here's hoping for the energy and enthusiasm we need to achieve all we want to do!
Put me on the list for some passalong ditch lilies! As you know, mine has never bloomed, and we got them at the same time. They are so awesome! And at what point do you need to divide Iris? So far mine don't seem to be crowded. I hope with this colder weather we'll have some good Iris blooms this year, unlike last year. Great post!
Like the others, I like your idea of committing your goals to paper - so to speak. I'm afraid my list might be a bit daunting; not so much to me but to my hubby as I need his help on a few projects :) Wishing you a joyous and gardening filled 2013, Diana!
Best wishes to get it all done, now that you've written it down. I put mine on my outlook "tasks", but they increase faster than I can do them. Yours' sounds doable, though. "Harsh winter"...ha! I bet you'll do fine, in between those days when it gets below 70F, that is!
To-do lists are wonderful, especially when time comes to cross off what was done.
Pride of Barbados, my fav tropical. All mine are seed-grown. Second-year plants usually bloom and seems seed grown are sturdier if they survive that first year in zone 8.
The pruning gets done here taken in smaller 'bites' so I'm pruning year-around despite advice to the contrary.
Happy New Year.
Sounds like a great list! Whoo boy, mine is long too but we'll get it all done. . .Have a super New Year!
Oh woops! yes a bag of bulbs lurking unplanted, poor garden is a bog here in UK as we have had so much rain, really must find a pot for the sad bag of daffs pretty soon.
Linda/patchwork - Oh, I could have put a lot more on the list, but then I get overwhelmed and nothing gets done!!! Happy New Year to you, too.
Shirley - Thanks! Some of it I can do now while everything is sleeping for the winter, so it will be spread out at least!
Victoria - oh, so glad I'm not the only one who does this. And for the record, I didn't go out that day and plant a dozen really quickly. So, yes, they are still staring at me!
Get Grounded - I hope we have another good iris year. I should have divided mine this fall but didn't get to it. I will give you some ditch lily if I ever get around to dividing it.
Thanks, Cat. Yeah, you might not want to publish your list for your hubby to see! Happy New Year.
David - Pretty mild winter so far - I'm up on a hill so only two freezes so far, but others have gotten quite a few more. Happy New Year.
Nell Jean - I've never tried my Pride from seed but that's a great idea - I could start them in the greenhouse right now, but I don't think I have any saved up.
Linda/CTG - You are a list checker-offer for sure! Good luck with yours & Happy New Year.
Meryl's Tittle Tattle - A pot is a great idea - maybe that's simple enough that I could just plop them in there for this season and enjoy them on the patio or in the house. Happy New Year.
Wonderful list Diana. I like the idea of planting larger starter plants, though that means a larger hole to be dug. Some holes just can't get any larger. Did I tell you I don't like clay? haha
That's a great list. I hope you are doing well with your garden resolutions this year.
That's a big list, but you can break it down and get it done. The biggest tasks look like the dividing and pruning, as those are ongoing. Soon it'll be time for the big, pre-spring cut-back, won't it? I always feel a mix of dread about having to do it and excitement about getting it all cleaned out for spring. It was a fun surprise to see me in your scrapbook, BTW!
Janet - oh yeah, larger holes! Larger stuff has to be planted by someone other than me - tendonitis in my arms and clay and caliche make it impossible for me. Happy New Year!
Louise - I'd better get started soon, before other lists jump ahead of this one!
Pam - Well, of course you're in my scrapbooks! But, as with gardening, perpetually behind there, too!
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