Monday, October 5, 2009

Under the Watchful Eye

Whenever I garden in the front yard I have to decide whether to let the dogs come out with me. For the most part they will stay in the yard unless there is another dog or one of the neighbors out. If I have lots to do I will leave them in and have the front door open.

Newton is my watchdog, my shadow, my buddy.

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This time of year I have to decide how much to pull up and how much to leave for the first frost. As with everyone else who has impatiens-- if you let them reseed they will fill the garden. The Caladiums and impatiens were out-reaching each other to be the tallest.
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The bunnies ate most of the petunias, so the rest were removed. I keep adding a little area of mulch at a time as I clean up the summer foliage.
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I did find that the bunnies leave the zinnias alone, nice to know item. Sometime next weekend I will be bringing houseplants in, either to the garage or the house. Have given a few away already. Moving next summer I am into the culling frame of mind. The epi is coming with me though...still has five big buds getting ready to open. This summer was a big bloom cycle for this one. Hooray!



20 comments:

  1. Love the wide shot! Your beds look GREAT!

    My dog always watches me out the window, too. And the kitties for that matter :)

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  2. Huh.., good to know bunnies don't like zinnias... terribly attractive to us but awfully repulsive to bunnies... So zinnia is a queen of double blade knife ~bangchik

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  3. That is one fantastic looking garden in your front yard. It's good to have that buddy isn't it!

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  4. The bunnies ate some of my zinnias...well, they didn't actually eat them they just chomped off the flowers. So frustrating.

    You have a beautiful front garden!

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  5. I was wondering when the big move was coming up, Janet. You still have lots of time to play in the garden before then. Love the mulch as you go routine. And OF COURSE the epi is going with you. HA :-)
    Frances

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  6. Awww so sweet. He wants to come and play with you and make sure you are safe. I have the same problem here and have to choose whether letting them out or not is worth it. BJ is good but not the others so they stay in. Your garden looks grand. So nice and neat and tidy and full-my favorite kind. I am also trying to pull plants and it is so sad to pull perfectly good things up at the end of the year. Culling sounds like a good idea but not that epi for sure. One year will pass by very quickly.

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  7. I bet it's hard to garden without your buddy. When I had a dog, she would garden with me. It's good company.

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  8. Janet, I vote for letting the dogs out. :) Them seem so eager to Your garden is still looking great. I'm sure it will be hard to leave it. I can't rely on the ipmatiens to reseed, but a few do come up in late summer.

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  9. Hi Ginger, Thanks, I will say they look good....from a distance. All three of the dogs are interested in what I am doing when I am outside.

    Hi Bangchik, I guess I should clarify--the bunnies don't like MY zinnias. Lucky for me.

    Hi Sweetbay, thanks!

    Hi Dave, Thanks, glad you like the looks of the garden. As for my buddy, he has been known to tromp many a bloom in search for the bunnies.


    Hi Robin, bunnines are so frustrating. Sorry they ate your blooms.

    Hi Frances, yes, next summer is the big move. We are building now. My plan now is to get the gardens looking like they are low maintenance. (??!!?) Should be fun.
    And you bet the epi is coming!

    Hi Tina, he lays in the yard close by-- unless there is a bee or frog or bunny or neighbor or UPS truck or..... He is a nut.
    The garden really isn't neat and tidy...that is an optical illusion. Trying not to have emotional attachments to some of the plants.

    Hi Mary Delle, when I am in the backyard all three are out with me, there are just too many distractions out front.

    Hi Beckie, nice to see you back. They are out a lot...sometimes Newton opens the door for himself.
    I can't tell you the last time I planted impatiens on purpose.

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  10. I have to leash 2 of 3 when I garden out front where there is no fence. In the backyard they usually snooze on the pond bridge while I putter.

    I do not want to even think about moving the houseplants in. Last year we put it off until early Nov. with no noticable harm.

    BTW, the batch of Master Gardeners who visited us on the 24th were a great group, full of good questions, plus they bought a lot!

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  11. Hi Les, if I leashed them out front I wouldn't get any work done. I am not sure what they will do when they encounter a wild turkey in SC.
    I am putting off bringing plants in, don't remember when they came in last year.
    Glad it was a good group. Sorry I missed it. Got to drive the county truck back and forth to the dump to get tons of mulch. I love a good dump truck.

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  12. What a beautiful front yard you have! I'm the same way with my dog. If there's real work to do she stays inside or else I spend my time trying to see what she's barking at or what plant she's lying on.

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  13. JAnet - your beds are lush and beautiful - I can't imagine you having to pull up stuff already. Our rains have pushed everything into bloom here. 92F tomorrow - I can't believe it!

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  14. Janet, My cat sits at the door meowing for me to come in...not to get out! Wow on impatiens seeding in your garden...They just aren't happy here. it's good that you have this time to think about what to take with you...I can't begin to imagine what I would do when faced with a move. gail

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  15. Good evening Catherine, thanks so much. Mine don't lay on plants..though they do stomp them looking for bunnies or toads.

    Hi Diana, thanks. I am only pulling up the broken half-eaten petunias. They didn't do well in my yard. We still have the AC on as the humidity over the weekend was high. Need to open the windows now, the night air is wonderfully cool.

    Hi Gail, funny cat. Yes, the impatiens are wild! We have moved so many times in our lives, it seems like an old habit.

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  16. Your doggie is so cute peeking out the front door. Mine sits in the same place a lot too. I never let him out front ~ he just won't stay in the yard and I get so immersed in what I'm doing, I forget about him! yikes. So he only goes out back (where it's safe and fenced!) I've started cleaning up too but we've already had frost. Thanks for your helpful hints on overwintering plants in containers. They made a lot of sense and helped me decide what to do ~ I think 'Josephine' is going into the garage for the winter! Your yard looks beautiful.

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  17. Hi Kathleen, I wasn't sure if you were going to keep Josephine outside or what.
    Dogs are fun to have with you in the garden, as long as they hang out with you and not visiting.

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  18. Love the dog watching out the door. I like my dogs with me, but if they start barking at the neighbors dogs every five minutes keeping me from getting anything done, in they go. It's a pretty good bonus you have bunnies, even if they are rascals and eat the plants. I bet they're fun to watch.
    I don't know that I'd seen that shot of your front yard before, it looks so pulled together, which reminds me that such a thing is possible, even though it doesn't always seem like it in my own yard.

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  19. Hi Megan, if the bunnies didn't eat everything they would be very cute. My front yard is not really pulled together, but thanks! I love the photos from a distance...lots of weeds! The impatiens have reseeded themselves wildly.

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