Mother's Day dogs and gardens

Happy Mother's Day. Everyone either is one or has or had one, so unless yours was a total loser it's a day everyone can celebrate. Dog moms count too, although apparently they have a day of their own now as well. My own mother has been gone more than two years and I will always miss her. I can and will celebrate her on Mother's Day as well as the many other mothers and dog moms that I know.

Clay's mother came out to our place on Saturday along with his brother, who is visiting from New York for the weekend. We planted some containers to go on the balcony of her apartment. We will take them in there on Sunday. We are housing only our own four dogs right now: Maya, Della, Paisley, and Elvis. They all came out to greet Berta and Hugh.

I haven't been hiking lately because I've been busy planting and doing spring clean up. I need a lot more time than I have, but it's been the focus of pretty much all of my non-working and non-sleeping hours lately. I'm finally to the point that I think everything is planted, or will be planted with things I currently have. I did a preliminary container count this evening:

Formal garden: 14

Pyramid garden: 15

Shade garden: 15

Corner garden: 12

Flamingo garden: 15

Other: 8

Water gardens: TBD

That's 79 containers and believe it or not, I think it's fewer than in past years. Of course it doesn't include water gardens because I haven't gotten to those yet, and I can't absolutely swear that there won't be a few more added. The pictures don't show much other than the clean up at this point as everything that has just been planted is still very small. But they will provide a nice comparison with pictures that will come along later in the season.

We have zero foster dogs currently and are down to only four of our own. That's a record low, probably since we moved here 23 years ago with only three dogs of our own. I'm taking a break, of sorts, but will be back into the thick of it starting in June. 

Berta and Paisley. Paisley loved her.

Elvis loved her too, but then, Elvis loves everyone.

Plants for Berta's balcony. (I added one more planter later.)

Hanging out in the driveway while potting.

Berta and Maya

Della doesn't mind if Clay or another human shares her space in the back of the van, but she barks at any other dog who comes near. However, when were all caught in the hard rain Saturday afternoon, she did allow Elvis and even Paisley to take temporary refuge in there with her.

Hugh with Elvis

This is the spot I refer to as the corner garden, in an outside corner of the house.

Mother's Day pots

The corner garden is also a shade spot, but this was my original shade garden.

The pyramid garden, named for the three tiered plant stand.

Flamingo garden at dusk

Formal garden, back view, facing away from the house.

Formal garden, front view, facing the house.