The garden begins

Saturday was absolutely beautiful and the perfect day to begin work on the 2023 flower gardens. I do no fall clean up so that was first order of business. I pulled weeds and dead plants, cleaned up fall and winter accumulation of leaves, and worked the soil in the pots, adding fertilizer, getting them ready for planting.

I've got five separate garden spots, all full of pots. I don't know the total number of pots but I think it's been around 80 in past years. I always say I'm going to plant fewer each year, but that has yet to happen. I am determined to plant fewer plants, however. I've realized that my pots are full and even overly full as the growing season progresses. I can use fewer plants. We will see.

I only got two of the five garden spots cleaned up on Saturday. Sunday morning I cleaned up the flamingo garden out front, and then went to buy plants. When I returned I did some planting and cleaned up at least part of one more garden. I planted everything I bought and have plans to hit some more places early this coming week.

The dogs spent much of both days outdoors with me. Elvis was off on hunting expeditions most of the time and Maya joined him for most of it. Della mostly supervised from her spot in the back of the van. Paisley was with me every step of the way, both days. On Sunday I even brought the two foster shepherds out of the Daneland to join in the fun. I put the long line on Fargo because it's the first time I've had him out, but he was with his brother constantly. The two of them enjoyed running around. Both of them, and Paisley, are mower-aggressive. It's annoying when I'm just driving around, but I had to put them up for their own safety when I needed to actually engage the blades on the mower and cut some grass.

It was a productive weekend, but it was just a start. 

Dakota and Fargo

Della on her bed in the back of the van.

I don't know where Della was, but here's Elvis on her bed.

After a long afternoon of hunting in the pasture.

The flamingo garden, cleaned up and ready to plant.

My first batch of plants. I've started my own cannas from bulbs this year

and plan to do so with dahlias as well.

Dakota and Paisley

Fargo, Dakota, and Paisley in the pasture. Elvis in the background.

Handsome Fargo

I brought Maya in on both days when I decided she had been out there long enough.

She's not as young as Elvis.

I think she was happy to come in and take it easy.

Paisley reminds me a lot of Vince. She is always "on."

Elvis finally took a break from the hunt Sunday afternoon and joined the rest of us.

Dakota

It rained a bit on Sunday afternoon, but not enough to stop my work, or the dogs' play.

Fargo. The long line was unnecessary, but better safe than sorry.