Day 4 ..Toughest part of the trip...

You might be surprised as to what the toughest part of this trip is?   Drumroll...................... LEAVING. 

In one week’s time End of the Rainbow Valley is no longer gray brown but has exploded into green.  As a gardener this is the perfect time to be outside here in the valley. No bugs, nice temps, easy time to dig in the soil and great plant selections in the garden centers… I have dedicated the majority of my free time at home this past week mulching the flower beds along with the impossible task of weeding in addition to establishing recent purchases. 

This year we have a bumper crop of dandelions. I think we grow them better than anybody. I spent an entire afternoon digging them out of the major flower beds only to see a new crop blooming after the rainfall. Hmmm… maybe that’s why yellow is my least favorite color in the garden… 

All the plants that were brought inside last fall are back outside.  My 7 yr old lantana may have succumbed to white fly but only time will tell if it can really come back. It has been severely pruned.Winter has done its own pruning and now there will be 2 great looking Japanese maple bushes since  they really can’t be trees in our valley. Planters are being refilled and Irv will have the major task of watering those in my absence. Not exactly low maintenance for my low maintenance guy… but you can bet he will be thinking about me every time he waters!