Lazy May and June this year

The most perplexing thing about the year has been the inability to find plants. Most of the nurseries usually brimming with baskets and the like have been slim pickings for the most part. Hard to start planting and get our pots loaded up wit nothing to pick from.

On the hosta front I finally relented and put up a rabbit fence to let my babies grow without having every leaf stripped. The are doing fantastic. It also helps we have a fox living in the holy out front this year. I guess when we are gone the yard gets taken over by turkeys and all kinds of wildlife.

So last eyar I placed a few irises and have been pleasantly surprised with the result.

most effective rabbit fence

Iris Bumble Bee

Iris Starship Enterprise

Daylight shots

The pond in early bloom just the start of late spring, early summer.

Chillin

Chilling in the world's most comfy chairs on the patio. Smoking a cigar with my buddy Mike...

Healthy specimens....

Mackenzie gave me a gift card to order irises online. I used the card and this is what I received:

Wow they are in great shape I can hardly wait to plant them. I am especially excited because one is called "Bumblebee" and another is called "Starship Enterprise". So cool. Loop the Loop, Destination Fabulous and Midnight Oil rounds out my initial collection.

 Pots are doing well this year and the baskets are in constant bloom. Life is good.

As the summer wears on...

The baskets at the starting point

New to the yard this year...Solomon's Seal

Pond is clear and looking good

Bella Lugosi has lots of blooms this year

Rabbit troubles

It came to me as my hostas outgrew the cloches I made for them that I might need something more permanent and better built. I got to looking on line and things are pricey and don't look like they will last a season or 3 but there was one inspiration. A bell shaped cloche in wire with a chicken wire wrap. I got my old tomato cages out but found them tough to cut. Had to buy a bolt cutter which made quick work of it, then covered it in this plastic coated wire. Neato.

Cut to the top of the third ring from the top. Left plenty of stake length and could actually use the second half to make a smaller cage. Laid it out on a 2 ft wide poultry netting and folded the top over about 3 inches. Secured the sides a bit then set in over my hosta that is taking a beating at the moment.  Plenty of room to grow, open top so I can still enjoy the plant and the leaves can breath. Yay me!

My New Iris bloomed!

Yay me!