Category Archives: the Lot

Spring Pruning – Lady’s Mantle

pruning, sidewalk bed, spring, spring cleanup

Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) was purchased for the Lot a couple of years ago. It wasn’t even in bloom when it found it’s way into our shopping cart and rode home with us. What caught my eye at the nursery was how the slightly hairy, cup-like leaves had caught water droplets. Instant love.

I had read before how Lady’s Mantle is semi-evergreen so the plant should be left alone in the Fall and cleaned up in the Spring. Not a problem. I did just that… Ta-da!

Unpruned Ladys Mantle

Pretty, huh? After brushing away the fallen tree leaves, I was able to get a closer look at the plant. The majority of the foliage from last season was shriveled up and brown. However, new Spring growth was already growing up from the plant through the previous season’s dead foliage. No matter how much you plea with them, plants will not wait for you.

To avoid cutting the delicate, new growth near the plant’s base, I followed the stems of the old foliage into the plant with my fingers. It allowed me to better see where I was trimming. Then I snipped the old leaf stem off a few inches away from the plant.

Prune Old GrowthResist the urge to pull off the old leaves. There’s a chance the plant will be torn and damaged. When I was done clearing out all the dead bits, the plant was looking clean but a bit pathetic. It was the sullen teenager, and I was the mom giving it a haircut at home.

Pruned Ladys Mantle

However, take a look at all the new growth. This is an uber close-up to show what this plant has planned. There are a ton of new shoots on the way.

Ladys Mantle New Spring GrowthAfter four more days of warm weather and a Spring rain, this is how the Lady’s Mantle appeared. Not bad.

Ladys Mantle Several Days After Pruning

Nip! Nom, Nom, Nom.

backyard bed, education, spring

CatnipOur two garden helpers and I spent an hour outside today in the cool weather and bright sunshine. I passed time turning compost and the dead leaves in the raised beds. The other two spent time chewing on and rolling upon the new growth on the catnip.

I also spent some time surveying the backyard of The Lot for an upcoming landscaping class. The four week course, one evening a week, is being hosted at a local church and conducted by a Master Gardener. Since our main view of the garden from inside the house is through the kitchen window, that is the area I will be focusing on for the classes.

Homework after the first class consists of filling out a profile-type sheet on the garden. How much and what type sunlight does it receive? What is the texture and aeration of the soil? How is it supplied with water? What is the drainage? What is the root competition with neighboring trees and/or shrubs? What natural elements is it exposed to? What type of budget, financial and time, do we want to spend on the garden? And most importantly, why do we even want the garden in the first place? What is it’s purpose? These all seem to be fantastic questions that help to make plant selection and planning a bit less overwhelming.

Lady’s MantleAfter filling out the garden profile, I took the camera around The Lot and snapped more photos of the beds. Perhaps it’s because I can be a bit of a softie, but I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I brush back dead leaves and stalks to find brand new plant growth. Though I love Fall in general, Spring in the garden is always amazing.

First Robin

birds, loki bed, spring

As I was making coffee this morning, I saw two robins on the fence beside our bird feeder. These little harbingers of Spring are a stark contrast to their frosty environment. It had rained over the weekend with the rain turning to some sort of sleet-like mess Monday and Tuesday. The forecast does not call for a break in the frigid weather until the first of April.

This year I’m going to take a shot at growing a lot of my flowering plants from seed. A gardening friend, Mr. D, will be bestowing Ms. A and I with a bunch of seeds  he harvested from his flowerbeds last Fall. I haven’t taken the time to assemble grow lights in the basement, so a lot of these seeds will be going straight into the beds when the soil has dried and warmed.

And finally, I noticed at the beginning of this week, the Lenten Rose will be blooming this year! It was introduced to the Lot during late Spring of 2009. Hopefully this icy weather will not damage the unfurling petals.