Around the Yard

This past weekend, James planted the fig tree we bought the weekend before. It went into the border at the far end of the yard where there were 3 rose bushes. I walked out to check them the other day and they were dripping in aphids - ew! I pretty much said, that's it. If I want roses, I may have to go buy them. They're going into pots on the other side of the house where they can either thrive or be consumed by aphids, and neither process will have to be witnessed by me. Boy, do I sound bitter!

So, in went the fig tree and a little patch o' herbs and a couple lavender plants. Hopefully this assortment will prove less delicious than new growth on the roses bushes - the new growth and buds are what makes the aphids go cwazy with hunger! Although other insects will eat the aphids (if you wait long enough, as your buds and new growth are demolished) and spraying them off with water is the "natural way" to deal with them, I think I have another decade of patience-building to invest the constant doting I think rose growing will require of me. Other folks have bumper crops of blooms - not this gal. I'm Robin the Rose Killer! And looking back, I have a bit of a history of doing this. Oh, well...













Now, lavender on the other hand! This is the humongous plant that I mentioned the other day.













And this little seedling started on its own from another big plant (same type as this) . And he's doing really well! He was just about 1 inch high when we discovered him. Now he's nearly 5 inches. Is everyone asleep from this blog post? I realized this may not exactly have you on the edge of your desk chair. :/














How about an extra picture of darling Saylor getting some lovin' from her Mom.