Finally A Day Fit For Garden Time

One of Becky's favorite photo subjects is the grumpy old grouch gently placing a young plant into the ground.  In this case a new Dutchman's Breeches appeared near the parent plant in our old shade garden.  Our new shade garden is developing under Sumac trees  They are short lived and messy but they are what we have to work with.  A transplanting hole cannot be dug without damaging tree roots so we need new woodland soil to raise the level of the ground.  A fresh supply has been run through the screen and we are ready to move the plant.  The gloved hands have just pulled soil carefully around the root ball.  Water was then applied to the bare soil.  Previously chopped leaves were then worked around the plant intending to create a functionally natural looking planting.  More water followed firming up the leaves and increasing the chances of success for this plant in its new home.

The stone bearing the plant's name negatively impacts the sought after natural look but is a tremendous aid when one finds himself unable to remember.  The name is placed on both sides of the stone since the exposed label will fade.  Correct identification can then be found on the under side of the stone.  This plant should flourish in its new home.

Our old Jacob's Ladder plant had pushed itself up out of the ground.  We took this opportunity to unearth the entire plant and divide it into two pieces.  One piece was properly returned to its former location while the remaining piece was moved into the new shade garden.  The root mass was sizable so a considerable amount of new soil was needed for proper planting.  The new soil created the appearance of a stone nearly disappearing under centuries of decaying forest litter.  That is the look we are trying for.

Some time ago we purchased Wood Anemone planting stock.  What arrived was pieces of root that looked like thin sticks.  Nothing grew in their first year here but finally they have made an appearance.  Chickweed grows freely here and we needed to carefully separate the two plants.  The Wood Anemones should flower this year and begin to take hold of this ground.
 

Last year Becky purchased a Yellow Ladies Slipper at Catskill Native Nursery.  There one can walk among the plants and select the plants to be purchased.  Naturally the best of the lot was chosen and several flowering stalks presented a stunning scene.  This is another transplant that is making its second appearance.  We are looking forward to enjoying the coming flowers from our bench located just across the path from this plant.

The entire native plant issue is ever present.  The Trout Lily native to New York State has yellow flowers and its leaves are just now pushing out above the forest floor.  These West Coast natives flower much earlier and are simply dazzling.  Moved to this location last year, we were unsure that any would have survived.  There was much action here from chipmunks and red squirrels.  We were afraid that the bulbs were being eaten.  That is obviously not the case and new plants have appeared.  We are well under way for flowers in the  woodland garden.

Plant A Stump

It is amazing the extent of the ignorance that is my constant companion.  One would think that a well rotted stump could easily be removed from the ground.  That is not the case.  Tree roots remain in their natural surroundings after a tree dies.  Well suited for life underground, they remain solid long after death.  Earth moving equipment would be required to safely dig out even a small tree stump.  Several failed attempts taught  me this lesson.  One stump was removed from the ground so that it could be planted in our shade garden.

Why plant a stump is a natural question.  A friend has a Lady Slipper growing naturally next to a stump.  Despite a past encounter with a bulldozer, this plant returned after being missing for several years.  Her belief is that the stump added something to the soil that favored the growth of the plant.  Since my past attempts to plant Lady Slippers here ended in failure, I figured that a stump might support a successful plant move.  Becky spent part of Mother's Day at Catskill Native Nursery where she found a sizable clump of Yellow Lady's Slipper for sale.  One day later both the plant and the stump have found a new home.

Spring Beauties grow wild in our woods.  Their growth habit makes for a tricky move.  A pea sized corm supports the growth of a long thin underground stem that finally results in an above ground plant.  Any attempt to move this plant will likely break the slender hidden stem.  Lacking nutrients supplied by the leaves, the small corm will simply die.  Finding the corm as the plant is naturally winding down is almost as difficult as finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.  This large old Spring Beauty is growing in a pot with a Smooth Solomon's Seal plant.  So far it looks like both plants have found a new home.  Over time the Spring Beauty will drop a generous load of seeds so this treasure may become common in our shade garden.

Six Jack In The Pulpits were moved from our garden near the house to the garden down by the road last fall.  The move was successful as numerous plants appeared this year in both locations.  Gloves are always worn while working in the garden so no skin irritation followed the move.

Young Sumac trees provide the shade for our new woodland garden.  They are short lived trees but their natural life span should be adequate for our needs here.  The stones visible in the picture have been moved  to this place from various different locations around our land.  Many of these rocks are too large to be moved by hand but so far luck and wisdom have prevented any injury.  The first stones placed can be seen between two of the tree trunks.  We were trying for a natural looking sloped surface to direct rainfall toward moisture loving plants.  The slanted surface works as planned but nature would never have placed three rocks in this configuration.  The other stones have been placed singularly but the natural appearance desired has yet to be found.  To improve appearance, more of the rocks need to be underground.  Tree roots make that task difficult and possibly dangerous to the life of the tree.  Our solution is to bring in our natural soil mix to raise the level of the ground.  Growing plants will add greatly to a more natural appearance.

Here shredded sifted leaves are providing the final touch for the new plants.  Each fall more leaves will be added to support the natural process that builds forest soil.  Plastic bags of fallen leaves are plainly visible in the background of some pictures.  We collect these in large numbers for use in all of our gardens.  Running them through the small mower creates a mulch less likely to blow onto the neighbor's lawn.  Natural decay is faster so the soil builds more quickly.  Speed is important as the difficulties of growing older make more frequent visits now.  Just today I stumbled while trying to stand and stepped on a Bunchberry  plant.  The newly emerging plant may survive the inadvertent stomp.  I watered it and apologized but that is simply how it is here now.