Spring weather has finally arrived in Seattle. Time to whip the deck in shape. Once I do the initial planning, purchasing and planting - the deck becomes pretty easy to maintain throughout the warm weather. Spent the majority of yesterday & this morning at the nurseries and Home Depot/Fred Meyer. Very disappointed in the plants I acquired from Fred Meyer. They did not hold up well overnight. Doesn't save money if the plant dies right away.
Don't ask me why, but my favorite time to plant is at night. Love the peace. I get into an almost meditative rhythm. It's cathartic to me and inspiring. Rarely do I question my placements by the light of day.
Winter was harsh to my plants. The Japanese Maple that Chuck & I got our first summer together is budding - luckily as its the one plant I'd be devastated to lose. The large lavender plant from the house wasn't as fortunate. All in all my list of survivors included the Jap Maple, 3 of the 5 Hostas, and a handful of herbs. Lots of pots stripped bare.
Normally, my palette is pinks, blues & purples dictated by azaleas and hydrangeas. Starting from scratch, I decided to go with more yellows, white & reds. And the flowers are pretty delicate and subtle aside from the pansies. The bleeding hearts will add in some pink and of course the lavender plants sprinkle in shades of purple. Playing more with greens in shaping and tones. Without as many large plants I had more pots to do arrangements in. Looking forward to seeing how they grow out.
So after lots of scrubbing, 5 total trips to gather plants, 6 bags of yard waste, 17 pots and 2 window boxes replanted - my deck ready for use. My own little paradise.
Side effect of gardening at night - no photos until the light of day. I'll post before & after pics tomorrow. Happy Gardening.