Work in Progress..

Chaos reigns right now out in the garden and on the deck..just when I would like to be out there with a coffee enjoying the garden and watching the birds...but no..

The deck is "under construction".. or at least re-construction...Ian is busy out there tearing up rotten boards and replacing them.. The deck is very old - long past its expiry date, but I have opted for a band-aid approach - the cost of totally replacing it being the biggest obstacle!   So, in order to extend its life somewhat, new steps and a few new boards will have to do. It is not an attractive solution; it will look like a patchwork quilt, but at least no-one will fall through it! 

Meanwhile, out in the garden, the ferns are turning brown, the hostas are looking ragged, having been eaten by slugs, and the evil gout weed is back on the scene and thriving! The one flower worthy of a photograph? The Rose of Sharon and perhaps, the last of the phlox..

Where to begin in the garden? I had hoped that I would be able to do some transplanting to corrects errors in placement last year ...like tall things out front with short things behind them? Plants that need more sun trying to survive in the shade? But, alas, with the little time I have left right now before going north again, I will have to spend it digging up thistles and gout weed! 

Oh yes, and with a heat alert warning for the next 4 days?..Watering! A lot of watering..with a sprinkler that refuses to oscillate! Drat! I ordered a new one from Amazon this morning, hoping it would come before I leave, but what are the chances?  If it does come, Ian or Elaine can turn it on if needed... which would be great....

Methinks I need to look seriously at ways to have a garden that needs less attention and can survive my vagabond life-style...or just stay home more!