Pokeweed

Apparently, this beautiful green plant that sprouted up beside our little bistro table beneath the deck is a common, ordinary pokeweed, Phytolacca Americana. We suspected it was a weed because of how fast it grew, but we decided to leave it because it was one of the few plants that didn't get beat up by the May 19 hailstorm, it added some nice color, and if there was even a slight possibility it was a flower, we wanted to give it a fighting chance. But now we've discovered that even though it's a weed, it's one that birds and wildlife love (when the berries come on) so we will probably let it get berries, let the birds pick it clean and then pull it out. We've heard it's easy to control in the garden, and that some gardeners like to let two or three plants grow for the sake of wildlife. Our birds and squirrels and rabbits and ducks and geese have been a constant source of entertainment––one we never expected to be part of our new life in the city. So we're going to do our part to keep them coming! :)

This is what it will eventually look like:

Checkerboard patio

June is almost over and the checkerboard patio is finished, except for waiting for the grass seed to grow between the pavers next to the house––and maybe find a couple of great Adirondack chairs to put there?

We are thoroughly enjoying the rosebushes the former owners planted all around the house. We transplanted two of them and they are doing well, sprouting new growth and even a few buds. We hope to create a little rose garden at one corner of the house near the checkerboard patio so will probably be transplanting more roses this fall.

Moving the "nest"

We moved the hanging begonia, the one our mourning doves nested in, to the corner of the shade garden in the backyard. We'd read that doves might lay as many as four clutches of eggs in the course of a summer and we didn't want to sacrifice that begonia completely, but we knew it would be a temptation to the doves if we left it where it was on the front porch. So we transplanted it into the ground and it's revived wonderfully and provides a bright spot of color in the still quite empty shade garden.

Caladiums

We planted caladium bulbs under the deck stairs in the shade garden and it's so exciting to watch them come up and unfurl! I've always been a fan of caladiums, but never had a shady enough spot to plant them. We paid a little bit of nothing for 8 tubers at Walmart, and I'm just sure at least 10 or 11 plants have popped up and more seem to be coming. I can't wait till they fill this space beneath the steps.

Empty nesters again

Our little doves chose today to fly the nest so we've been watching that drama. We've loved the whole experience of "raising" doves! I looked out my office window and saw Mama and Papa sitting on the sidewalk in the same place we first saw them "courting." I knew something must be up! 

One baby was already out of the nest "off to college." This little one's been experimenting, by standing on the edge of the planter wire, peering over the edge while Mama and Papa sit close by on guard.

Here's the family of three. When I came outside with the camera, Papa flew off to distract me, Mama stayed until I got too close.

Then she flew off too and left the little guy alone. But when I got closer, off he flew too! Not very high or very gracefully, but he flew!

Now if we can just get the last one out on his own, we can water and fertilize the begonia and get on with our summer! 

Newest yard projects in process

While we wait on roofers and painters and window guys to repair the damage done by the storm May 19, we've found a few projects to do that won't get torn up by the workers. We enlarged the mulch area under the Bradford pear (you can still see how shredded the leaves are on the west side in the photo above) and moved the bird bath closer to the bird feeder. We've become real birdwatchers and bird lovers. And though we can't afford to let the squirrels drain the feeder dry every day like they've been doing, the little boogers sure are fun to watch!

We got the inspiration to do a checkerboard patio and the more we work on it, the more we love the idea! Looks great and uses half the tiles, plus you can mow right over it. Right now we have three tiles sunk in and about 42 to go. Might take all summer. :)

Update June 7, 2013:

Honeysuckle

 The honeysuckle that's growing on one of the deck supports is in luscious bloom and we're enjoying it's beauty and fragrance. This variety isn't quite as fragrant as the pink honeysuckle we had growing on the fence in the prairie garden, but it's lovely to look at.

Fly away, fly away, fly away home

Our little doves are growing quickly, and are fully (and beautifully) feathered now, so I expect it won't be long before we discover they've flown the nest. I've been reading up on doves and it sounds like it may be Papa I've photographed most, since doves mate and care for their young together. Some websites said it's the male dove who sits the nest most of the day, then the female takes over at night. It's been a delightful experience.

Weigela

Weigela is a new plant for us, but we're sure enjoying it and it's blooming like mad at the end of May.

It's so pretty to bring inside for a bouquet on the fireplace. Since our weigela bush is planted on the east side of the house where we have no view out, we're enjoying it more inside than out.

It's a nice accent to mix in with a few roses, too.

Setbacks

We flew to North Carolina for a conference at 6 a.m. Sunday, May 19. Around four that afternoon I got a text from one of my sisters saying we'd better have someone check on our house because a big storm had gone through town. Sure enough, our house was badly damaged by hail. Ruined roof and guttering, broken window, battered deck and lawn furniture. All discouraging and time-consuming, but covered by our homeowners insurance, thankfully.

But the hardest to take is how the storm erased all the hours of work we'd put into getting the yard in shape. After spending 8 hours last week weeding, planting, transplanting, pruning, and mulching with this result:

We came home to find trees stripped of their leaves and our plants shredded like salad. Only on the east side of the house did the plants go unscathed.

Our friends took a photo of these hailstones that did the damage.

I'm very grateful our favorite green ceramic pot wasn't broken and the flower cart my dad built for us is undamaged. But we'll be starting from scratch on our flower pots and plantings. Discouraging, yet in light of what the folks in Oklahoma are dealing with right now, we feel very fortunate.

One wonderful ray of hope: I feared our nesting doves had perished in the storm. Or even if they'd survived, that the eggs would be scrambled. As soon as we got home I ran to check on the nest. It was intact and Mama Dove was sitting there! There must still be eggs!

The hanging plant where the nest rests is too high for me to peek into, but as soon as Mama left the nest, I ran for my camera and held it high to take a photo and see if it revealed unbroken eggs. Imagine my joy when THIS is what the camera revealed!

Mama and babies are doing fine, and we are filled with hope.

Mid-way to hatching

Mid-May, and we're about a week away from a blessed event at our house. This lovely turtle dove laid a pair of eggs in our hanging begonia pot on the front porch and she's been sitting patiently ever since. 

She does let me water the edges of the plant occasionally, but keeps a close eye from a perch on the garage roof.

Starting a shade garden

We've never had so much shade in a yard before! It's very nice and we want to take full advantage of it by starting a shade garden beneath the deck. This space is the view from Ken's art studio, so we want color and variety without blocking the view into the back yard.

There were some vines and bushes already here. We've moved things around a bit, but are grateful for the bounty already planted all around the house. This morning, mid-May, we planted a variety of bulbs and corms and pips––lilies of the valley, caladiums, ferns, hostas.

We left a spot for hellebores, a new shade plant we want to try. They are beautiful shade lovers, and just the right height for this space in front of the windows.

The view from a living room window. I know this will be a favorite spot to sit in the cool of evening.

We are excited about all the wildlife we have in the city and bought a bird feeder on Mother's Day to see if we can attract some finches and other birds. Within a few hours of hanging the feeder, we had our first visitors!

We discovered several hostas growing along the side of the house and moved a couple of them to the corner of the shade garden. I've always wanted to try hostas and have never gotten the chance.