No, no, it wasn't me having a first haircut. I'm way past that. It was the garden, where I spent yesterday doing numerous tasks.
It started with me trimming the dead leaves off our banana tree. It always comes through winter looking a bit ragged, so I cleaned it up. (I suppose you could say I gave it a haircut.)
Then I decided to deadhead the yellow daffodils, which have almost all faded, and I swept the patio and trimmed the potted ferns. (More haircuts.)
I guess I got on a roll, because before I knew it I was on to major projects.
My assistant was hard at work too, as you can see.
Years ago, when Dave and I first moved into this space, he planted two types of dogwood among the roses. We thought they were the type of dogwoods that would bloom, like the North American variety. But these were relatively featureless shrubs, and even as Cornus plants go, they proved to be uninteresting. Their flowers were barely noticeable, their stems weren't colorful. And lately they were getting so big that they were shading out the roses and the other plants.
So, basically, we planted the wrong thing in the wrong place, and yesterday I solved the problem. I pulled them both out. I always hate to kill a perfectly good plant but in this case it was unavoidable. I feel guilty but I also feel relieved that they're gone.
Then I assembled our new, battery-operated lawn mower and cut the grass. (Hence the first haircut -- of the season, that is.)
Not too shabby, right? The grass is still a bit patchy in places but it will fill in as the spring progresses.
The mower works pretty well, though I didn't get through the whole lawn on a single battery charge. I had to charge them again to finish. (There are two batteries.) I'm hoping that's because it's a new mower and perhaps wasn't fully charged to begin with. It's also significantly smaller and lighter than our electric mower -- it feels like something made by Fisher-Price -- but in a way that's good because it can get into nooks and crannies that our other mower couldn't.
(I have the very American perception that a lawn mower should be a big, thunderous metal machine that runs on gasoline, possibly large enough to stand or ride on. European mowers made for city gardens still take some getting used to. If I stood on this little thing I not only couldn't ride it, I'd snap its axles.)
Also, I have to show you...
...our tulips! We have two of them. (We had three, but the pigeons bit the head off one.) This one (above) is growing beneath the bird feeder and promises to be yellow with ruffly petals.
And this one's growing in a pot on the patio. Tulips are a rarity in our garden, so I'm always happy when we have a few flowers!
(Top photo: A house leek, or hen-and-bitties as my babysitter back in Florida used to call them.)
58 comments:
Our lawn jockeys and their loud mowers suck...so I'm glad you can't do that, and your garden looks nice...
Looks pretty good. I sometimes wonder at the hairdressers whether I am having my last haircut.
Good job with the toy lawn mower! What are its blades like? Are they metal? I once bought a hovermower with plastic blades. It was bloody useless. Now I have a heavy duty "Bosch" lawnmower. "Bosch" products tend to be well made and are usually long-lasting. I hope they give me a financial reward for stating this on a world famous blog.
Based off past posts, I’m surprised the dogwoods didn’t end up in a pot out near the sidewalk.
Good work! We have one of these movers as well, I can lift it up with one hand and carry it up the basement stairs - I carry the battery separately. My neighbour has one with a small solar panel on top that supposedly charges as you go.
Two tulips is a good start, I won't brag how many we have.
Greetings to Olga, she knows what matters.
We did yardwork this weekend as well, though the first lawn haircut has to wait. Our riding mower--yes, a monstrosity, but we have about an acre to mow--is being serviced for Summer and isn't quite ready.
It always amazes me that you don't border the flower beds with bricks or edging, especially the rose one in the middle of the yard. How do you keep the grass out? I also tackled a large job in the yard this weekend.
Your assistant is a wonderful addition to any garden.
Just beautiful, Steve!
And yes, we have one of those huge, gas-guzzling, horribly noisy lawn mowers. Of course, our yard is a little larger than your garden but I know my husband loves his lawn mower.
It's almost as much fun as the four-wheeler. Or the go-kart. Or the golf cart.
We have no shortage of fun things to ride around here.
Your tulips are beautiful. Olga looks quite comfortable. Your yard is looking super. Enjoy it. Hugs, Edna B.
The garden is looking very neat and tidy and ready for new spring growth. I love those tulips.
I like the cure in your garden landscape. Most people have straight lines in their head when the plan a garden.
What, no picture of the new mower? Heresy!
Olga is my spirit animal. Well, not the mud baths. Just the sleeping.
The garden looks beautiful. Seeing the tulip reminds me that I need to plant some this fall (is that the right time?). I love them, but I always forget to plant the bulbs.
My daffodils are just beginning to open and I look forward to that each year. Your tulips are sweet! Your garden looks great! I love to watch how your garden fills in and grows during the next seasons!
My next mower will be battery although my lawn is big so I may need three batteries. My tulips are blooming too (some of them) and they are very cheerful!
My daffodils are just beginning to open. One early one is done, but the mud season ones are just opening today, and the later ones will be there soon.
I love your imaginatively shaped garden. Amazing for a rental to have such a lovely outdoor space.
Mid not mud season, gah.
Actually, I think Fisher Price might make a lawnmower! ;)
Your tulips are lovely and Olga looks so contented. Have you ever seen Tahiti Daffodils? A friend sent me a photo of hers yesterday and they're gorgeous!
Always called that succulent an Old Hen and Chicks. They are quite prolific!
Your little yard area always looks so nice! When I had a yard, I had an electric mower and a long, heavy-duty extension cord. It was nice and quiet to run and I left it for the folks who bought my mobile home since I wouldn't be needing it where I live now!
I never heard of a battery lawn mower. My neighbor uses an electric mower with a cord. As for us, we hire a yard man once per month.
I do miss the spring awakening with all the fresh green colors and early flowers. Your garden space looks lovely and peaceful - a good spot for a nap in the sun!
The garden is looking good. It's amazing how much outdoor space you have in the city. I don't think any of our bulbs are going to bloom. I'll probably dig them up. We do have day lilies attempting a come back in the front yard, they're next on the list to be dug up.
Olga Girl Is Definitely A Top Dog Supervisor - You Think She Is Relaxing But She Is Keeping Everything In Check - Well Done Girl
Cheers
Mike uses one of those big zero turn mowers - but then again he's mowing two rather large lawns a week. He mowed his dad's last week, but we've decided to leave ours another week. I know I've mentioned it before, but if I could I'd designate big swaths of ours as "meadow" - ha!
I love Olga on her fancy bed - makes such a lovely picture!
Your yard looks terrific. Well done on the deadheading and such. It makes such a difference but sometimes it's a bit of a pain. Your assistant is lookin' good! She definitely has her own agenda. Love her blanket.
You asked about my friend -- she lives on Canfield Gardens, about two or three (American-size) blocks from the Finchley tube station.
You should bring back some tulips from your trip to FL. Is that allowed?
Steve, are you going to participate in No Mow May again this year?
Chris from Boise
It would be ridiculous to have a bigger mower on our tiny patch of lawn!
I gave up the barber in 1997 or so and I've never looked back!
Yes, they are metal blades. We have a plastic mower with plastic blades left by a previous tenant and I've never even tried to use it. I can tell already it's a piece of junk. (So, yes, we have three lawn mowers, which is ridiculous.)
If I thought I could get them out of the ground intact I would have done so! Unfortunately they're too big for that.
I suppose if we tried to plant more tulips we could have more, especially if we put them in pots to keep them away from the snails/slugs.
We had about an acre of grass where I grew up in Florida, and I used to mow it with a push-mower! What a drag!
Last year I didn't even try to keep the grass out, but normally I weed the beds. (I think I'm going back to weeding this year. Things got a little out of control last summer.)
I agree! She warms it right up!
Plus, grass in Florida is tougher than it is here. My mower wouldn't make it two feet through a Florida lawn!
Thanks! Olga loves the sun, even if the outside temperatures are cool!
It's getting there! We still have lots to do! I have seeds to plant, for one thing.
We've tried to keep it pretty natural looking and not too regimented.
LOL -- the mower isn't photogenic enough to warrant a picture!
Yes, you can plant them in fall for the following spring. We planted these years ago -- just odd bulbs that we got here and there -- and they come up every year.
It always looks so spacious at this time of year, but by fall it looks dense!
I never knew battery-operated mowers were a thing in the states. I never saw them before I moved here. (Of course, that was ten years ago, so maybe it's a matter of improved technology.)
That's why we took this flat. The garden sold us!
LOL -- I wondered about that!
I haven't seen Tahiti daffodils, but I looked them up and they're pretty!
I actually like our electric mower but for some reason it's stopped working. I think it needs a new ignition switch.
I think battery-operated mowers may be relatively new. We'll see how well it holds up! Our neighbors both have gardeners.
Olga agrees!
I seem to remember that your bulbs are under or near some bushes? You might want to move them to a sunnier spot. That could make a difference.
Such a vicious guard dog!
If you've got a big lawn I could see how you'd need a riding mower. (I'd never heard of a "zero turn" mower but I think I know what that means...)
I don't think I can bring back any garden plants from the states, alas. I know Canfield Gardens! I walk through that neighborhood on my way to and from work! We live north of there, just off West End Lane and Finchley Road.
We're not sure. It was a fun experiment last year but our grass doesn't do well when it gets long -- it turns into a sort of tangled mat, and dies back at ground level, which leaves a big mud patch when we finally DO mow it.
Your garden is so lovely. The house leek is called hen and chickens here. I have a similar plant in a pot down under the plum trees, it's old and leggy, but still looks okay.
Aren't tulips like daffodils with the bulbs multiplying over the years? My rescue bulbs are like that so in about 3-5 years I should have enough to be sharing them with others.
If I get back to London in the fall (my hope -- but with Covid, I don't plan all that far ahead anymore!) maybe we can connect for tea or coffee. We stay there for a few days, then move to a hotel (a good guest knows how much is enough! We want them to still be our friends when we leave!) I just looked at the map -- that isn't far at all.
Pity about the tulip bulbs, though I suppose they are plentiful where you live, too!
Beautiful tulips. I like your garden. I really appreciate your assistant.
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