Well, the Big Dig has officially started here at the homestead. We are having our front "porch" and sidewalk from the driveway redone, and the long and the short of it is that every single plant along both sides of the walk has to be dug up and stashed somewhere for the duration. The fun began by digging up the 3 rosebushes. The 'Angel Wings' rose, which I grew from seed, got potted and put in the back vegetable/cut flower garden. It's looking pretty peaky, so I'm hoping that the stress hasn't killed it already. It's not that I particularly admire the rose, but I did grow it from seed, and everyone who hears that is impressed as hell. For that reason, I'd kind of hate losing it. Time will tell, I guess. Next were the two hybrid teas, 'Fragrant Memory' and 'Gertrude Jekyll'. 'Gertrude' went by the garage, replacing 'Peace'. ('Peace' gave up the ghost this year; I suspect the voles spent the winter snacking on it and killed it.) 'Gertrude', I regret to say, is not looking well either. 'Fragrant Memory', on the other hand, is looking quite robust, and I think that will do just fine.
After the roses were dispatched, I started in on the peonies. Let me tell you, peonies that have been in the ground and undisturbed for nearly two decades have hellacious roots. I got about half of them out, and I was done in at that point. Unfortunately, since I'm doing this at the wrong time of the year, I just have to hope that I've got some good eyes on the divisions. I would be vastly annoyed if this turned out to be all for naught, and I lose all those peonies! Especially because they were passalongs from a very dear, now quite elderly (93) friend of mine. That would hurt.
No work will be done tomorrow, as the forecast is for a high of 90, with oppressive humidity and thunderstorms. Also because I have fibromyalgia, and I'm still hurting from yesterday's exertions. Work resumes on Sunday. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish up the peonies, and at least begin on the spiraeas. Once I get that done, the rest is a piece of cake. I just hope that the contractor isn't swamped, and will be here sometime in July or early August - and then I can put everything back again! What can I say.........it's a sickness!
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