July Garden Report

Normally the heat of summer is not considered prime transplanting time. But I'm a rebel, so while it's predicted to be 104 degrees today, I'm transplanting azaleas and ferns.

I've found that if they're moved to a shady area, watered twice a day, and given plenty of mulch, it can work.

Whatever you do, don't do this! I've found several with buried pots in my garden. No wonder some of the azaleas failed to thrive.

Yesterday I moved two azaleas and lots of maidenhair ferns. I eventually got tired of fiddling with the darn ferns and ended up throwing lots of them away. I feel a little bad about that because normal people would love to have maidenhair ferns, but they're like a weeds here, so I need to get over that.

I'm removing the ferns because I'm hacking my way through the azalea beds to create a parterre garden. The plan is to have brick walkways between the azaleas, ferns, rhododendrons, and camellias, with perhaps a fountain or birdbath as a focal point.

With all my watering and lots of decomposing roots in the garden, mushrooms are popping up everywhere: some real, some fake. Here are some real ones. The first ones are so tiny! I think they're called Coprinellus disseminatus, or Fairy Bonnets.

We got a new driveway recently and I finally tackled the uneven grass next to it. I had to dig out a lump, and fill in a dip. I've come to the conclusion that this yard will never be "level", but if I can smooth out the irregularities a bit, I'll be happy.