Really digging
Virginia creeper
Cool Canadian air surged into central Texas Wednesday afternoon, and by Thursday morning it really felt like autumn—downright nippy at daybreak, then cool and sunny in the afternoon. Like Pavlov’s dog, I was suddenly drooling to be digging in the garden, planting something, anything. Through sheer willpower, I drove past Shoal Creek Nursery and went instead to my old garden on a raiding party.
“The next owner will never miss this,” I reasoned as I dug up a half-dozen plants, abetted by the knowledge that said future owner hasn’t materialized yet. Popped into old nursery pots from Green Hall shed were a coral bean (Erythrina herbacea ) I’d planted only last spring (pictured above), a division of majestic sage (Salvia guaranitica ), a young American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana ), a clump of native spiderwort, some Conoclinium coelestinum (an upright mistflower), and a ‘Radrazz’ Knockout rose. All but the latter will grow in the partly or mostly shady conditions that dominate my new garden.
To make the transplant easier on the patients, I cut back the salvia, coral bean, and mistflower to the first leaves on each stem. This is how the Salvia guaranitica looked after the haircut—a bundle of green sticks. But not to worry. It should be a lovely, deep-blue flowering shrub by next summer.
I drove straight home and looked for the right spot for the big guys. The little ones can wait, along with my other divisions, to be planted. The American beautyberry should be perfect under the live oaks in this shady corner.
Oops—a holly fern occupies that spot. But not for long.
I’m not a big fan of holly ferns, so I ripped it out and found—glory, hallelujah!—a half-foot of good, black soil. Where I thought I’d run into a tangle of roots and rocks, soil had been added in pockets here and there. Thank you, previous owners! The digging commenced.
In a few minutes, I’d tucked the beautyberry, salvia, and coral bean into their new home.
I’ll be back to rock hauling, weeding, and deconstruction again this afternoon. But it sure was nice to do some digging and planting again.
All material © 2006-2008 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Hi Pam, The enthusiasm can be heard in your voice, you had some fun raiding the old garden, hooray for you. The new owners, whenever they appear, and they will, will not miss anything you might take. Do it! And good for you nixing the holly fern. You will make that new garden your own with much better plant choices.
Frances
I’m working on it, Frances. One step (or dig) at a time! —Pam
Pam — the weather is perfect for planting. What a nice “nursery” you have at the old house…and it’s free – just requires a little sweat equity. That’s kind of cool if you think about it. you’ve already raised these plants and they are nicely established, why not. And I agree with Frances – no one will miss what simply isn’t there because there is so much there already that it will still be a beautiful and full garden — so much more than most people could ever imagine. Have fun with the rocks, is that what’s next?
Yes, the rocks are next. I’ve been working on them for the last two days, grabbing an hour here and there to wrestle them. I’ll post when it’s done. —Pam
I don’t blame you Pam, if something were to happen and I sold the home we have now it would be with the understanding that certain plants just could not stay with the house. I’m glad you had fun playing in the dirt.-Randy
I’d already taken my personal favorites, Randy, so this was more of a secondary raid. Just because they were there—and still mine. 🙂 —Pam
It’s an itch we just have to scratch sometimes. That’s how I feel every spring & fall, I just need to dig. Your beautyberry should be happy in the new home.
I hope so, Racquel. It makes me feel happy in the new home too. —Pam
Isn’t there a special fun attached to a plant “raid” LOL. Sounds like an afternoon well spent and I am sure you and your readers appreciate the plants more than most.
Oh, it was most fun, Nicole. I must stop myself though, or there’ll be some gaping holes over there. —Pam
Doesn’t it feel great to get something into the ground? It makes all that clearing, digging and potting up so worth it. I can imagine that you hate to leave behind all the wonderful plants you had in your previous garden. I am sure the new owners will rip and tear wondering what in the world you were thinking. ha… You might as well take a few starts of your favs.
“I am sure the new owners will rip and tear wondering what in the world you were thinking.” Ha! You are so right, I’m sure. I’ve been justifying my raid with that thought in mind. —Pam
Hey,
I just came from Natural Gardener with 10 5-gallon plants.
So if you REALLY have the urge come on over!
Just kidding … kind of.
The start of your wonderful design for my backyard will begin this weekend.
Karen Kennedy in S. Austin
Good luck, Karen, and happy digging! I want to see pictures as you go, OK? —Pam
Pam, you are such a kick! I love your no-nonsense attitude about plants you want outta there. I’m so excited for you–this is like giving birth all over again. Linda
Only not so painful. It’s just as messy though. 😉 —Pam
Pam,
I well remember raiding my old garden for cuttings, divisions, and a few much loved plants that were gifts from my friends and family. It truly helps to make the new garden feel like home.
Chloe
It really does. Just seeing the beautyberry out there warms my heart. —Pam
You go girl. Didn’t you buy the plants to start with? Good for you to take whatever you choose. I’m anxious to see your new garden progress.
As am I, Lola. I’m eager to start 5 different projects at once, but I must take the advice I so often give others: dream big, but start small. —Pam
Too bad I wasn’t standing behind you ‘supervising’ as you dug, Pam… I’d have rescued the supplanted holly fern. There are a few already growing in my woodland garden and unlike you and some of your commenters, I’m rather fond of them.
I hope your plants do well at the new place!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
That poor holly fern. I just wrenched it unceremoniously out of the ground, not even considering that I might find a good home for it. I have a few others, Annie. If I decide they must go, I will give you a call first. —Pam
Pam, Are those red sloggers on those digging feet? I know they are happy to be getting dirty again. There is something so right about planting some of your favorite plants into your new garden. Gail
Why, yes, those are red Sloggers. They’re my all-purpose gardening shoes. Though I’ve found they’ll take off one’s toenail polish unless socks are worn. 😉 —Pam
Oh I like Holly Ferns! But there’s so many things to choose from, we have to decide what are our favorites, since we can’t have them all. Can we? LOL
No, we can’t have everything we like, alas. But I didn’t have a moment’s regret about that holly fern. 🙂 —Pam
I see you all in black, creeping along the ground on your belly….rise, dig, drop to the ground……continue….rise, dig, drop….have fun!
Stealth digger, eh? Perhaps that’s how I’ll end up, surreptitiously raiding my old garden in the dead of night. For now, it’s still all mine. —Pam
Maybe it is time to resort to folklore concerning the sale of the house. St. Francis, upside down, buried in the yard. It has worked for many of my acquaintances! Worth a try but only after you finish digging….LOL
I may be looking for a little St. Francis very soon, Layanee. He could occupy a hole from one of the plants I dug up. —Pam
Oh my! I’m behind. I didn’t even know you’d moved yet! I’ve got to go back through earlier posts and get up to snuff again!
Brenda
I got behind on my blog reading during the move, Brenda. I’m still playing catch-up. —Pam
Hi Pam, your move was timed perfectly for transplanting those beauties!
I moved here in winter, and it about killed me to leave all my plants behind buried under a foot of snow. I’d brought some hostas here the previous summer. Wish I’d taken more plants while I had the chance.
This move certainly was timed well for gardening purposes. Not so well considering the national financial crisis. 😉 —Pam
I had to come back, Pam, to note how interesting it is that the buried statue custom is slightly different in Rhode Island. In Illinois people used a St Joseph statue (head of household & carpenter) rather the St Francis suggested by Layanee. Between your garden, your nature photography and sharing your birthday with the feast of Francis you might do better with him.
The rest of the legend involves unearthing the statue and giving it a place of honor in the new home…one reason the statues sold in “Home Selling Kits” are quite diminutive in size!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
St. Francis is also appropriate considering my old street name. —Pam
Wow, Pam! I wish I could buy your house!
This is going to be such a valuable journey you’re sharing … to participate in the creation of a new garden by such a talented designer – it’s like we’ll be going to the best kind of school for garden design. I’m especially curious to see how you’ll be dealing with issues of shade. My clients are always surprised at how much you can actually plant in the shade when you live in a warm climate. Your beautiful succulents will not be going to waste!
best of luck, my heart is with you, and I’m following your every move!
I wish you could buy it too, Germi! How about a second home in a garden-blogger’s paradise? 😉 And you’re right about shade. But I’m still going to need a sun bed for my favorite salvias. —Pam
Pam it looks like you’ve been really “diggin”..no cool temps in this Canadian garden location…just autumn breezes..and roses still blooming!
Well, cool is relative. By “cool in Austin” I meant upper 70s and low 80s. Those might be your summer temps, yes? Enjoy those roses though! —Pam
Is that Tradescantia around the former holly fern? I think you’ve mentioned Tradescantia at the new place. It’s nice when it’s not a weedy mat.
I’ve read in garden books people say you should wait a year in a new house before you start digging and planting a garden. That’s the most ridiculous bit of nonsense I’ve ever read!
Yep, it’s good ole purple heart ( Tradescantia pallida). I like to use it too, though there’s too much of it here. And you’re right—no one who loves to garden could possibly wait a year to start digging.
I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to resist some raids of your old garden.
Good for you getting out there and making things you own. The coral bean and beauty berry are just too good to leave behind.
What I really need to do is get the plants I already have in the ground before I go raiding for more. But it’s easier to dig up than to make new places to dig in. —Pam
You have been a garden renovating machine! It’s starting to look pretty good. It must be very satisfying to see things starting to take shape.
It feels good to see some of my favorite plants in the new garden. But I’m also enjoying discovering new ones that I’ve never grown: Texas persimmon, pineapple guava, ‘Dortmund’ rose. It’s kind of like getting married—something old, something new… —Pam