A fence in time

One sign of spring is the premature visits to any business that has a gardening department. My SO and I needed more mulch for under the gold mop, so we stopped at Home Depot where I also picked up a few more sections of the fencing I like.

Last summer the dogs tromped around under the 'Limelight' hydrangea, doing damage to the Bishop's Weed growing under the shrub. Some of their tromping is beneficial - they keep the weeds beneath the arborvitae under control - but I want the Bishop's Weed to fill in this spot. (I just read a description of Bishop's Weed here. I promise to keep it under control.)

I invited the hardscape guy who did my driveway to give me an opinion about trying to remove some of the water from my backyard. The heavy clay holds a lot of moisture, and I have four downspouts and a sump pump all emptying on the north side of the house. Because my yard is so flat, moving water away from it is a big deal that would involve thousands of dollars. So now I know. My SO suggested a rain garden in the problem areas, which I may just follow up on, in the form of pocket gardens.

Yesterday my granddaughter spotted a vacated bagworm casing on the Prairie Fire crabapple. Gah! I thought it was just a dried leaf, which is exactly what the bagworms want you to think. I'll have to keep an eye out for those little buggers.

The birds have all disappeared, or so it seems. I guess with the snow gone and spring on its way, they have other dining options. Soon the migratory birds will arrive. If I pay attention, I may spot something unusual.