English Emma Blooms

Yesterday was a good day. I spent a whole lot of time gardening. I planted the rest of the sunflowers along the south side of the house. I dug up some daylilies and put them along the south fence where I had put some mulch. I then planted some sunflowers where the daylilies had been, in the bed on the east side of the house. I moved some hosta from under the hammock to by the sliding glass doors. The only problem with the backyard is that I cannot get the hose to reach the bed on the east side. I suppose I will have to use the sprinkler.

I will be mad if none of the sunflowers come up. I have put such careful effort into planting them. I had a shoot the day before yesterday, and yesterday it was gone. My little bottomless pots looked like someone had gone digging in them looking for seeds. :(  I planted at least a thousand a year ago and none of them grew.  Yet the volunteers grow under the bird feeder...

I have ordered some cosmos seeds for the front. They are my absolute favorite. I also ordered a book and some licorice for Friday, my last day of school. I sent Den a couple of books for her birthday. All Quiet on the Western Front is my book of the year. I also sent her a Jill Mansell book that I ordered for myself. I love Jill Mansell, and it looks like she has written some new books. I read her first one, which was about a wedding and was really funny. She does touching romantic comedy.

 It was a day of visible progress. I moved plants, made choices about beds, adjusted the yard, planted seeds, and continued turning the garden into something intentional.

I can be disappointed if the sunflowers do not come up without making that mean the effort was wasted. Gardening always includes negotiation with squirrels, weather, soil, timing, and whatever invisible gremlin raids the bottomless pots.

It is in the back garden in the flower bed along the back fence by the fire pit. It is good at seeding, so I hope I have lots more next year!

Here's some information about calendula:

• Appearance:
  It's an annual with bright yellow or orange daisy-like flowers, often with a darker central disk.

• Cultivation:
  Calendula is relatively easy to grow and thrives in full sun, though it can tolerate some shade. It prefers well-drained soil and can be sown directly in the garden after the last frost or started indoors for earlier blooms.

• Uses:

• Medicinal: It's well-known for its topical application in treating skin wounds, stings, bites, and rashes, and can also be used for fevers and infections.
• Culinary: The petals are edible and can add color and a peppery flavor to salads and soups. Historically, they were used to color butter and cheese.
• Gardening: Calendula can act as a natural pest control, attracting beneficial insects while deterring pests when planted near vegetables.

 The Gardening Log: Yesterday, when I came home, I mowed the front yard. Tomorrow is the backyard. I planted sunflowers and cosmos around the fire pit. Tomorrow, I need to rip out some more daylilies to make room for additional plants. I also need to get planting with the elephant ears and cannas. Where will I put them?

Yesterday, I did a lot of weeding while I was on the phone. I really want to get busy planting some seeds. Mother's Day is the prime time to get them in the ground! A cosmos paradise is what I want.

 For my gardening challenge, which is for the month of May, I watered the plants and mowed the front yard. I bought some dirt to use to plant new flowers. I also bought a whole bunch of seeds. I am thinking of starting my new flowers in pots and then moving them to flower beds when they get bigger. I got poppies, cosmos, delphiniums, etc. It will be exciting to plant them! I will start next weekend because Mother's Day is the day when the risk of frost is over. Actually, I might plant them before that. I am going to use sticks for the bottom of the pots, then leaf meal, and then, on top, the soil.