English Emma Blooms

The seven plants to divide:

• Daylilies
• Bearded iris
• Shasta daisies
• Siberian iris
• Garden phlox
• Coneflowers
• Black-eyed Susans

The general method is to water the plant the day before, dig around the whole clump, lift it carefully, divide it into healthy sections, remove old or woody centres, and replant each section at the same depth. Water the new divisions thoroughly and add a light layer of mulch, but do not cover the crowns.

After dividing, keep the plants consistently moist for several weeks and wait until spring to fertilize heavily.

General method:

1. Water the plant deeply the day before.
2. Dig widely around the clump to avoid damaging roots.
3. Lift the whole clump.
4. Divide it with a sharp spade, fork, or knife.
5. Remove old, woody centres.
6. Keep healthy sections with roots and shoots.
7. Replant immediately at the same depth.
8. Water well and mulch lightly.
9. Keep the divisions moist for the first few weeks.
10. Do not fertilize heavily until spring.

Plant-specific details:

• Daylilies: Cut foliage to about 6 inches, lift the clump, pull or cut it into sections with healthy roots and several fans, then replant.
• Bearded iris: Dig up the rhizomes, discard old woody centres, keep young firm rhizomes, trim leaves to 6 inches, and replant with the rhizome at the soil surface.
• Shasta daisies: Lift the clump, cut it into smaller sections, and replant 12–18 inches apart.
• Siberian iris: Lift the clump, cut the dense root mass apart with a sharp spade, and replant at the same depth.
• Garden phlox: Wait until flowering is finished, dig up the plant, slice the root ball into sections, and replant with plenty of space.
• Coneflowers: Lift the plant with a sharp spade, divide it into pieces with strong roots and stems, and replant in well-drained soil.
• Black-eyed Susans: Lift mature clumps, cut them into smaller sections with a garden knife, and replant in full sun.

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.

At Holmesdale Road, I liked to make perfume out of my mum’s roses. At 122 Ouklip Street, I would wonder at the bottlebrush plants, and I would sweep my imaginary dirt garden. It was just all dirt and no flowers due to South African drought. At Oakhall Park, I was in charge of gardening, and I nurtured the violets and tied down the daffodils.

In college, I planted a bunch of flowers at 206 South Third Street that then had a deck built over them. I loved the daylilies on Haverford Avenue, and I started planting my garden in 2000! Now it is a beast.

I spent two hours gardening yesterday. I weeded, planted sunflowers, planted other seeds, tied back daffodils, applied fertilizer, moved mulch, and mowed the lawn. Today, I am weeding Dr. Cho’s with Peanut. Laura is supposed to call around 5:45.

I am worried about planting the seed bombs. I am worried that I will do it wrong, and I am worried that I will plant them in the wrong place. At the moment, I am thinking along the side of the house, in the garden on the south side, along the neighbor’s driveway.

On Sunday, Jennifer and I went to a plant festival at the park. It was kind of annoying because we had to pay $9 to get in. Last year it was free. Oh well. They had some great plants, but I have more. Evil laugh. I could make a lot of money if I sold my plants, which I am not going to do. I wonder if my flowers will be taken into consideration when valuing the house in the future. The new generation is coming up, and they like and value plants.

The hammock hangs between the sturdy trees, gently swaying like it’s inviting me to pause and drift for a while. Beneath it, the patio table waits for long conversations, cups of tea, or moments of quiet reflection. Around me, the garden flourishes—lush, alive, and wild in the most beautiful way. The red shed stands at the back, a bold, cheerful punctuation mark among the greens.

I love the little details that make the yard mine: the playful gnomes, the bird feeders shaped like tiny mushrooms, and the unexpected sparks of color from my flowers and plants. Ferns and monstera leaves fan out near the porch, mingling with the bright faces of orange daylilies and the gentle sway of wild greenery. It feels like a blend of order and wilderness, a space where I can both create and simply exist.

This backyard is my favorite kind of magic—simple, grounding, and quietly alive with the hum of summer. It’s where I find myself breathing deeper and feeling grateful, even for the smallest of things.

 Peanut supervised while I transplanted flowers. Time goes so quickly when I am gardening. I am pleased with how everything looks. The next plan is to make some holes in the fence so the flowers get more light. Another idea is to have my tree trimmed that is in that corner. The fence is not to keep people out; it's just to keep dogs in. If I have a small dog, I don't need such a tall fence. I don't know what the answer is—maybe it is to drop the idea of being able to plant flowers there.

My chainsaw came in the mail yesterday. I am excited to learn how to use it. 

 I worked on the new garden areas. I moved more shade plants to the shady areas and put some daylilies against the wall. I think daylilies need to hug the wall of the house—if they’re in front, it’s hard to see anything else! I do appreciate them. They both keep water in the soil and abate it so we don’t have a flood.

On the way home from Little Flower, I stopped at Lowe's and bought some volcanic rocks for the drainage pathway.  They look pretty good!  Now I need to figure out what to do with the rest of the pathway.  I don't think I can afford rocks for the whole thing.

A bird just jumped into one of my flower baskets with food for its babies. It has a nest in my flowers. I wish it didn’t do that—it makes watering difficult! But I am honored that it chose to share my home.

 Gardening Day

Yesterday, I spent the whole day gardening, except for a walk with Heather and Loki in the evening. I had a delightful time. I think I will be able to do it on July 4.  What did I do yesterday? I ripped half of the flowers under the drip line of the evergreen. I moved black-eyed Susans to the side yard by the gate to the backyard. I moved other black-eyed Susans to the big flower bed next to the neighbor's house. I moved daylilies all along the side of the house to help with drainage. I had to dig up a bunch of lily of the valley, which I moved to the back to make room for the black-eyed Susans. I also moved some black-eyed Susans and daylilies to the neighbor's yard south of mine. It is now Stella's. It was once Jessica's and before that, Marlynn's! I am making new flower beds in the back. I am rehabilitating the flower bed by the air conditioning unit, where Chewy used to lie on top of the flowers. I am reinstating the Solomon memorial garden that I removed because I thought we were getting a sewer line. I would like to get some architectural interest pieces, like rocks or statues. I would like some pea gravel for the drainage area. I will make it happen! 

Tribal Dance Asiatic Lily, Regal Lily, Orange Day Lily

Purple cone flower, drum stick alium, Plaines coreopsis (yellow) Verbena Rigida

Three different color  day lilies,Wood Lily, Stargazer Lily, Madonna Lily

 Good morning, Indianapolis!

This is the first Monday of my summer break. Today, I was planning to go swimming, but it's cold and wet. I think I will set my threshold for swimming at 70°F for later today. Instead, I’ll go this afternoon and try to hit adult swim. I’ll bring a book and do some reading.

Yesterday was productive and enjoyable. I planted some delphiniums, foxglove, sunflowers, and moved some daylilies to make room for seeds. Today, I need to do the same in the front garden, moving the daylilies along the fence by the neighbors. The soil is poor there, making it the best place for them. I also plan to fill the garden under the tree with daylilies. By the end of the growing season, I intend to move all the lilies to the front windows. I’ve been experimenting with plants at the dentist's office, and it looks great! I may even take some from there to my house.

Looking forward to catching up with my gardening today!

For June, I have decided to give up Facebook games and Instagram to focus on spending more time outdoors and improving my quality of life. My other challenge is to go swimming every day that I can, starting on June 8, after school ends on Thursday.

I also plan to dedicate time to gardening every day. Mornings offer more opportunities for outdoor activities, and I want to make the most of that time. I have been thinking about my garden and the bulbs I have. I have too many bluebells, which tend to fall over and suffocate other plants. I may need to deleaf them. Additionally, I have an excess of daylilies that I might sell at the yard sale. They could be popular if they bloom simultaneously. I will look for some decent pots to sell them in.

I have a lot of poison ivy in my garden. I plan to take a thick trash bag and uproot them carefully, similar to how I would pick up after a pet. It makes me nervous because I want to avoid coming into contact with the oil that causes itching.

In the mornings, I’ll make sure to enjoy the beauty of the garden and the time spent outdoors. Gardening is an essential part of my routine, and I’m excited to continue nurturing my plants.

  I did a lot of gardening. I dug up daylilies in the backyard around the flower pit and moved them to the south side along the fence. I dug up hostas along the fence and moved them further west. I have so much to do in the back and so many seeds to plant. I really hope that they take! I have so much gardening to do, and I have to take care of flowers at Dr. Cho's office too.

Here are the flowers at Dr. Cho's:

While I was gardening, Corinna stopped by, and we had a chinwag. She brought over some things for the June 7th yard sale. An hour later, Becky stopped by, and we walked and talked while we looked at my flowers. I LOVE it when people drop in! I love it when people check to see how we are. Happy times!

 Gardening: Yesterday, I asked the neighbors—the twenty-somethings—if I could plant in their yard so they don't have to mow. “Hey, neighbors!” I called to the twenty-somethings next door. “Can I plant in your yard so you don’t have to mow?”

“Yes!” they replied enthusiastically. “Please do!”

“I have too many daylilies,” I explained, “and I want to make room for other plants.” I ripped some daylilies out from around the fire pit and planted them next door. Today, I have to plant and water some new seeds I got. EXCITING BUSINESS! If I am here every weekend, I can plant every day because I will be here to water the seedlings.

Yesterday, I went over to Judy's, and she called her car insurance to come and fix her car. They jump-started it, and she kept it running in the garage. We were going to go to a vintage porch party, but we ended up hanging out at her house, and I did some gardening. I also brought over some ice cream that we both enjoyed. “You made me happy!” she said with a smile.

 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?

 Outside is always my favorite place to be. I need to prioritize outside experiences. I was thinking about my May Challenge. I could write every day about what I am doing in my garden. I could keep a gardening record. Today, I am planning on moving some daylilies from the back to the front garden. I am also thinking of moving some short flowers to a different area where they are not getting overwhelmed by the daylilies. Other things I need to do are plant my Canna at Dr. Cho's garden and also keep a log of my work there. 

 I want to expand the flower garden along the path to the back walkway. I will do this by moving some of the daylilies. I am also thinking of growing daylilies in pots. I can use the pile of leaf meal to put in the pots with some potting soil on top. GREAT IDEA!

Today, I planted some seeds in the backyard on some of the bald spots in the grass. The seeds are clover. Tomorrow, I have lots of gardening planned! I also weed-whacked the front and back. Now my body is recovering.