In the ground

Oh sweet relief: For the first time in months I am to be able to go outside and piddle in the yard without wishing instantly for the sweet release of death (when you’re a mosquito magnet, you can’t do your yardwork in skimpy, well-ventilated clothes unless you want to discover bites in places you’d rather just a select few people had access to). These past few days have just been beautiful and I’ve been able to get some things done I’ve been putting off all (wretchedly hot) summer. Namely weeding and mulching and beginning to clean out the shit I’ve let pile up in the shed, which, up until about two weeks ago, I was terrified to go into because it was grand central station for frigging CAMEL CRICKETS OH MY GAHHHH. (I lit into them with a dizzyingly intoxicating amount of bug spray and then stayed out for a week or two and now, when I go into the shed, I don’t hear hundreds of tiny six-footed critters skittering away from me with every step I take OH GOD RELIVING THAT JUST MADE ME VOMIT A LITTLE.)

I’m getting to plan next year’s beds for the first time, which is fun but sort of intimidating, as I am relying on what passes for common sense and, when I get panicky, Google searches and texts to mom. This year my gardening was all about watching to see what would come up that had been planted before I ever moved in, and supplementing with my own additions and transplants here and there and hoping that everything would just sort of pick up where it left off. Some things did not take kindly to the transplants; I am hoping they’ll make impressive comebacks next year.

I was just lamenting today that the caramel-colored coral bell my mom gave me just petered out over the summer. It looked puny and never flowered, and I never could get it to take to any combination of sun and shade. Now I’m wondering if I somehow overwatered it in my zealous attempt to fight heat fatigue. I don’t know. But it was in a big pot that I am itching to use for something else if it’s truly dead. But I wonder: Should I just let it be, and see if it comes back at all in the spring? Is there some way to tell if a plant is really really dead or just taking a breather until next year? Should I look at its root ball or something? I mean, coral bells aren’t supposed to lose all their foliage even in the winter. Sigh. Poor, poor coral bell. We hardly knew ye.

Coming this spring (so far, and in addition to the bulbs already lying in wait): Tulips, crocus, and purple sensation alliums. I want to get some coneflowers for next year but I’m torn on whether I want to start from seed or just buy a starter plant or two.

I’m open to suggestions for other (fairly low-maintenance) perennials. I’d like to plan better for 2011 so that I can have spring bloomers, summer bloomers, late-summer bloomers and some fall bloomers too.