2018 APRIL – Mattie’s Garden Day

This post - 2018 APRIL - Mattie’s Garden Day - was written by Annie in Austin for the Divas of the Dirt Blog.

A few days before her scheduled garden day, Mattie emailed a photo of her native unscented Mock Orange (Philadelphus inodorus) in full, glorious bloom.

Mattie had a few wishes for her garden day – some mulching, some pruning, and maybe a little destruction.

By the time I got there Mattie, Annie, Karla, Mindy, Buffy and Sophia had arrived and were still visiting in the kitchen. We went out to check out the back yard. It looked pretty good but neighbors had planned alterations on the other side of the fence and that would have an impact on Mattie’s view. The idea was to make her side of the fence better. 

The winter had been cold enough to knock the Barbados cherries down. They weren’t dead and were beginning to resprout so needed the old dead wood cut out.

The Cast Iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) also needed grooming. Divas Annie and Sophia went to work.

Mattie thought the variegated Pittosporum should be tamed and shaped. Mindy and Karla volunteered. I can’t dig or kneel, but I can still prune, so joined them.

Mattie pointed out a pear tree along the back fence that wasn’t growing much. She hoped we could dig it out and move it. That pear hadn’t been planted in that spot very long so it probably was not very established. Once the soil around it was loosened, merely holding the trunk while rocking it back and forth was enough to pop the tree out. The tree roots still showed the shape of the container it had once occupied.

 Here’s the Destruction part of the day: When Mattie bought her house it came with a rather beat-up Rubbermaid shed. After a few years of Central Texas weather it was even more beat-up! Mattie had no use for it and it blocked the area where she wanted small trees and shrubs as screening plants.

Karla, Mattie and Mindy looked that shed over and decided they could dismantle it and disappear it.

First the doors came off.

Next the roof was gone, then the sides – soon there would be a blank spot along the fence.

The final step - the pear and another shrub were planted next to an itty bitty redbud, the beginning of a living green screen.

The back looked pretty good by 1:20pm – time for all the Divas of the Dirt to go to the front of the house for a little weeding, trimming and mulching. The ‘Cinco de Mayo’ rose, ‘Julia Child’ rose and St Joseph lilies were beautiful, but we can make this curbside bed look better!

Buffy picked up the hedge trimmer and showed the big boxwood who was boss.

Around 3pm lunch was announced – Mattie had a fun, nostalgic menu planned, with favorite foods from her childhood: Waffle potato chips, baked-not-grilled cheese sandwiches, dill pickle slices, sweet gherkins, a big shredded salad with broccoli and tomato soup with butter.

We caught up on individual news, from projected vacations to fender-benders, from a newly adopted dog to doctor visits. At one point the conversation turned to the variety of British TV detective series now streaming on various services – there are so many available that many other people must also like them!

For dessert Mattie had baked Ghirardelli Brownies, making them with blood orange oil… that alone made them fabulous while a scoop of vanilla ice cream took them over the top.

Around 4:30pm the Divas of the Dirt left a mulched and weeded garden for Mattie – oh, those spectacular roses, even in the harsh late afternoon light!

Barbie enjoyed our visit but was not sorry to see us go – all she wanted to do now was to lie on the grass, squinting into the sun and enjoying the warmth.

A few days later Mattie emailed some After photos taken in morning light –

Here are the Aspidistra elatior AKA Cast Iron plants all spruced up.

And here is the variegated Pittosporum with stray branches removed for a better shape.

Finally, this lovely view from Mattie’s kitchen window – a pair of wrens had moved into the birdhouse.

This post - 2018 APRIL - Mattie’s Garden Day - was written by Annie in Austin for the Divas of the Dirt Blog.