Of pruning and life

I've been doing a lot of relentless pruning this week. The Carolina Jessamine that we planted on the block wall behind one of our ponds seven years ago hasn't looked so good lately. There was more dead undergrowth than green vines, and fewer blossoms. I'd pruned one of them almost to the ground- the one on the end that is easiest to get to- a few weeks ago and it is happily putting out new green shoots. So I finally decided to attack the other two, which required straddling the pond rather precariously, and taking the tangled mess out chunk by chunk. The wall looks bare now, but I think it was the best course of action in the long run.

I also took out a lot of Mexican primroses that were growing behind the lower pond and into the hibiscus bushes. They are in full bloom now and beautiful, especially since the hibiscuses aren't blooming very much yet. However, they were already encroaching on one of the new raised beds, so I felt I needed to take them out before they dropped seeds, or I'd face the same problem I have in one of the older beds.

While I was working, I thought a lot about pruning and life and the fact that I have no contract next year. Maybe a little (or a lot) of pruning is necessary to bring out the best in people- a chance to get rid of what is unsatisfying and unproductive, like my overgrown Carolina Jessamine, or deceptively easy and attractive, like the invasive Mexican primrose. Maybe.

Backyard wanderings and musings

Enjoyed my backyard walk today, although I'm feeling rather morose in general about many things. Lots of zinnias coming up in the raised beds; most other things unrecognizable. Spent some time deadheading marigolds and snapdragons and scattering their seeds, in hopes that they will grow.

Roses are in full glory now; mostly Queen Elizabeth and Iceberg. The Black Cherry looks really good; Mr. Lincoln and Peace aren't doing much yet. Won't be long before the heat gets them, though.

Speaking of full glory, the invasive Mexican primroses look wonderful now. This includes the ones in the lawn and growing up the hibiscus, thevitia, and other places they do not belong. Too bad they won't (a) stay where I put them and (b) bloom for more than a few weeks in the year.

Grapevines over the arbor trellis may actually make it into an arbor this year. We're trying to prune the older ones, on the fence behind the lemon tree in hopes of actually getting edible fruit this year.

Hollyhocks are blooming; mostly yellow, some tinged with pink. No Punnet square representation here. I guess if I want red ones again I need to purchase new seed.

Romaine lettuce is still edible; everything else has gone to seed. We've picked a few strawberries, mostly from the hanging basket thing...those in the ground have been eaten by various nonvertebrate species. Peaches are golf ball size and although we aggressively thinned this year, probably too many for the tree. Apricots and nectarines are much smaller; a little more than marble sized for the most part. There are some mystery plants growing in the vegetable garden area that I haven't identified as yet.

One of the plumeria looks like it may actually put forth leaves. The other one has a dead-looking top that I cut off, hoping to inspire growth on some of the lower nodes. There are blossoms (I think) on the avocado tree that we are trying this year. The Carolina Jessamine I cut back is vigorously regrowing; that was obviously the correct thing to do and I should attack the others when I get the time and energy to do so.