The garden is moving into its summer phase, and there is nothing that can be done to stop it.
Just a few weeks ago, I found these robin’s eggs in a nest out front, and I could not get anywhere near this tree without Mama Robin squawking and flapping her wings at me from the safe distance of the roof.
Then the babies hatched out one day.
And grew.
And now they are gone. Sometime in the last few days, they learned to fly and have left their nest.
And when the baby robins left, they took with them all my excuses for not cleaning up the bed around this tree. So today I cleaned it all up and mulched it.
I didn’t redesign this bed as I had hoped to earlier in the spring when it seemed like there would be time to do everything. Instead I just cleaned up what was there and re-mulched.
Around the tree are some black-eyed susans, and over by the fothergilla are some large, bright yellow daylilies. Along the sidewalk, I’ve left the sedum and variegated liriope. And I’ve left the limemound spirea which all came back after I cut them down to the ground earlier this spring.
Now it’s time to move into “summer maintenance mode” in the garden. In between mowing the lawn, tending the vegetable garden, and keeping everything watered, along with occasionally pruning some shrubs and trees and weeding, there should be time to relax and enjoy it all.
Did anyone get everything done this spring that they intended to do , or had hoped to do?
Carol: I love the series of the babies! The bed looks very nice. As for getting everything done? Not yet but then spring is later here than there. Maybe another two weeks and the moijito’s can come out.
Now matter how much I get done. There is always more to do. I am happy with what I’ve accomplished. But could of done more.
Love the robin time line. very nice!
Carol — I can’t say I’ve gotten everything done, although our spring is lingering . . . and lingering. The temperature this afternoon was in the mid 70s, which is almost unheard of in late May in central Texas. And we’ve had so much rain that many plants in my garden are running amok. I’m not quite sure what to do. I think some ruthless pruning is in order. Your garden is looking lovely although I’m sad to say good-bye to the robins.
— Susan from South of the River
Bah, humbug! I am feeling very scroogish, because it seems like I got hardly anything done. The bed around my Juneberry is still a mess. The most discouraging thing to me is, I tried very hard to get my body in better shape this winter, and I still got a backache. But gardeners are nothing if not optimists. Next year . . .
No, I didn’t get everything done that I wanted to do. But it was delicious to think about it all and plan it even if I haven’t done it yet. Kinda like how I felt on Friday night, an endless weekend ahead, and now it’s Monday night and there’s work tomorrow!
I bet your baby robins are up in the trees close by. Look for adult-sized robins but with speckled breasts. Those are the babies!
Carol I have so many projects in mind and so little time, that Spring, Summer or Fall is not enough
Awesome photos of the robins! I just found your blog and love it!
Amazing robin photos, Carol! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.
Here’s the neat thing about having a slower spring–it genuinely still IS spring here. There were several frosts around the province last week, including here on my hill overlooking the Bay of Fundy, and there are still perennials that aren’t up–and tulips that aren’t yet in full colour. There are gazillions of weeds in most of the beds, but I’ll work at them, and what doesn’t get done..will get declared a native plant! 🙂
Great photos, thanks for sharing…
Thanks for posting the robin series. I enjoyed watching their progress.
I did get several projects done this spring, but several more still await. As Susan pointed out, we’re having a lengthy spring here in Austin, so putting in the garden is still appealing even at this late date.
The pics of the robins were lovely and so was their little story. How beautiful their eggs are, a wonderful colour.
Getting everything done? You’re kidding right? A year is never long enough for all the things I want to do in the garden. :-)But never mind, there is always next year!
Summer arrived in Central Virginia this weekend. Thursday was pleasant, and by Friday, it was hot and humid. Saturday, hotter and more humid.
I’m so far behind in my garden work, it’ll be next spring before I have this spring’s list completed. 🙂
Spring over???? I’m still in the planting mode – don’t scare me like that!
Were there really only 2 robins that grew up? It looked like 4 hatched.
I am, as usual, waaay behind. Still planting. Got the veggie garden (almost) all planted over the weekend. Spring always seems to go by too fast. I love the mild weather, the flowers that seem to zoom by in their progression to summer. My irises are almost done blooming, and I am sad!
I got a lot done, almost everything that I wanted to get done, but the funny thing is, as soon as I finish one task, a few more add themselves to the list…I just don’t know how that keeps happening.
but I agree, it is getting to be the time of eyar now where I can find some moments to jsut sit back and relax.
I got quite a bit accomplished this spring but I am still working on a few projects that were started but not completed. There’s so much more that needs to be done, most of that can wait until fall. I’m not one to do major projects when it’s hot and sunny, I think I am allergic to the sun.
Aren’t you just so lucky to have gotten those wonderful robin photos. So often, I just see the nests in the fall when the leaves are off the trees. Great pictures. As for spring work, it is coming along quite nicely, with some raking away and weeding to do, but that is pretty much ongoing. The veg garden is all planted.
Great Photos, Carol! Our robins are just starting to fill the nest around these parts! So we are still in the latter part of spring.
My iris are putting on a beautiful show these days…
And since you asked…I still need to plant my corn..then I will be happy (and can start with the weeding!)
Done? Are you kiiding me? I’m just getting started, I still have weeds and have not spread mulch. One day when I retire, if my muscles and bones cooperate, I’ll be out there all day every day. Then maybe I’ll get done.
I enjoyed seeing the robin transisitons!
🙂
We’re all enjoying the delayed start of hot season here in Austin, but that means I keep starting new projects instead of finishing them!
Carol, this spring just one robin passing through my yard left me thrilled – so you can imagine how delighful it was to see your nest series – bravo!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Wonderful set of Robin pictures. I always am fascinated that they produce such blue eggs. And what is the purpose of that specific shade of blue? Certainly not for camouflage.
All… thanks for all the wonderful comments. It seems we are all in the same boat… no one is really “done” in their gardens this spring, me included. It’s nice to know there is company in that “boat”!
Now on to the next project!
Such a stunning color! Wonderful series of photos! One year, robins attempted a nest in my yard (not a good idea)…and the nest actually fell out of the tree (probably had help…). It was so sad, but the eggs were gorgeous.
No, no, no! I am not done…I need spring to extend for a bit! I am trying hard to get everything planted by the end of this month, but I won’t make it. I like your idea of enjoying the garden…that is my goal, to just enter into a maintenance mode…I’ve never accomplished that, but I guess there is always a first time.
We had Great Blue Herons nesting in our tree. They flew to coop today. They were 100 ft up so I didn’t get any good shots.
As for getting everything done this spring…is that a trick question? I think if I got everything done I’d still have more to do:)
Your garden looks beautiful.