Seven Garden Items on the Seventh

Seven things about my garden and other thoughts that have to do with the number seven, posted on a day of sevens.

7.1 There are seven different kinds of hostas planted in my miniature garden. I bought the seventh one just a few days ago. That’s a picture of the miniature garden above.

7.2 I’ve always wanted to get a Seven Sisters’ Rose because I think that is the climbing rose we had on our fence when I was growing up. It was definitely a pink rose, with lots variations of color. It bloomed only once each year and then all the petals would fall to the ground, covering it like snow. And it was very fragrant! What else could it have been? I haven’t gotten one yet because I don’t think I have any place to put a vigorous climbing rose like this one that really only gives you a show for a few weeks of the year. But what a show it is, so I keep thinking about it.

7.3 There are seven trees in my back yard right now. I should plant an eighth tree for next year! If I plant a tree a year from here on out, I can remember what year it was planted because the eighth one will be planted in ’08, the ninth in ’09, and so on. Or I could just keep better records in my garden journal.

7.4 Sometimes, my garden could best be described as “at sixes and sevens” meaning it is somewhat in disarray or I just don’t know what to do next. When it gets like that I just do one task first and build on that. Breaking down tasks into small segments of time is still the best advice I have for anyone overwhelmed by their garden. Just do a little at a time. For example, if you have a long perennial border that needs weeding and deadheading, do a few feet at a time. Tell yourself, “I will work on just this one section for seven minutes (or ten or 15 minutes, whatever time you have) and if I don’t do any more, at least I’ve conquered one section”. Then if you decide to do more, go on to the next section. You’ll be amazed at the end when you look back and see all that you’ve accomplished.

7.5 I counted the other day and I think I actually have seven different kinds of daylilies which is more than I thought I had. Maybe there are eight, but today I can only recall seven.

7.6 Did you know that we are currently on our seventh book for the Garden Bloggers’ Book Club? We read books in November and December last year, then January, February, March, April-May, now June-July. The current book selection is My Summer in a Garden by Charles Dudley Warner. You can either write a review or your thoughts on the book, or if you don’t have the time or inclination to read it, you can just post about your own summer in a garden. When you’ve posted, send me the link and I’ll incorporate it into a “virtual meeting” post to be published on July 31st. You can post anytime prior to that. If you want more information on the June-July selection, go here. By the way, the selection for August-September (the last two month selection before we go back to a book a month) is a mystery, literally. At least I want it to be a garden mystery. Any suggestions on which mystery book? I’ve got a few suggestions that I need to weed through to make a final selection, so now is the time to plant the seed for your choice. (I don’t know what possessed me to use words like “weed” and “seed” in that sentence.)

7.7 Finally, number seven, and it is merely a reminder that seven days from tomorrow, it is once again Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day (Sunday, July 15th), a day to post about what is blooming in your garden. I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t have too many flowers blooming right now. They’ve got a week to get with it, or else. I’m not sure “what else” but I hope to post about more than black eyed susan’s and coneflowers and zinnias and marigolds. Wait, maybe I do have more blooming than I thought? That’s what I like about bloom day. It’s the one time I really go around and look at the garden to see what’s blooming. Too often, we spend too much time working in the garden to really notice what is going on. You’ve gotta get your head up out of the weeds sometimes!

That’s enough seven’s for me for one day. How about you? Any sevens in your garden today?