Gardening Itch

I realize I just posted last night, but now it is a new day. Sunday, to be exact, and I have the day off. Waiting for Hubby to get up, though he has been sick the past couple of days, so I'm not sure when that will be today.
I am just about finished with the half pot of deep dark coffee that I brewed this morning. Third cup, as I type. Man, I love coffee!

Anyway...

I'm looking outside at the sun shining over our yard. I've been looking at the pics in my computer and came across last summer's shots. My garden was green and full and beautiful and I am getting very impatient to get going on this year's beds!

I have been, for the past few years, been ordering a few plants each spring from a mail order plant company. It's called Spring Hill Nursery. It's in Ohio. I also get catalogues from Michigan Bulb Co. which I think they are affiliated with. And also Breck's. I have only ordered from Spring Hill, however. At any rate, I got my package last week. I ordered a few Shasta Daisies because I have already had much success with them in my yard. They spread like mad and need little care, as far as I can tell. I also got an 'ever blooming perennial garden' for the spot next to my veg beds. This was the spot that we have picked for our 'wildflower' garden. Basically, we had grass put in the rest of the yard, and neither of us really wanted the little patch of lawn there, so we thought of just filling it with flowers to cut down on lawn maintenance. So far, I'm still waiting for results. Last spring/summer I planted a bunch of stuff that should actually have established itself to come in full force this spring. To be honest...I can't remember exactly what's out there, except some liatrus.

I also ordered some privet hedges to put in by the fence by our 'annoying' neighbors. They weren't in the box! Sad! I emailed the company, they sent an email apologizing for the missing plants and are sending my hedges. I really hope they grow.

We currently have a 6' privacy fence separating the yards, but we also live on a bit of a hill so, our yard is a good couple of feet higher than the fence! And their deck, when we are sitting in our yard, is about at the level of the top of our fence...so it's pretty useless as far as offering any sort of privacy. They are loud, and have no consideration for us or their other neighbors. Their children run through yards, so i am glad for the fence we do have, but they also stand right next to the fence and bark at our dog when she's over there 'doing her business'. Only one of the three kids is young enough for such behavior...and she is the least offensive. The other two are teen aged boys. The 'father' is not much better, and he has just re-appeared after being gone suddenly for months. (We suspect he was in jail) These people are the worst part of our house. I am hoping a privacy hedge will block their noises, at least a little, and keep us from having to see them from our yard. Oh, what heaven to sit in my back yard without the neighbors eyes staring over the fence! I am planning on putting them where I planted (last year) my bamboo. Which I will now have to move. I hope I can transplant it to the back corner where my iron bench, bird bath, and over-grown rock garden have been sitting and waiting to be loved. I could make a lovely tranquil sitting area where I could listen to the wind through the bamboo leaves...ahhh! I just hope I don't kill it in transport!