Time to take inventory

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I potted up some divisions of plants earlier in the season as I was cleaning out the beds and thinning things, and I also dug the trillium, as I won't know where they are once they go dormant (was gifted these, taking for sentimental reasons).

So, now that it looks like I will be moving, I need to get out there and take inventory and decide what else to take. Only taking things that are expensive to replace and/or difficult to find or things that have sentimental value. I should know this week if I indeed will be purchasing that mess of a yard once well/septic inspection is done, and since it's primarily a part-shade/shady parcel shy of 2 acres, I'm going to focus on the shade and part-shade plants.

I'm also going to take notes on everything I have and make lists for the future, even if I don't take the plants with me, if I have a list of "love - must grow", "love but can do without", "eh", and "no" for the future, it will be helpful when planning for the new place. I have so much out there in terms of variety I may have trouble remembering some of the plants in terms of why I like or don't like them. There is some sun at the new place, and like I mentioned in my other post I will need to
take out a lot of vegetation/trees and open it up for more sun, so here
again a list will be helpful for the future.

It's kind of amazing to look back and see how much I've grown as a gardener in the 1-1/2 decades I've been in this house...

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Comments (5)

rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a)
10 years ago
I'm also going to take notes on everything I have and make lists for the future, even if I don't take the plants with me, if I have a list of "love - must grow", "eh", and "no" for the future, it will be helpful when planning for the new place.

That is such a good idea!
gardenweed_z6a
10 years ago
mxk3 - I've been in this house about the same amount of time you've been where you are. Every time I go walkabout my garden beds I'm amazed at what I accomplished over that time and how much I added thanks to winter sowing and buying new-to-me perennials hardy to my zone.

I keep a garden diary each year with bloom times but also notes indicating sun/shade needs, required moisture, height, botanical name, common name, cultivar name, zone hardiness, etc. It's tedious at times but I'm always glad I have that information for reference as years pass.

All the plants growing in my garden beds are "love - must grow" at this stage of my life. Some irritate me with their sloppy or over-enthusiastic habits but I wouldn't be without a single one of them. I used my computer to design my garden beds and am impressed at how well my careful planning has turned out.

I planned my garden to attract pollinators in hopes of offering them a chemical-free place to obtain moisture & nourishment that would help sustain them. There were bees on my hosta flowers today and bluebirds perched on my ancient clothesline. I smiled.
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porkchop_z5b_MI
Original Author
10 years ago
There were bees on my hosta flowers today and bluebirds perched on my ancient clothesline. I smiled.

What a lovely visual! Unfortunately, I'm not quite so disciplined. I'm one of those who will start something and never finish, I might keep a journal for one season and then forget about it.
greenhearted Z5a IL
10 years ago
I have an excel spreadsheet with all the plants I have, including a page entitled "Ghosts of Plants Past" for the ones that didn't make it either by Nature's hand or mine. I'm nerdy like that. =)

When we moved three years ago, I brought quite a lot with me. The house we bought had garden beds that were overrun with weeds and not much else. The things I treasured, I carefully repotted. The plants I felt rather ho-hum about, I dug up and plopped in shopping bags. Amazingly, almost everything survived... but I do tend to stay away from delicate plants.

Good luck with your preparations!
gardenweed_z6a
10 years ago
OT - I was happy to see three bluebirds on my bird bath today. One was splashing around in the water while two perched on the edge awaiting their turn. I stood watching as #1 finished his bath & flew up into the crabapple tree to dry off as #2 hopped in the water. When #2 finished, the female was quick to hop in. The smile on my face must have been big.