8 2009-05-18T10:14:25+10:00 false The weather was so nice I even weeded as I planted out. Also took half an hour to clean up behind the alley fence in the actual alley. Lots of tall grass, creeping charlie, alley bushes (pruned - impossible to get rid of), and random plastic trash. * Planted both types of swiss chard in the greens bed. Although I *was* enjoying eating them right out of the container as I rested on the back step. * Planted out 3 anise hyssops. One in each rabbit high traffic area. Reading through my notes on this I noticed these are unattractive to rabbits. Missed it the first time around or I would have sowed a lot more seeds. From "Illinois Wildflowers":http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/anise_hyssopx.htm: "This native perennial plant is 2-4’ tall, branching occasionally near the apex. The foliage has an anise scent. The flowers are pollinated primarily by honeybees, bumblebees, and other long-tongued bees, which seek nectar or pollen. The flowers are also visited by an oligolectic bee, Doufourea monardae. Other occasional visitors are Green Metallic bees, bee flies, and various butterflies. Mammalian herbivores normally avoid consumption of this plant, as the anise scent of the foliage is repugnant to them. The anise scent may also deter some leaf-chewing insect species. Drought tolerant. " * Planted out 3 sections of Cup Plant along the alley fence. From "Organic Gardening":http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-2-10-90-1-1X2-3,00.html "This 6 to 8 foot tall native perennial has a unique feature that makes it a star in Beneficial Borders. The leaves wrap all the way around the stems, forming a deep cup that collects dew and rainwater. Beneficial insects and small birds can easily use the leaves as landing pads, and then drink from the cups. Cup plant is an outstanding ornamental, with large attractive leaves and clusters of yellow flowers in mid to late summer that are highly attractive to many insects." * Planted out 2 nepeta six hills giant and 1 nepeta joanna reed (all ordered online). These are all in the back where the soil is poor and the rabbits enter. They tolerate drought, repel rabbits and attract lots of bees. I wish the bees would sting the rabbits. * Made 3 plantings of money plant from one container. My grandmother grew these every year and I wanted something to remind me of her. All planted up front by the sidewalk. * Took 1 hunk of borage out of the last container to plant up front. That leaves about 3 plants. * Removed another (!) peach daylily and 3 figleaf hollyhocks that were past their prime. My neighbors were trying to trellis their tomatoes with a tree branch and a shoestring. I gave her some of my sturdy green stakes and velcro ties. 4 true 4 57987 false false false Entry 2009-05-17T15:00:00+10:00 DMY 60983 Public 2009-05-23T02:53:37+10:00 1244 Sunny 56 F