I Dig Holes

I haven't really done anything outside for quite a while. There was all the wedding planning and then the time in California and when we returned home the weather was misty and cold for days.

Panicle hydrangeas didn't miss a beat in this summer's drought.
Go figure -- hydrangeas are water lovers I thought.

The last few days have been brighter and nicer. The sun has been out, so I got the shovel and moved some things. Not the peony I had thought to move, but some sedums that were in the wrong place, a struggling fothergilla that needed a moister spot, and some lambsear on the back of the berm that needed dividing.

I added a new dusty blue Zenobia to the ones under the river birch by the patio wall. I had two there, and thought a third one would just balance things out. They're small, delicate understory shrubs. You can see how the existing two brighten the shadows under the tree.

I also moved the little Korean silver fir, but not to the brick circle in the lawn where the peony was. I left the peony alone. Peonies are notorious for disliking disruption. Instead I put the Korean fir in the vacated place at the end of the gravel garden where the struggling fothergilla had been.

My Korean fir 'Silberlocke' is still too small to photograph well.
Here's an example of a mature one from The Garden Professors.

Moving things around felt productive. As I dug holes in the dirt it occurred to me that I don't move plants around in my garden to improve their well being or give them better conditions.

I move plants around because I like the activity. I do it for me, not the plants. Apparently I enjoy digging holes a lot.