Thursday, April 8, 2010

Teddy Patrols The Gardens

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Each day Teddy feels the need to check the entire garden. I keep the door closed to the upper gardens most times just so I always know where she is. So several times a day she lets me know it is time for her to patrol the perimeter.


This is the gazebo room. The gazebo was built from the trunks of Black Locust trees. The floor is laid in stone. This is on my clean up list for sure.


The Helebores are all blooming.


The purple ones are my favorites.


Here come the chives. It took me years to get my chives to grow and now they are invasive!


Another clean up project, the garden shed. The Greenman over the door saw a lot of snow this winter and is ready to watch the garden grow.


Here she comes....she is checking out the lower vegetable garden.


She loves to stop by the lower pond to get a drink.


This does not thrill the fish!


Chow Chows will not step out of the house if it is rainy or damp but give them a lake or pond and in they go!


My daughter's back door light is right next to the lower pond.


Winter damage on a Japanese Maple next to the middle pond. I lucked out without having to much damage from the snows but this breaks my heart. I am hoping at least part of the tree will survive. Click for a better look. This split right in half.


Here she comes hopping back up the steps. These steps are called perrones. They are very useful for hilly areas. They are basically framed in raised planters that step down the hillside. I live on the very top of a mountain so my grade drops drastically. I've planted each perrone with creeping thyme and mosses. by the end of summer the entire stairway will look like a green path.


Steps are very tricky for Chows to navigate. Chows have what are called stilted hocks. This means that they are missing a joint in their legs that other dogs have. They have one joint just above their paw but the rest of their leg is entirely straight. Therefore, they either have to hop up steps bunny style or they have to slowly navigate them step by step moving each foot independently.


The inspection is completed for the moment and she heads back to the upper garden to chill the belly belly out on the cool patio stones. You can be sure if she hears the slightest noise she is back down below in a heartbeat! I made the hand rail out of Black Locust trunks too.


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