Mulch, Mulch, and More Mulch

It's been an eventful week of, well you guessed it mulching.  I have spent at least some part of every day at work mulching different parts of the garden including annuals in Gateway, vegetables in the kitchen garden, and over 60 different hosta varieties on Hosta Hill.  The beginning of the week was mostly spent in Gateway, weeding and the delivery of the mulch pile.  At one point, I thought the pile would never end, but to my surprise it's no longer.  Plus, the extreme heat and temperatures rising into the mid 90s made the task seem even more daunting.  I couldn't quite fathom how Duluth, MN was flooding and I was thinking that I may never see rain again!  Also, a special thanks to Bob for treating me and Dragana to some ice cream treats after our hard work!  Hosta hill was much better since I was able to spend the afternoon in the shade rather than the concrete jungle in Gateway. 

Gateway Garden Mulching

Hosta Hill

Earlier in the week, I also got to join in on a trip to the Rockefeller Green House.  The gardens also have a greenhouse location here, where they keep some of their plants, especially those that must be overwintered indoors.  Our mission was to pick up the Night-Blooming Cereus and return it to the garden for the summer months.  It was a task considering it too three of us to get it loaded into and out of the truck.  We also picked up a few other tropicals to bring back including the hibiscus and lemon tree.  The greenhouse was pretty empty by now with only a few cacti and some left over water lilies.

Transport of Plants from Rockefeller Greenhouse

Besides mulching and transporting plants, I also got a chance to work with Mark in the Butterfly Garden on Thursday. We planted a few trial perennial flowers and also did some weeding throughout the bed.  Mark was trying to make some decisions about the plantings and I was excited to be able to contribute some opinions on the garden's layout.  Mark also said something that really stuck with me, something that I have heard so many times before, but I must keep reminding myself.  It's not going to be about how much money you make in your career, but the fact that you truly enjoy what you are doing.  I appreciate this reminder, especially as I am about to face my final year of college and the beginning of a job hunt! 

The Butterfly Garden

I forgot to mention my great day off, too!  I went back to the beach to enjoy the 92 degree weather on Wednesday by the lake.  I also did some damage at Crocker Park with a few good clothing sales.  This weekend, I am planning to finish up my final paper from my study abroad trip to Switzerland and maybe check out the Cleveland Zoo, I have heard lots of good things about the exhibits and I am looking forward to another fun weekend!