You've Got Mail Mondays

Not much to report for this week's You've Got Mail Mondays. My Gardening How-To magazine came from the National Home Gardening Club. I have to admit I don't have the greenest thumb, and I have absolutely no eye for garden design. Anything I have done in the yard has come with a great deal of help. Even then, there are plenty of failures.

Right now, I'm trying to increase the curb appeal of the house. The plan--which never seems to go well--is to change the shrubs in front, add some flowers on one side, rejuvenate my shade garden, which consists mostly of hostas right now, and maybe put in a rain garden.

I'm not one for coincidences. I've seen articles on rain gardens twice in the past month, so I'm looking at putting one in front of our master bedroom, which is on the first floor. This month's article, "Build a Rain Garden," by Marty Wingate, talks about these gardens which are as this article describes, "depressions in the landscape that contain permeable soil and plants." Rain from the roof is channeled into the depression. The garden is designed in such a way that the water moves into and through the ground instead of running over the top. "The soil and plants in the rain garden filter the water, helping remove pollutants before the water finds its way to the water table."

Wingate's article talks about rain garden basics, offers a list of plants for rain gardens, and also has diagrams. I don't think this is a project for this year, but maybe next.

The latest Oriental Trading® Fun and Faith catalog came last week took. Luckily, right now, we have most of the craft supplies for vacation Bible school on hand. I might pick up a few craft items for the kids at Sunday school, though. Sand art has always been popular with the kids.

The UPS guy brought my grape and blueberry plants. We got a sudden frost, so I haven't put them in yet. Hopefully tomorrow, as the temperatures are due to warm up. Frost at the end of April. How ridiculous.

Hope your postal carrier brought you some neat things last week.