One Project Completed, Nine More To Go

And the gardening data project is complete. My spouse laughed at me a bit as I took these pictures of the binders, but he cannot deny the satisfaction I ooze at having seen this project through. There are 550 plants going into the garden representing 185 different varieties (I was slightly off in my count the other day), and I have data sheets on every single one of them printed out and organized. The main categories are Perennials--split into dry soil and moist soil because there are too many to fit into one binder--Annuals, Cacti, Grasses, Shrubs, Trees, Vines, Milkweed, plants for a White Garden, and plants for a Rain Garden. These categories are then sorted by soil moisture, then by light requirements, then by height range. Oh damn. I forgot a category for Water Garden plants so I am going to have to redo one of the binder covers to include them once I get started on the pond.

I have already benefited from the data sheets in the planning of the beds by the front door and driveway. It is a cool shadowy area as it faces north and west, and the western side is full of trees. I thought it would be a perfect place for a garden of white-blooming plants. I love the way a white garden looks in the evening, and I have always wanted one in the front of a house. Now I get to check that item off my bucket list. Using the data sheets to construct a garden is kind of like using binders of Magic cards to construct a deck, and it's ultimately satisfying. Of course the binder with the white garden and rain garden plants is just a planning binder. I'll be adding plants for a dyer's and spinner's/weaver's garden to it next. And in my OCDness I'll also be redoing the cover. Again. I haven't done data sheets on the seeds yet, and since all the vegetables are in there I'll need to add that category--as well as fruit--to one of the binders. Or I could just make a new Edibles binder for vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Guess I'm not as done as I thought. But I am done FOR NOW.

Next week, after all the plants have gone in, it'll be time to start on the sheep fleeces for the Master Spinner class. It will be even more intense, and there will be more binders...