Getting ready

I figured that before I install the new plants, I should probably prepare the bed properly. I didn't want to spend a lot of time making the bed pretty, only to be plagued by recurring weeds down the road. I opted for a general application of Round-Up to get rid of the stuff already growing in the bed.

I discovered this great contraption at the store--you pour the concentrate into the sprayer, attach it to the garden hose, set the dial appropriately, and away you go. No measuring, no fuss.

Wouldn't you know it--thirty minutes after I sprayed, the heavens opened up and rained on my efforts. I think the Round-Up had time to dry before it rained, so I'm hoping that it's effectiveness won't be compromised. I'm not sure that it will sufficiently kill all of the invasive elephant ears since they also have underground tubers or the woody, viney weed that's in most of my beds.

The good thing about the rain is that it drove away the mosquitoes and I was able to install the edging with a minimum donation of blood. Once the Round-Up has settled in, I'll mix in some Black Cow with the existing sand, er, soil. Then I'll remove my plants from their waiting zone and install them in the bed.

Here are the pictured plants, from left to right:
Philippine violet
Crinum procerum 'Splendens'
Loropetalum chinense 'Ruby'
Hibiscus acetosela 'Haight Ashbury'
Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata'
Strelitzia spp.
(The bird of paradise is the one with the tall, broad leaves in the rear. I'm not sure if I have the orange or white type.)
Hamelia patens 'Compacta'
(You can just see the orange-red flowers peeking through if you look at a larger photo.)