I am auditioning new mulches for my garden

I did a little bit of mulch/flower shopping on Wednesday, which we now refer to as "the last day between the rains".

We got a whole bunch of rain on Saturday and Sunday, and possibly Monday. I was out of town on Monday so I'm not sure if we got rain or not since I didn't really check my rain gauges that closely when I got home.

I know it didn't rain on Tuesday. I mowed the lawn on Tuesday. And I know it didn't rain on Wednesday until late afternoon. So I guess since it rained on Wednesday, Tuesday is really "the last day between the rains" and might actually have been the only day between the rains.

Back to the "little bit of mulch/flower shopping". That little bit included about, well not about, but exactly five new Baptisias.  Oh yes, I know where I am putting them.

I also purchased three Epimediums, and I know where I am putting them.  Plus six 'Rozanne' geraniums, and I have a couple of spots in mind for them. Add three Butterfly Flowers, as we like to call Asclepias tuberosa these days instead of Buttefly Weed because who wants to buy something called anything weed for their garden? I know where I am planting them, too.

I also bought a new clematis, 'Betty Corning', and I know where it's going, too.  Don't I sound all smug with my purchases which also included three hollyhocks, two geums, and three lupines? I think I know where I am planting all of those flowers, too.

I like to refer to these perennials as "a good start".  I intended to plant them all before the rain arrived, but the rain arrived earlier than I had planned for it to arrive and hasn't left yet.  You know, like a houseguest who shows up early and stays too long. But you hate to complain because that would be rude, whether it is rain or houseguests.

But this post isn't really about all the plants. And it isn't about the rain. Rain can be such a tiresome, dreary subject, can't it?

It's about mulch. Along the way as I filled my carts with flowers at several local places, I picked up a couple of bags of mulch to audition them for the garden.

I'm casting for the lead mulch role for the back gardens, primarily. The role calls for a mulch that will nourish the soil as it decomposes and will look good while doing so. I would also like it to keep down the weeds, though I have no expectations that any mulch will keep out every weed.

I am planning to use my usual mulch, a pine bark mulch, for the front gardens. The mulch in the back gardens will also be a pine bark based mulch, but more finely shredded than what I use in front.  However, I am open to using a new mulch in the front as well, if the audition goes well and I find a good lead mulch in one of the bags I picked up while mulch/flower shopping.

Please note this is a "by invitation only" mulch audition, not an open casting call. I've already weeded out unsuitable mulches including those that have been dyed (yuck) and those not made out of a sustainable by-product.  Oh, and no rocks, lava or otherwise. Rocks are loose paving, not mulch. Rubber mulch has also not been considered for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately, the rain has postponed both the mulch audition and the planting of all the new perennials. What? You think I wouldn't have gotten those perennials all planted if it hadn't rained?  Ha!  I've reformed, you know, and I most definitely, assuredly, and without question woulld have planted every single one of them by now.

And I will plant them all, and finish the mulch auditions, as soon as it stops raining and dries out just a little bit.