One More Eyesore Gone

So if you turned your back to the lovely terraced flowerbeds in front, this is what you used to see:

 

An eyesore of a flowerbed with many problems:

1. It was too narrow, so all the shrubs lay directly beneath the overhang of the house.

No water = unhealthy shrubs

 

2. Chock-full of grass and weeds

 

3. The water faucet leaked right here all the time, causing a muddy mess on the end near the stairs.

 

 

It was time to DO something about this bed.

I had pretty much ignored it for the past 3 years, other than to prune the spirea on the corner.

  

First things first: I ripped out all the dead, ugly bushes.

The spirea on the corner stayed, as did the euonymous under the window.

After we got the bricks pulled up, and the bed widened a bit, it was time to add soil, compost, and give a good tilling.

 

Then came the fun part--adding the new plants!

 [These pictures were taken October 20.]

 

 I put in an Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers' between the 2 existing shrubs.

 

To help soak up the extra water from the leaky faucet, I planted a hosta 'Guacamole' (apple green with darker streaks) by the front steps. It's supposed to reach up to 36" high.

Close by is a fern, Polystichyum munitum 'Western Sword.' I was impressed that it's supposed to be evergreen and naturalize well.

 

 

To either side of the hydrangea, in the back, I added 2 Astilbe chinensis 'Visions,' in a raspberry pink shade. Also filling in around the shrubs are two heucheras, 'Sweet Tart' and 'Lime Marmalade'; a second fern: Polystichum 'Soft Shield'; and one more hosta: 'Aureo Marginata' (deep green with yellow margins.)

 

The final step was to add bark to everything.

I'm so pleased with the change.

 

 

Apparently there was a big hailstorm while we were on vacation, that threw down 1" hailstones. Some of the hosta leaves were shredded, but they both seem to be bouncing back.

Now if I can just keep it watered through August!

(We're looking at a solid month of 95+ temperatures.)

Story of My Life

Still life with lupines and gravel bucket.

 

Yup, this about sums it up right now.

There's construction and there's patches of beauty.

I can appreciate both, for different reasons.

The Garden is Finished!

Last blocks laid and terraces filled with dirt and compost.

 

It has all been rototilled in and my seedlings planted out.

 

 

A lot of hard work, right there, but so great!

I get to plant squash and pumpkins this year because there will be room for it to roam!

Woohoo! 

 

Roses, Daisies & Salvia: GBBD June 2014

Better late than never, right? 

 

The bad news is: the irises are already done.

 The good news is: I've got all kinds of other stuff blooming right now.

 

Let's get to it, shall we?

 

In the back, shade bed:

 I still have some columbine going strong.

There are some violas and pansies back here, as well.

 

On the shady side of slope, the hardy geraniums are battling valiantly against the grass.

 

Slope, sunny side: we've got wild daisies and wild lupines

I just love that combination!

Back flowerbed: 

'Yellow Topaz' rose

You can't cut this one to bring in, as the petals fall off at the slightest bump, but it's a star right now in the June garden.

mockorange starting to open up

 

Between the Topaz rose and the mockorange, this section of the backyard smells heavenly.

 

My poppy bloomed! I was so excited, as I just put it in last year.

I love that color, too.

 

Heading to the front:

Dutch iris

 

 The salvia really bring some great color to this bed.

And of course, that dianthus won't be ignored, either.

 



 I was tickled to see so many blooms on this peony this year.

This is its 3rd summer and the first time it has really bloomed.

More salvia, with lamb's ear going for broke, and a few small petunias.



Believe it or not, these daises are wild.

They just happen to grow right here at the end of the flowerbed proper, and they're doing so well I decided to leave them.

The daises in the background along the side of the house: also wild.

Some people pull them out as weeds.

I don't mind them a bit.

 

I can hardly believe how huge this salvia has gotten.

I like the contrast with the foliage of the Sem False Spirea right next to it.

 

 

Speaking of spirea, this little shrub is blooming again.

Last but not least, the 'Watercolors' rose that I moved up front.

 

Take a look at other gardens, too:

http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/

 

Happy Bloom Day, friends!

 

A Few Little Additons, & 4 Big Ones

 

I decided 2 of my containers needed a little something more:

 

This one was looking a little bare between those petunias:

[Before]

So I added a few Asparagus sprengeri.

 

 

[After]

Aah, much better.

 

I have no pictures to show for this one, but I also added another sedum to the succulent boat.

A Sedum acre 'Aureum', (Golden Carpet). It looks good. Trust me.

 

I also added Ipomea, petunias, and lobelia to the front flowerbeds, and portulaca to the back.

 

* * * * * *  * * * *

As for our big additions, my husband had mentioned to me a couple of times that the top part of the slope above the garden needed a little . . . something. It has some big bushy lupines, a scattering of daisies, and the rest weedy grass.

 

So I got 4 big shrubs to put up there, all of them American Highbush Cranberry, or Viburnum trilobum. (Our first choice was staghorn sumac, but the ones at the nursery looked so ratty I just couldn't bring myself to buy them.)

 

Can you see how steep the slope is right here?

We dug them in deep and far, slipping and sliding all over the place, but it still looks like it's about to slide right on down the hill.

 If they survive (this is sometimes called the Hill of Death, after all), they should grow up to 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide. I don't know that I would let them get them that tall, but not to worry, they can pruned to control size and shape.

They are supposed to adapt well to a most soils, and bear edible berries in the fall--although not the same cranberries as are sold commercially, I found out. Not even the same species!

Deep red fall color, with red berries persisting over winter.

I'm not completely sold on eating the berries, but I'm hoping these shrubs will add some much-needed structure, color, and interest to that part of the slope.

 

If they survive.

I'm really trying not to get too attached at this stage in the game; I have learned by sad experience with this slope. I have been watering them, and I'm hoping the rain we had last night will do them a whole lot of good.

Veggies & Berries Update

Bottom terrace:

 

spinach & beets

As mentioned in the previous post, we have already been harvesting spinach.

I thinned the beets once; I may need to do it again.

 

Potatoes growing full and bushy.

I love growing potatoes.

I guess its my latent Idahoan genes coming out.

(We didn't move up north until I was 8.)

They are certainly big and impressive for this early in the gardening season; it's very satisfying. Plus, with this rain we've had today, they must have grown another 4 or 5 inches.

 

tomatoes & peppers

Haven't seen much change since I planted them.

 

Cucumbers

 

Middle Terrace:

carrots

So, all my carrot seeds must have washed over into this corner the first time around.

I replanted a bunch (in furrows this time) of Danvers Half-Longs.

I may end up with more carrots than I know what to do with.

 

 The peas are gaining height; no flowers yet.

 

Oh, several of my squash and pumpkin seeds are up as well.

No pictures of those.

 

  

Berries

 

Our raspberry patch is still going strong!

The berries have started forming.

Maybe 2-3 more weeks?

strawberry patch

 

These plants are just loaded with berries, as well.

Nearly all green, and mostly smaller. 

My daughter picked this ripe one and we all shared it.

It was divine.

Long view of the patch.

Bring on the berries!

That's what I say.

Flowerbed Tour: Front Beds

 

June 12:

 

Middle Terrace

 

This time I started at the East side and worked my way around towards the driveway.

Some of these shots I will also post for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, but I thought it would be worth it to see the progression. 

 

wild daisies

 

Sem False Spirea and salvia

I love that bright green on the false spirea.

 

Coming around the corner, burgundy iceberg rose, knautia.

The big empty space in front is where the burgundy blanket flowers were.

They didn't get enough sun here, and were very floppy.

I dug them out and gave them to a friend.

salvia starting to crowded out by lamb's ears

Hmmm...one of those may have to move, or the lamb's ears may need to be cut back next year.

 

Coming on around, you can see the oriental lilies at the bottom of the picture, with dianthus, daylilies, and Shasta daisies just coming into bud at the top.

I love this time of year with these terraces!

 

Just past the daisies, we have the pink salvia, more dianthus, some purple salvia, and you can just see the peony at the top of the picture.

 

A bit more salvia and that gorgeous peony.

 

closeup of the peony 'Top Brass.'

 

That's where I stopped as far as going bit by bit along the whole terrace, but here's the view from across the street of all 3 terraces.

Once again, I've arranged the pictures left to right, if you're looking at the house.

 

 

 The part-shade corner

Middle

I really like the repeated colors.

The barberry on bottom echoes the dianthus, which repeats down the bed as well.

Here's a little closer view of about the same place, in the middle.

 

 

Then coming on around a bit.

 

For some reason, the view from the mailbox and driveway was completely neglected this time around.  Maybe I'll catch it next time.