Took a few pictures this afternoon......most everything is starting to color up now.....I love this time of year with coneflowers, just starting to take off and we got all summer to enjoy them and into fall.....Not bad, not bad at all......:)
http://gallery.mac.com/sinai#100112
Paul from Alabama
Coneflowers from this afternoon
Absolutely beautiful, Paul! Thanks for sharing! I love your combinations. Samantha
Very nice! I would love to have a big sweeping bed like yours!
Paul:
That just isn't fair that your are already going..... I've I said lately how much I'm not liking living in the north.....
I really love your curves.... how do you do it...LOL
thanks for sharing with those of us who will be waiting a while for things to start blooming...
Samantha...thanks some of my combinations are on purpose, some of them are, well not on purpose, but hey I tell everybody they are anyways......:) to tell the truth surprises are sometimes the nicest.....no joke
nanny I was lucky that my mom said "do whatever you want with it, I never go back there myself"...well she does now.....:)
meadowyck, my curves? mostly chocolate icebox pie to blame...Oh you mean the borders.....:)
but thanks just the same I've never heard a belly referred to as "curves".......:)
You'll be rocking and rolling before long.....just wait...
Paul from Alabama
Beautiful, Paul! My echinacheas are just now getting buds on them--will be blooming soon. Of course, I only have a few--our bed is new this year so it is just getting started. You have such neat edges around your beds but there appears to be no edging. What's your secret?
Marilyn
Marilyn...I just use a straight edged shovel and push it straight in about 6-9 inches or so, push down on the handle towards the turf, that makes a straight edge, then you use your hands and contour the plopped up soil to a 45 degree angle or so, you know slanted into the bed...sometimes you take some of the soil out and sometimes you just pitch into the bed itself....I like it much better than plastic edging or bricks or what not....but that's just me....I put an edge on the borders about twice a year.....takes me maybe an hour or so give or take a break for coffee or tea....best time to it is when the soil is damp not soaked though...and when you plop up the soil you look for grass roots and pull them out and if they go into the bed try to follow them and get them out.......and that's it......looks clean, costs nothing but your time and you can tune them up anytime you want.....I tell you for my $ the best way to freshen up the look of a border or bed or island or you know, is a good edge and cut the lawn....a deadhead here and a deadhead there and that's the way we pass the day in the merry old land of Oz.....whoops, I got carried away, I love the Wizard Of Oz....that Munchkin Land,them was some beautiful plastic flowers.......:)
Paul from Alabama
Well, Paul, all I can say is, you probably aren't dealing with bermuda grass where you live. There is no way you could keep good old hardy bermuda out of your beds unless there was some kind of edging around it, especially if you do it only twice a year. Why, we can't even keep bermuda out of our flower beds even with an edging around it! (Sandra, evidently has the same problem with her zoysia.) It takes a plentiful supply of Round-Up just to keep the pesky stuff out of the flowers. Of course, it makes a lovely lawn when kept mowed and watered and fertilized and mowed again and watered again, etc., etc.!!
No bermuda here, no zoysia.........didn't think of that.....disregard my last post in its entirety......:)
.....just a mix of whatever and centipede grass...
Paul from Alabama
Paul, I'm not sure I understand how you are making your edge, could you take some finished close up shots of your edging.
I'm in a edging quandary for my new beds right now...
thanks so much, as I'm sure this begging for more pictures makes for a good excuse to get the camera out and share more of your wonderful beds.
Janet
I'll try to do it today....I got some chores to do for my mom and my wife so I will add that to my "honey do list"...:)
Paul from Alabama
Why you just do that, it is greatly appreciated. All I've done today is check out some favorite garden centers and I brought home some new sweeties to add to my new beds.
OK here's several.....I hope they have what you need to see.....
#2 edge.....(that's the fewest words I've ever posted since joining Dave's).....:)
And last but certainly least........
Paul, those are wonderful pictures and I can't thank ya enough for taking time out to take them and post them.
I'm thinking I'm going to go with this edging for this year with my new beds which will give me plenty of time to figure out next year what I want to do, if I want to do anything...
Again, thanks
Janet
Janet, sure thing...whatever you do good luck
Paul from Alabama
Paul, I love your garden. It is so extensive. I'm sure that your neighbor behind you is happy that they can see the garden through the chain link fence!
I have one question: I noticed that some of your coneflowers were growing through rings. Are the rings to keep them from spreading too much or do they tend to fall over without the support? I've never seen rings and coneflowers before.
some of mine got nearly 4 feet tall last year and very branched so I just decided to ring them....worked out good and when they get big like now, you won't see them unless you really look......and thanks glad you liked the garden
Paul from Alabama
I am noticing a couple of mine could use a ring too..need to do that soon!