Late June Pic

This was a problem area when we moved in two years ago. Now the shrubs and perennials we planted seem to have caught hold and are doing well.


Roger

Same corner, left side view

This is a macro photo of the blossoms on the oak leaf hydrangea.

Very pretty! I'm waitng for my shade area to fill in.

"Now the shrubs and perennials we planted seem to have caught hold and are doing well.
Yup!

Lovely photos and a beautiful Oakleaf Hydrangea - have any more to share?

Here are a couple more of the front. Sunny pole lamp garden. Shastas (Becky) & Cone flowers (Prairie fire) are really taking off.

Undertree shade garden. The astilbe I put in last year and the ferns didn't do particularly well. The hostas (Autumn Moon in foreground) have done OK. Probably a LOT of root competition with he plum tree. The dead stuff is a clump of Virginia Blue Bells that I haven't chopped yet. The Blue Bells did very well this spring.

Partly sunny corner. This had been a clump of thread leaf coreopsis that was trying to conquer the world! Now replaced with a sun tolerant hosta (Guacamole) and some annual vinca for color. I expect the hosta will eventually own all of this space.

This is the front area about a month ago when the azaleas were in bloom.

Your garden is toooooo pretty for words. As the owner of new construction, the front of our home is missing that loved and cared for look. Come to think of it, so is the back of the house, but with time perhaps it will look lush and lovely like yours. You refer in the first post to your "problem area". It certainly doesn't look like a problem anymore. Could you tell me what direction that area faces? My front faces north.

I'll say it once again... very pretty!!

When we bought this house two years ago we had decided to go for an older construction that had large trees. The downside is we have had a fair amount of renovation to do. My honey do list is still astronomically long. The landscaping was poor to unimaginative and the previous owners were not especially interested in gardening. Both my wife and I are retired and I love having the time to putter around in the dirt. The soil has been an unbelievable problem. I have never seen so many rocks. A new or renovated bed generally produces buckets of rocks. The soil itself isn't bad but tends to be heavy so I have been digging in scads of organic material.

The shady area in the first pictures faces sort of south west but it is largely under a big crab apple and partially behind a large purple plum. It gets some sun but not a lot. The photo is of the plum tree when it was in bloom this spring. The crab apple would be to the left and is not in the picture.

Roger

This message was edited Jun 26, 2008 4:56 PM

This message was edited Jun 26, 2008 4:57 PM

Wow, that is a gorgeous crab tree! You hardly ever hear anyone say, my soil is almost perfect. That's really kind of comforting because when I look at what you've done with difficult conditions in just two years, it is inspiring and motivating.

This is the same tree from a different angle in leaf and out of bloom.

This is the crab apple. I think you can get an idea of the amount of shade in the area of the right side of the house. Near the entry it isn't too much but towards the corner it is pretty much shady all the time except when the trees are out of leaf.

Wow.................nice open plantings and a good mulch to bring them on. This work is worth any of us keeping an eye on. Thanks for posting.

Rodger, Very much enjoy the tour of your garden. Ric and I are retired and doing a lot of new landscaping, also. Your not to far from us Lancaster is maybe a 30 min drive depending on where in Lancaster. I agree with Docgipe, keep the pictures coming they are lovely. Holly

Took a quick trip outside in the heat - found some new blooms - this petunia is interesting - went from deep purple to multi colored?

MG's are finally doing something

Gardenia "Heaven Scent"

One plant - three different colors :-)

next

confused :-)

Not sure what this is - I thought it was Hollyhock....plant looks like it - flower does not

White Cone flower

BES

Pink Monarda

This Hydrangea did nothing last year -

Asters from last year came back :)

Had a serious case of black spot on the KO's - pruned down to nothing - they came back :-)

Pink Cone flower

First time I have managed to have no mildew on the Mondardas

Clematis & other vines

Silver Lace vine - aiming for world dominance :-) Mixed with Stephan's Jasmine, some clematis - looks like some serious pruning will take place this fall!

Nice pics. The monardas look interesting, do they stay where they belong or do they have wanderlust?

Roger

Many thanks for the nice comments,

Nice pics bec-no-va. The monardas look interesting, do they stay where they belong or do they have wanderlust? I have been considering them for an area that needs some flashy red.

Roger

Thanx & yes, they meander a bit! I yanked them up cause I was having trouble with mildew - they came back & are healthy this year :-)

Beautiful photos as usual Becky! Your Hollyhock (not) looks like Lavatera http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/24/. I used to grow the pink and had a few white as well in Maine and loved the flowers - I always thought they looked like satin :) Had totally forgotten about this plant, may just have to try it again! You wouldn't be thinking about saving any seeds would you? LOL

Thanks for the info - if I see seeds I'll attempt collecting them :-) And yes, it does look like satin :-)