Doug, yes I did all the work myself. It's been a labor of love (the labor came first, now I love it ;o) My husband built most of the rock walls and I did the stream, pond and gardens. Here are some of his rock walls - the landscaping still needs a lot of work - this was taken shortly after he finished.
edited to fix typos...
This message was edited Jul 28, 2008 7:47 PM
Doug, do you have moles? I had so many and finally got some Mole Away or something like that from Gardens Alive. When I got it I read the ingredients and they were 10% (or something like that) Caster Oil and the rest was inert ingredients. So I scattered them as directed and the moles were gone the next day. The other side of my house all of a sudden looked like a mine field. But, that was ok because that is where my dogs were and they go after them.
So, I posted that in one of the forums and someone says "Why don't you just plant a caster bean plant"? So I did and the leaves are so attractive that I planted this one in a pot on my deck. It is a red one. I love it. Every day it grows bigger. It is taller than I am now. I just went out and took that picture.
Jeanette
Jeanette, they will reach 12-15 feet tall around here in full sun.
Songs that is very nice. I know how much is labor and how much is love! I've got a lot more to do before I'm "finished".
It still amazes me just how much we've accomplished this year alone though. The wall in first two pics I built last October and just planted since May. I keep saying I'm gonna do all I can while I'm able so I can just sit back and enjoy it when I'm physically unable to do any more. I just turned 50 this year so I might have a few more good years in me!!! We've lived here for 16 years but really gone "garden crazy" the past couple.
Thanks for the wonderful stroll through your garden.
Doug
Doug - I know what you mean. We've lived here 15 years, but I've only been certifiably crazy since 2005. It IS amazing what we crazy folk can get accomplished, LOL!! But I too have lots more to do before I can just sit back and enjoy. I do enjoy the doing part, but sometimes it's overwhelming. This year I put in a large bluestone patio with another (little) pond at patio's edge, and then all new garden beds around that. It took so much time and effort that I've neglected the rest of my gardens as a result. It will be nice when all I have to do is meander from bed to bed inspecting the day's blooms, pulling a weed here or there, divide a couple perennials when they get too large, etc.
I think you just hit the nail on the head. The doing part for me is more enjoyable. I love thinking up new designs and implementing them. I just love getting out there and getting dirty! My wife says it's the little boy in me coming back out!!! Well I haven't stopped peeing in the backyard so maybe she's right!
Doug
You guys get all the breaks! there's nothing worse than having to run into the house to use the facilities when you're up to your eyeballs in dirt and mud!
Jeanette; All of the begonias are blooming. Two got a little sunburned and some of the leaves turned brown. I've move one of those but the other is in a concrete urn and have to empty it to move it.
Oh I'll feed our little Hanna some sweet potato pie but all trade offers are out.
Doug; are the castor beans a perennial in zone 6? They aren't here.. I have to dig the roots out before I can till up the garden.
I like to use a leaf now and then for an imprint in a stepping stone.
Of course I have another wild plant ( I'm not ready to call it a weed yet ) that has a very large leaves. It's flower heads attract flies for pollination.
I haven't let it go to seed yet but this year I did let them ripen, then cut them off. I will try planting two or three in the shade garden. I want a few more stepping stones with different designs. I'm working toward having a little garden area near the pond.behind the house.
Russ they aren't perennial as such, but the seeds they drop will sprout next year EVERYWHERE!
Songs, your slice of heaven is stunning! I am in total awe! Looks like a picture from some fancy magazine. Wonderful!
Jeanette, the pulmonaria I have planted is supposed to get the pink and blue flowers also. I just planted it this year after it had flowered so I sure hope it makes it through the winter just so I can see the flowers up close come next spring.
GayLynn
Wow! Songs of Joy, your waterfall garden is breathtaking! Wonderful photos, too.
Suzan
GayLyn, the Pulmonaria did just fine thru the winter here and we are bordering zone 4. It did die all the way back but came back from the roots.
Doug, I planted a couple in my perennial border to keep the little critters out will they do the same here in zone 5 if they have pods? I may not have gotten mine out early enough because of our long cold spring.
Russ, did you take some of the sprouts off of the begonias and start them? They say those make the best plants but I never tried it. What is the weed that you use the leaf for a stepping stone? I thought next year that I might get my Mole Beans going early so they will have bigger leaves and then I might try some of the fountains out of hypertuffa. I think that is how you say it.
Should also try rhubarb
BTW, where is that Sally?
Jeanette
Jeanette, if they have the seed pods on them they will start popping all over the place when they mature. I have leaves right now as big as a trash can lid!
Doug
everyone's gardens are so beautiful! Mine is just getting started - almost finished, actually! Here are a few pics - all the plants are pretty small, but I hope will really fill in by next summer! Samantha
This one is "before", from last summer when I first began this shady bed:
Here's another, from last week - almost done digging out grass/ weeds & planting good stuff (I hope!).
Samantha
Another view.
A closer-up view of some of the plants.
The bird bath.
A small memory garden - with Hosta 'Remember Me' and 'Earth Angel' . DH's hammock will go in the foreground of this where you still see dirt! I have planted some ajuga there, but need to get some more before it will be "finished" (for now!) Samantha
Samantha, how beautiful! Love the woodland setting! Nice fence, fantastic tree. Is the tree split down the middle? Your memory garden is lovely. You've picked out some perfect plant names for it! I've been meaning to start one in memory of my parents. Fantastic garden!
Samantha, that's going to look wonderful as it fills in! Great job!
Thanks for the nice compliments! The old oak apparently has been hit by lightning many times in its very long life, & on 2 sides has huge burned-out looking hollow places - and you can even see completely through it at one place. I had an arborist look at it & he said not to do anything to it, but I do pray every time we have a big storm! I've heard that Live Oaks ( & maybe other kinds, too) take 100 years to grow, 100 years to live & 100 years to die. Have no idea how old this tree is, but I'd wager sometime close to 75 or 100 - it is truly amazing, & the reason we chose to build on this spot! I wish it could tell me the things it has seen - there were Indians living on this property long ago!
We still occasionally find arrowheads! Samantha
It sure is a fantastic tree. I would worry too when a big storm came through! Bet it gets a swaying and creaking. Hoping it's there for many, many years to come, giving shade for many more generations.
We had a walnut tree that was around 80 years old, when lightning hit it. Bark from the tree was blown all over the yard and even on the opposite side of the house. 3/4 of the tree died. I left it there a couple more years untill the dead limbs started falling off.
Now it is trying to sprout new growth from the stump.
I really don't want a walnut tree there so I put some brush killer on the stump. Another tree may be OK sometime in the future, but right now I am enjoying the space as a veggie garden.
Songs, what variety of astilbe is that lavender stuff? It's gorgeous. Your design is just beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
pgt, not sure which ones you're calling lavendar - the purplish one is Visions and the pink, unfortunately, I don't have a name for. Thank you for the nice comments. Here's a nice pic showing both the pink and purple together. I love astilbe!!
Songs, gorgeous astilbe! I planted some this year but was not thrilled with them. Think I will replace them with a different one next year. Is that your potting shed? It's adorable!
GayLynn
GayLynn,
You should definitely try again. I find them to be one of the easiest perennials. I can dig them up and move them even when they are flowering and they don't skip a beat. They do have two requirements - rich soil and moisture. If you give them those two things they generally thrive. They do resent drying out and will look burnt and ratty the rest of the season if that happens. If that's why you weren't thrilled, then try again with those two things in mind. They need more moisture if they get more sun than they do in the shade. I seldom need to water the ones I have in mostly shade.
Edited to add: right now it's more of a storage shed and it also houses the filters and pump for my pond. All the plumbing and the pump is below the floor in the "basement" so eventually I'd like to organize it enough to have a table in there for potting.
This message was edited Jul 30, 2008 8:46 PM
Doug, enjoyed the walk through your gardens, your rock wall is incredible! I keep telling everyone I have severe "rock envy" - moved from Maine 8 years ago where I had plenty of rocks to work with and there were wonderful rocks, granite, etc. Most of the rocks around here lack character and definitely are not as plentiful. I've recently found a spot in the creek where I plan to collect some but have to wait until cooler weather when the snakes are hibernating!
Songs, I've seen your photos on the NE forum and your "slice of heaven" continues to inspire me in my quest for my own waterfall/stream/pond. For anyone who hasn't seen her bluestone patio project, take a look - I was lurking through the whole project and I'm sure you'll agree - it's amazing and incredibly beautiful! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/854218/ Your third photo above, the one with the NOID Pulmonaria, do you know the name of the gorgeous Hosta? I'm planting an area where I'm concentrating on green and white Hostas only and this one looks like it should be included :)
Debbie
Aww thanks Debbie. I'm sorry to say that I don't have the name of the variegated hosta. I bought it early in my gardening 'career' when I didn't realize it was important to know more than just that it was a hosta. (That being said, even though names are more important to me now, I usually lose at least a half dozen tags each year before I get the plants properly labeled!)
