I've been away too long!!!

Whew! I've been checking in from time to time but obviously not enough, I've got threads I'm watching that I haven't checked since November!!!! But...I've been busy! Gardening didn't cease for me until late into the fall - reworked a few gardens and can't wait to get back out there this spring and finish what I started!

Now it's time to catch you up on what I've been doing! Early December I tried to start my DG journal. I was trying to put together a 'history' of our landscape. Got totally frustrated and decided I liked the format better on our Photo Gallery. Took me over two months to put it all together but I finally finished it in January. If you've got some time check it out, it takes awhile to get through the journal, there are over 100 photos! You've seen some of them when I've posted a few of my projects through the past few years, but this is a collection of the history of our landscaping endeavors since the house was first built :) http://www.pbase.com/rickscustomnursery/our_landscape

I had so much fun learning CSS to design the format for the journal that I spent the next month updating our Photo Gallery and website. Then I was off to Maine for a late holiday celebration with my family. Picked up some rocks for the gardens while I was there! My son had been collecting them for me before the snow hit the area and I was loaded down for the trip home :) My daughter and son-in-law have been looking for their first home for over a year now and we visited some of those they had been looking at. Unfortunately the one they really wanted wasn't available to look at while I was there :( They had been trying to negotiate with the seller for over a month and he wouldn't budge. Wouldn't you know it, two weeks after I left they were finally successful and moved into their new home on Valentine's Day. My daughter's been waiting for the day that I could help her with a landscape and I'm already to start digging :) So...I've been busy for the past month "designing" a landscape for them! I'm really excited with the possibilities and fortunately she's provided me with plenty of photos so I've done some 'planting' for her already :) The house is gray with white trim and they're going to be painting the porch railings, etc. white this spring. This is what the house looked like in November on their first visit.

And this is my first attempt with 'planting' :)

They will be building a garage in a few years but the west side of the house needed "something" - added a trellis and rock wall to tie it into the front walkway.

I even painted the front railings and added a porch for the back door!

There's a wooded area in front of the house that gives them privacy from the road and will be perfect for Hostas and Ferns!

Can you tell I'm excited? LOL It will be some time before she can really start digging, they've had two storms in the past week, both dropping a foot of snow!

So, I HAVE been busy and I apologize for not keeping up with the threads and especially all the birthdays I've missed! I'll try to visit more often now and post some pics as soon as things start popping around here :) Daffodils were up about 6" before the snow and it won't be long before the scent of Daphne blooms are filling the air!

Oh my! I was sitting here eating my breakfast before heading out the door to pick up Critter for the Philly flower show, and had a chance to check out the new postings on the MA forum. I spent the last 30 minutes looking at your landscaping history web site. Everything about it is fantastic. What a lovely presentation with the background color, the picture border and color, the font, everything!!! I loved the combination of landscape shots and specimen close-ups, the narration, everything!!! Must have taken a lot of work to put that together. Thanks so much for sharing - what an enjoyable way to start my day... Terri

I was so enthusiastic about your web site, I forgot to say congratulations for your daughter's new house! I'm sure you will have a blast helping her design the landscaping - looks like it is off to a good start... Terri

My goodness, what a great example of the difference a little inspired landscaping can make. It looks fabulous. No wonder these garden magazine pictures are so perfect. I'll bet your daughter (and you) are over the moon. I am coming back later to look at your web site when I have a little more time. I just wanted to say congratulations. Did you mention what software you used on the above?

Debby, that's so cool! Great job.

I used to have some of that landscaping software years ago but the newer software is so much better and easier to use.

What is CSS?

Terri, thank you! My plan, other than to continue more photos of the landscape as things progress, is to add another gallery of some of our favorite plants. More close ups versus the overall area. It took me forever to pull it all together, getting everything in chronological order, etc. since my photo files aren't very well organized :( The good news is now that I've finally started the journal it should be much easier to continue now!

I had actually hoped to host a DG get together this summer and give everyone the tour of the gardens versus a 'virtual tour'. Since I plan to be in Maine helping my daughter with her landscape, it's probably going to have to wait for another year :(

Pam, I used Photoshop for the landscape "planting" :) I just surfed for photos of the plants I wanted to use and then cropped them, trimmed a little and pasted them in place! When my son-in-law saw the pictures for the first time, he told my daughter..."your mother has way too much time on her hands"!!! He's just kidding, he's excited too and can't wait for me to get started. I think his comment actually came after I sent her photos comparing the two dining room sets they were trying to choose from. I just grabbed the photos from the internet and 'placed' them in the dining room picture to help them decide! I have been having WAY too much fun! LOL As for the landscape, they both just want to make sure I don't go overboard, being new homeowners and 'non' gardeners they don't want to have a lot of extra maintenance before they even know 'how' to garden! Emily has watched me in the gardens for years, so she knows how much work it takes. I'm sure she'll catch on fast and it won't be long before she considers herself a true gardener :) After looking at the pictures of the woods surrounding the house, I'm just itching to get up there and see what wildflowers they might have!

hart, guess that answered your question too? No landscape software, just Photoshop and internet photos :) CSS - Cascading Stylesheets - it's like html language for websites- but better! With CSS you have much more control over how everything looks, that is...if you can figure it out! I'm far from an expert but I studied and studied, reading tutorials, forums, etc. and finally after much trial and error got the site looking almost like I want it :)

Great ideas for the landscaping of the new house.

Oh, What a great house! I can just see us now your daughter's house and my son's won't we be busy Moms? LOL
I love the pics what a great design tool. I did take a peek at the web site before but will be back to take another look. I'm so glad you are back you were really missed. Ric and I were to go to the Phila Show today and meet up with Critter and Terri. I got sick spent most of the day in bed. Think I'll head back there now.

Holly, hope you're feeling better today? Yuck, sick is bad anytime but especially when you had plans to attend the Philadelphia show :( Yes, we will be "busy Moms" :)) I remember how envious I was when Josh bought his house because Emily had been looking for so long and it just wasn't happening for her. She was sold on this house the first time she saw it because of the front porch :) Probably needs some shutters to dress it up a little but all in good time. They'll have a ton of work to do in the spring, her father and brother are planning to spend a weekend there cleaning up the brush in the woods and cutting down a few trees. I already spotted a lovely Beech tree along the edge of the woods and dictated that they NOT chop it down!!! Now I just need her to send me more photos once everything starts leafing out to make sure they don't cut down anything else "I" think needs to stay! LOL

LOL, It is a charming house no wonder your daughter wanted it. Josh has been working on his downstairs bath I will post a few before and after pics when he is done. He has a couple of people interested in renting rooms so he needed to get that finished first as it only had a sink and toilet, the prev owners had started to put in a shower but didn't do more that cut a few holes and put up an ugly panel wall. He also picked up building supplies to turn one of the attic rooms into a bedroom. He will be going back to work in another week or two and once that starts he won't have much time or energy to work on much around the house.

Is her porch wide enough for a porch swing, Debby? That would be a nice housewarming gift if she loves the porch.

Holly, I hope you're feeling better today. We've all been sick here but are feeling much better now.

Yes I am better, Ric is feeling pretty well too. We went to the Phila Show today will post pics later.

Not as 'charming' as some of the others they had looked at but the price of this one was more reasonable :) It was tough for them, the prices in that area are steep! They both work in Portland, which is the largest city in Maine and the pricey suburbs were out of the question. Coastal property is ridiculous and then as you head north from the city you get closer to the area surrounding Sebago Lake which is another high priced area. Their home is halfway between Portland and the lake area so it's perfect! I've checked out the aerial images on google maps, although the images aren't up to date, they were taken before the house was built. I even looked at the "street view" where you can get a 360 image, just like doing a 'drive by'! LOL

A porch swing would be nice! I've already offered to get them a few things but my son-in-law says: "plants will be enough" :)

This is the deck on the back of the house - haven't started 'landscaping' it yet but I'm thinking it's going to be a perfect exposure for an Oakleaf Hydrangea!

And this is the view into the woods off the back deck. This is the area that I'm just itching to get into and explore - there are no houses back there and lots of woods! It's been awhile since I gardened in Maine and fortunately she's a little warmer (Z5) than where I used to live (Z4). It's all coming back though and I'm realizing there are more things that will be hardy for her than I thought!

Glad you warned them about cleaning out the trees before spring. We had new neighbors that were out one day looking at the hedgerow at the back of their property and I went over and introduced myself and started IDing some of the trees for them. They had no idea what all was in there native Dogwood to name just one. It's a shame they had already hacked down the Red Buds in front of the house before I got to them, they thought the small grove of trees in front looked junky and took out all but the biggest. Si....gh

This message was edited Mar 6, 2009 10:11 AM

Debby
Your journal is wonderful and I will visit it again.
Would you mind some questions?
The Butterfly maple. Does yours lose it varigation and color early after blooming. Mine goes all green and my concern is that from year to year it seems to have less. I am wondering if it is reverting. I know that the once colored branches can't revert... but maybe new sprouts are taking over that I have missed.. something is different.

The weigelia - which one for under that maple? Right now I have wine and roses and not doing well at all. The branches are so brittle and there is a lot of winter breaks - not that thrilled with the color of the foliage anyway.

Your woodland path.. how did you plant in the woods? I know it took two years to cultivate (per your journal) but did you dig your plants IN or build up the dirt under? Did this impact the existing trees? It is just so hard for me to put anything into the ground I think I will have to go on top. What do you think? Did you cultivate with machinary?

How do you keep the deer away from your shrubs. You have planted many that I know would not survive the deer here. Do you spray or is there a massive fence around your property?? Surely you have deer - it looks like a pardise for them!

The forest pansy - will it survive woods edge in dappled light? Thanks so much ahead of time. If you have answered these questions in your journal - I apologize. I just had time for the photos and a brief read for the prose. I intend to go back with more time.

Make sure you tell her to join us on the NE forum...there are a few Mainers on there.

Oh Debbie...just LOOK at that house!!! I'm SO excited for both of you - the thought of working with a "clean slate" - enough to make you drool, isn't it? I think there should be a sun room that attaches the house to a garage and it could be filled with great scented tropicals - how much fun would THAT be?!?! Ok....so it's my own dream...just thought I'd "sneak" it in here...LOL Or an add on to the other side that faces east...that would work too eh? ^_^ Your DD is so lucky to have you...what a blessing!!

LOL, believe me, my daughter is already tiring of my ideas - sometimes I get carried away! Can you imagine when they finally bless me with grandchildren? No sunroom in the immediate future but I did send her a photo to show her what a garage could look like :) Told her with the $8000 tax credit she'll get next year for buying a house they could build their garage! Not only am I meddling with the landscape, I'm "spending" her money before she even gets it! LOL

flowerjen, believe me I'll encourage her! She's so busy now that she doesn't have much time for "fun" but hopefully one of these days?

Holly, I know what you mean. I always look at other people's landscape and think about what they should do with it, get rid of this, plant that, etc. Rick on the other hand, just pulls their weeds walking through their gardens! LOL

missingrosie, most of our variegated Maples lose their bright variegation by mid summer, just their nature. The Butterfly Maple used to be gorgeous but the Forest Pansy Redbud is starting to tower over it and with the shade it's not as bright as it used to be :(

Weigela, Wine & Roses - I agree, the foliage isn't as nice as I thought it was going to be. Weigela really needs full sun to be at its best. Weigelas respond very well to a severe pruning in the early spring and the fresh growth will have a much richer color. I actually like the dwarf version, Midnight Wine http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/228762/ much better and it's easier to use under the canopy of a larger tree because it doesn't get as tall.

Woodland path - no machinery, just a lot of grunt work and sweat - Rick's not mine! This area is "his" and it did take him a long time to get it ready. Years ago, maybe 10? when he first planted the trees in that area he had continued to dump "dead" pots in that area - plants that were either weak or failed. He had planted a few things at the base of the trees, one of them the dreaded bamboo-like grass that ran rampant through there. It took him forever to remove it because it was so deeply rooted. The good news is that yanking all of it out fluffed up the soil and was better than actually cultivating it :) Plus, he used the pine needles that had built up over the years and worked them into the soil as well. It was a ton of work and he slaved in that area for weeks last summer :( I can't wait to see it this spring! It is definitely tougher to landscape with the trees, but with a little extra effort and making sure you're aware the plants will require extra water because the tree roots are taking most of what Mother Nature provides, it's possible :)

Deer, yes we have them :(( It's frustrating and they've certainly done a lot of damage over the years. They mostly browse along the edges of the property but they've started coming closer every year :( We've never fenced anything but last fall after Rick planted over a 100 trees and shrubs in the arboretum in the field, they started showing up religiously to check out all the new 'treats'! For the first time ever, we were forced to build wire cages to surround some of those we wanted to keep them away from. They're not "pretty" but we're hoping it will give the trees a chance to establish themselves before the deer do irreparable damage and once they grow tall enough we can remove them. We've given permission for two hunters to take down as many deer as they can and they were very successful last fall. Just when I thought we might actually be reducing the population, we saw four hanging out in the Junipers across the road from the arboretum last week. Four is definitely better than the nine we used to see every morning in the field but no doubt there will be more joining them this spring :(

Forest Pansy - would do fine in the dappled shade - you see Redbuds growing naturally all the time in the woodlands. However, the foliage might not be as rich - you really need full sun for the deep burgundy color of Forest Pansy. Although...just like the variegated Maples, the color of the foliage 'fades' somewhat by mid summer.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions :)

I looked at the Forest Pansy Red bud last spring but decided on the Prairie Fire Crab-apple instead. Hope I can find it this spring since I didn't buy it last year. That is going in where I took out the Forsythia. Wine and Roses Weigela was also on my list to buy this summer.

Rcn - Thank you so much for going to so much trouble to answer my questions in such detail!
I agree with needing the dwarf wiegla under the tree - but we were recycling the shrubs from another area - I knew they could take a good prune each year and I figured I'd control that way..but just not happy with their foliage. I would be delighted to see nine deer but not ninety!! You mentioned azaelas and other tasty shrubs and I know (I have stubs in the ground still to prove it) I would have no luck. I think that 10 years ago, I might have attempted to cultivate the woods...but not now. It is just too hard and our cool spring and cool autumn is just too fleeting here and the work as you said is really hard. I am going to start a few things in pots and put in the ground real small.. that should not be too hard. At some point in the future somebody else will enjoy as the little things mature!
The nursery use sent a 20 percent off one tree coupon - I think I will use it on the redbud. I am glad my butterfly isn't a lemon but it sure doesn't stay in its colors for more than a few weeks for me. Again - thank you.

Just as an aside - Walmart carried some nice size Weigelas last year...I planted the variegated dwarf in my front and a dark leafed one in my back yard...hoping for blooms this year to welcome in the hummers...years ago I had one and the hummers LOVED it