Getting my hands dirty . . .
Ahhh, the past few days have been bliss, pure bliss! We have had gorgeous, sunny, cool, breezy afternoons, and I have begun my spring planting!
First I moved a few perennials that were not thriving in their former locations. Two mock oranges as well as some holly and daylilies migrated from various parts of the landscape to the south side of the house. They are my first (and only) plantings on that side of the house, and though they look a little lonely now, I'm hoping that they will fill out into a nice, lush hedge.
Secondly, I cashed in my Home Depot gift cards for more shade plants for the back: I shifted some azaleas further down in the back bed and, in their place, planted two fairly mature golden acuba. Then, in the back left corner of the yard (where we had a pine tree removed earlier this year), I planted a dogwood tree with a few hydrangeas scattered around it.
I also purchased two large ferns (plus an assortment of six or so small ones) to frame the bench and arbor (currently draped with a little confederate jasmine) on the right side of the yard. I've got to get those in the ground tomorrow.
Lastly, I got most of my patio plants. I tend towards red geraniums for patio plantings because they love the sun, don't mind if they get a little dry in between waterings, and bloom well into the fall. (Plus, I love red!) So, those have to be potted up.
Remaning to do:
1.) Sadly, I've got to replace the arbor at the back left gate. During the tornado last week, the arbor I had there (which was covered with a mature vine - gorgeous) SNAPPED in half. The bottom of it is still concreted into the ground, even as the rest of it lies a few feet away on the ground. Luckily, the vine had minimal damage. So, now I just have to find a new arbor, install it, and gently move the vine over. Eeesh.
2.) I think I may go ahead and plant my herb garden. I was going to save it until I planted a large, serpentine bed along the patio we had poured a few years ago. However, that bed will require a retaining wall, TONS of plants, dirt brought in, etc., which is a project that I don't think I am up to this season. But I don't want to wait another year on the herbs. Sooooo, I might just create a small portion of that bed now, and enlarge it later when I have the time/energy/money to devote to a project of that scale. I'm thinking thyme, some parsley, chives, sage, and several varieties of basil. Maybe oregano? I've already got several established rosemary bushes growing elsewhere, so there's no need to repeat that herb. And mint, well, don't get me started. Maybe in a pot somewhere, but NOT in the ground.
3.) Run a soil sample on the bed beneath the back left window. Everything I have put in this bed has limped along. Azaleas died. Hostas died. Not sure what to do next. So, I'm going to run the soil sample (I have the kit already.) and see if maybe the dirt is too alkaline. If so, that could be an easy fix.
4.) Order some red carpet lillies and/or red hyacinth for the front yard. The foundation plantings in our front yard are evergreen and mature, so I'm not going to pull those out. I would, however, like to add in some pockets of seasonal color. I planted two curbside beds a couple of seasons ago, and those are growing nicely. I've added some mums to the foundation beds, and now I'd like to build on that with some lillies (for summer color) and hyacinth (for spring color). Then, it would be totally feasible for us to have something blooming out there for a large part of the year, which would be nice. I've ordered in the past from Breck's, and I have been very pleased with their product. (My stargazer lillies from them are just beginning to come up for their second year of gorgeous blooms!)
First I moved a few perennials that were not thriving in their former locations. Two mock oranges as well as some holly and daylilies migrated from various parts of the landscape to the south side of the house. They are my first (and only) plantings on that side of the house, and though they look a little lonely now, I'm hoping that they will fill out into a nice, lush hedge.
Secondly, I cashed in my Home Depot gift cards for more shade plants for the back: I shifted some azaleas further down in the back bed and, in their place, planted two fairly mature golden acuba. Then, in the back left corner of the yard (where we had a pine tree removed earlier this year), I planted a dogwood tree with a few hydrangeas scattered around it.
I also purchased two large ferns (plus an assortment of six or so small ones) to frame the bench and arbor (currently draped with a little confederate jasmine) on the right side of the yard. I've got to get those in the ground tomorrow.
Lastly, I got most of my patio plants. I tend towards red geraniums for patio plantings because they love the sun, don't mind if they get a little dry in between waterings, and bloom well into the fall. (Plus, I love red!) So, those have to be potted up.
Remaning to do:
1.) Sadly, I've got to replace the arbor at the back left gate. During the tornado last week, the arbor I had there (which was covered with a mature vine - gorgeous) SNAPPED in half. The bottom of it is still concreted into the ground, even as the rest of it lies a few feet away on the ground. Luckily, the vine had minimal damage. So, now I just have to find a new arbor, install it, and gently move the vine over. Eeesh.
2.) I think I may go ahead and plant my herb garden. I was going to save it until I planted a large, serpentine bed along the patio we had poured a few years ago. However, that bed will require a retaining wall, TONS of plants, dirt brought in, etc., which is a project that I don't think I am up to this season. But I don't want to wait another year on the herbs. Sooooo, I might just create a small portion of that bed now, and enlarge it later when I have the time/energy/money to devote to a project of that scale. I'm thinking thyme, some parsley, chives, sage, and several varieties of basil. Maybe oregano? I've already got several established rosemary bushes growing elsewhere, so there's no need to repeat that herb. And mint, well, don't get me started. Maybe in a pot somewhere, but NOT in the ground.
3.) Run a soil sample on the bed beneath the back left window. Everything I have put in this bed has limped along. Azaleas died. Hostas died. Not sure what to do next. So, I'm going to run the soil sample (I have the kit already.) and see if maybe the dirt is too alkaline. If so, that could be an easy fix.
4.) Order some red carpet lillies and/or red hyacinth for the front yard. The foundation plantings in our front yard are evergreen and mature, so I'm not going to pull those out. I would, however, like to add in some pockets of seasonal color. I planted two curbside beds a couple of seasons ago, and those are growing nicely. I've added some mums to the foundation beds, and now I'd like to build on that with some lillies (for summer color) and hyacinth (for spring color). Then, it would be totally feasible for us to have something blooming out there for a large part of the year, which would be nice. I've ordered in the past from Breck's, and I have been very pleased with their product. (My stargazer lillies from them are just beginning to come up for their second year of gorgeous blooms!)
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