Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Swapping & Chatting Ric & Holly's Swap The Last Week, 2 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Pat--Thank you for re-posting those pictures....

David---
I had to chuckle a bit at your suggestions--as it is this same bed that you deemed the Monkshoods were getting too much water in....
They were just closer to the shed and, maybe, got more water run-off from the sloped roof when it rained, which can be seldom..

This "bed by the shed" stays fairly moist as it is shaded in the afternoons with dappled sunlight at the best.
The Maples "dapple" the shade.
Also--this bed seldom gets really "dug over" and amended--as there are too many plants in it.
I usually just end up digging up a small areas into which I plant a few N.G. Impatiens. They do well here.
In this bed are several Columbines--many daffodils and D-Lilies--Mint--a Lg. Pulmonaria-- and a Nandina at the left side end.
The right side end has my KO Rose in it. The bed is only 12' long--and, maybe, 3' wide.

The Astilbes have been growing here for about 3 years. A Swap plant......They may be too root-bound???
I would not call the bed "elevated". That is just bed-edging. AND--I have NO "lower area" away from the Maple roots
to plant it in.

You do not realize how small my available spaces are. My WHOLE development lot is 65'x100'.
On it sits the house and the patio and the shed and driveway, etc....Not much left for gardening....
I manage--but it is very limiting to moving things around or planting new plants...My ongoing woes....

Another "contrary" to what you suggested is my neighbor's bed which gets hot sun most of the day--
is REALLY elevated and only gets watered when I water mine on that side. She never comes around.
So--in essence--I have a garden and a half to take care of.

She seldom gardens...is fairly heavy and has pain issues. She is also still in a kind of depression
since her husband died suddenly last year. She is angry at him for dying. Kind of irrational....but....

I KNOW what she is angry at---she lost someone she was always "taking care of". Like--her reason for being.
She has always been the Matriarch in the big, Spanish Clan. Cooking and providing and raising all the children and G-Children
and speaking to them only in Spanish (from SPAIN). They all rely on her and come over and eat, etc...
SO--she has 'lost" her role in life--so to speak. He adored her----and she lived to care for him.

I was hoping these 2 Astilbes would bloom this year. Since they have not--they will be getting dug up and given
away to someone at work. I would rather have that space for some annuals...
I seldom get "attached" to plants. I give them plenty of time and care to see if they will "make it".
If not--GONE! And--NO! I am NOT angry at the plants....:o)

OK! A couple of pictures. ONLY 2 at a time.....Bummer!!

1--This is my house. My property line is just about the picture's left, bottom corner.
2--This is my back yard showing my Patio--where I live--. Left bottom--you can see the corner of the shed.