Garden Projects #14

Thought I would start a new thread.
We were here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1293444/

Nice tractor. We could use one. We rented the Toro Dingo Track for the day tomorrow. I can't contain my interest in digging and moving stuff all over. At the hardware store they said inclines are no problem. If you can't get up a hill then you just leave piles of dirt at the bottom until it's possible to climb up.

We achieved a big burn of branches today.The ashes will make the peony beds come alive.

I found the tractor image because of your last post on #13.
You sure are ambitious.The results should be fantastic.

Well, I'm so far behind on this thread, and here we are with a new one. Will catch up later.

I have to upload pics of an area I've been working on. Been clearing out brush from an area that's along the road on the south side of our place. I cleared that area 2 or 3 years ago, but it all grew back. This time I used the Greenlight cut stump and vine killer, which I've had great success with in the past. The active ingredient is Tryclor (not sure of spelling). It doesn't affect the plants around it, only kills the bush/tree/vine that you apply it on, down to the roots.

I have 4 flowering quince shrubs in there that my mother planted some years ago, and lots of vinca. There's a big choke cherry that's have dead that I'd like to remove, but don't have the money to hire someone to take it down. Can't do it myself, as it's too big, and there's not really a good spot to drop it where it won't harm anything.

I plan on planting a spice bush in there that I got several years back. It's very small, so will take some time to reach some size. I have daylilies in that bed, also (big surprise! [not!]). Some I may keep, others I may sell. I plan on making that a blue and yellow theme bed. Maybe. Thinking about it. Would like to put some hostas in there, too. I'm going to be dividing my 'Gold Standard' hosta this year. I have others I can divide as well.

Will post some pics soon.

Karen

Well, I finally got caught up. Whew!

Bill, I love the trellises you made. Nice job. The beach stone art piece looks awesome, too, as does the birdbath. What kind of stone did you use for that?

Jo, birch wood rots out pretty quickly. Have to use a harder wood, like cedar or oak.

Patti, I lost my impatiens to that downy mildew last year, also. Will be using New Guineas and begonias this year.

Pam, your place is looking good. That guy you have is doing a great job.

Tomorrow I will be burning and doing more cleanup work.

Karen

This is whats left of my beautiful Syrieu( sp).
Feb snowstorm took out half.It was leaning terribly last fall so SIL braced it.
The scar where half the tree tore off is visible from this side.Just breaks my heart.
If it looks good leafed out I will feel better.

This message was edited Apr 14, 2013 7:46 AM

Karen, sounds like you have goals.....always good! Jo, that's awful.....hope the leaves will cover the scar.

Rosemary, could you please post pictures of your project. It sounds very interesting.

jo I am sure the seiryu will be fine. You may want to pull the remaining branches closer together as they looked splayed in the picture - I usually just cut a piece of old garden hose and use some wire to pull them together. had to do on several trees after the freak oct. snow storm a few years ago.

Karen have no idea what kind of stone it was for the bird bath. just very dense/heavy and the pieces chipped out could have been used for arrow heads they were so sharp.

wha:
Can you recomend a dwarf JM ?

any color that you thinking of?

also there are a range of dwarf sizes from 2'-3' small bush size up to 6' small tree size.

check out these links and let me know which ones jump out at you. have fun, love looking at maples:)

http://www.topiary-gardens.com/store-new/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7_17

http://www.davidsansjapanesemaples.com/shop/category/dwarf/

It will need to go next to this Rhodie that will probably not live much longer.
I had 3 rhosies there,only one left.The others didnt need much digging.The root balls were really shallow and hadnt grown much in 4 yers
The area is behind the fountain.You can just see the rhodie.

I think something just over 2 feet,maybe I will consider 2 diff.varieties.


This message was edited Apr 15, 2013 10:47 AM

I just saved both links.Think I want a light colored one for behind the black waterfeature.Maybe a deeper color for the other one

It should be a fun activity! I saw several that i would love!

just let me know what you are considering Joann and I will let you know if I have any experience with them.

I will definitely check with you.

I've been enjoying the plant finder at the Davidsan site Bill referenced.The rice list at Topiary Gardens is entrancing. We're lucky to have Bill around to guide us!

I will post our earthworks pics for Rose and anyone interested as soon as opportunity allows.

Sorry about your JM, Jo. It doesn't look half bad, though, and I'm sure it will eventually fill in nicely. Like Bill said, pull the branches together some.

I lost 2 large branches on my star magnolia this winter. Lost branches on other trees, too. Lost one one my Crimson Cascade weeping peach. That thing leans so far over, though, I'm thinking of digging it up and resetting the root ball so it will be straight. :-(

Still haven't had a chance to post pics. Got some more done outside today. Worked a bit on a bed that's been needing some revamping for a long time. Irises and daylilies in that one, and overrun with some sort of weed that is either some kind of artemesia or chrysanthemum relative. Spreads like crazy through underground stolens.Got a bunch out today and moved some daylilies around.

Karen

I dug out a huge patch of Shasta daisies that were taking over the garden....planted a penstemon, Purple Petticoat, and some pansies.....tomorrow I'm planting geum Totally Tangerine, which I saw growing at Pam's & totally loved....also planting heuchera Fire Alarm, & bergenia Solar Glow......

A few shots of DH moving compost and humus with the rented Dingo Toro last Sunday. It took more strength than I would have had to do the job safely.

And here are some of the results. Dirt piles and a path through an ancient mulch and log dump.

Here are "before" shots of projects I've written about. That is, the projects are still in my dreams. I want to replace this dead mulberry with a dogwood, create raised blueberry beds where we have privet growing around a hunk of granite, create stone steps with a water feature, a terrace, and a sanctuary on top, and fourth, to finish my white bed at the back of our boundary. At least there was compost to try to enrich that barren place! However, beware, Dogicula lurks at the top of the tractor path (you have to click on it to see)!

love Dogula!!!.. what a big job you have there!!

it is nice to see dirt moving, good luck with the project! - just received my annual 20 yards of dirt and compost - it looks like a mountain in the driveway - after expanding a couple beds and edging I may not needed so much although I am sure it will be all used up...again

How do you move so much soil, Bill? We're exhausted just for five yards per year. My hat is off to you.

Hats off to you Rosemary K and DH ,and wha

That is a neat contraption!!! Your ideas sound wonderful, Rosemary

I'm exhausted just thinking about 20 yds. Think I'll have another cup of coffee to relax and rest after that workout! Heehee. Definitely hats off to you guys for moving all that.

I got one bed redug and got a horrid grass out(I think). It felt like I was digging to China to get the roots. Now it is bare and I will need to plant some things. I just need to be vigilant about that grass. ICK!! Then I put some mulch down out front and my neighbor told me it looked good! Heehee they have been looking at a mess for awhile. Still have another bed where I let that grass get a foothold.

I have that same grass, Jan! Rosemary, quite a project, you have a good start.....and a cutie DH.....& I love that photo of Cliffie!

it is moved one wheel barrel load at a time - 5 shovels of dirt, three large snow shovels of compost, then mix - do that one more time and start rolling to the destination - it is great exercise - then it leads to some massive weeding as there is no telling what is in the stuff - usually three big weeding's and it is pretty clear - trick is to let the weeds grow some and then it is easier to pull.

Marilyn, I've been drooling over that TT geum this year! Totally envious!

Rosemary, looking good! I love all your big dreams. I have plant of big ones myself.

Karen

Love that Geum!

Wow...yours looks super....I just have one plant! I planted it next to penstemon Purple Petticoat....hoping they bloom at the same time.

That was just 3 plants!!!! I split them up to bring to the MA RU last year

Hope mine do the same thing!

Such industry here! Jo must be completely like the Eveready Bunny! Marilyn's beds must look super as they promise more for later. Karen, you do tons in your garden too. Star magnolia must be in bloom now. I can't even imagine what Bill achieves in the garden. I'd love to have beautiful geums like Jen's!

Today I achieved some trimming and digging of the horrible euonymous vines that choke all my trees and started some holes for planting. DH obliged and cut down the dead little mulberry so Cherokee Princess can have a shot at life. Too late, I read a recent plant files entry that Appalachian Spring is more mildew resistant. By the time the other two mulberries bite the dust, this dogwood will at least have a fighting chance with plenty of room, and it will probably bloom right after the Accolade flowering cherry nearby.

I just read that "a woodland" is a not-very-dense area with at least three levels of plants--what I am aiming for, in contrast to "a forest" ecology. Also, for inspiration, we took a walk through an Olmstead-designed natural garden path at the Treat Paine House in Waltham. He used lots of maxi rhodi's and native Atlantic rhodi's. Negative on seeing the Norway maples he famously introduced to the east coast, but there were a few other maple saplings in the forest. Like everywhere else I look around here, the few betula nigras were uprooted, and probably overgrown by the mature white pines.

Sounds like your project is coming along, Rosemary....I don't know how great my beds are.....I always forget what's planted where.....I need a map like Bill has, but guess what.....not too many organizational skills left!

Jen, your TT geum is gorgeous! Now I REALLY want to get one!

Rosemary, sounds like your place is looking good. Yes, my dogwoods get mildew nearly every year. Same with the lilacs.

I didn't do much today except get one of my beds mostly cleaned out. I will finish it tomorrow, as well as get started on some others. Here are several before pics.

Karen

Three more before pics.

Karen

Some after shots.

Karen