Little project grewwwwwwwwww!

The work you have done is certainly paid off. I don't think I have seen such a peaceful and serene place in a long time. Encourages my ambition if not my abilities. Thank you so much for keeping us updated. Dotti

Beautiful, I think that says it all.

So glad to see updated pictures. It looks like you have your own private park! What a beautifully peaceful place. :-)

Just finished editing some of the photos I took of the spring planting of my shady gardens. I will take more pictures later in the summer when the annuals fill out. Thanks for all of your kind words. Yvonne

WOW!!! What a spectacular garden you have created. Wish I had our area down by the creek looking half as finished - one of these days, maybe!!! Enjoy your beautiful garden.

Great project! Thank you for the follow up pictures. The garden is taking shape so nicely.

I was looking for a way to make paths in my back yard. This gives me an idea. I was wondering if one could mix in some fine gravel into the concrete for added traction and character.

Enya - Most of the time the concrete mix has gravel in it and you just need to wash off more of the concrete when finishing to have it exposed if you like it like that. Yvonne

gorgeous!

MsMaati, what is the little blue flowers? It is all beautiful and I can't wait to see summer pics!

The blue flowers must be Virginia Blue Bells. Do well in the shade and look great too.
Want to start them too, but I missed collecting seeds again this year.

Thanks, enya, I'll look them up. :-)

Your have done wonders with this area MsMaati and it is truly an inspiration to others. I like the idea of making the stones. I have a few stones in amongst my flowers but I got them from the nearby creek. Lots of work either way.

You are to be commended.

Joan

Thanks Joan. Sorry Trunnels, I have been out of town. Yes they are Va Blue Bells. Very easy to grow in shade or partial shade. I missed collecting the seeds this year too.

They are beautiful and I looked them up. I'm afraid it is too hot for them to survive here. :(

Hey, this is really neat!! I'd also like to add my thanks for posting these pictures. It's giving me ideas. =)

MsMaati, thank you for sharing! Just looking at the pictures makes me feel relaxed! Great job!

Hope you don't mind me bringing this to the front again.
I took some pictures of my toad lilies this morning and could not resist posting them. This garden project has been a blessing for me.
I enjoy breakfast in it several mornings a week. If you would like to see more pictures of the progress let me know I will be glad to post more. Thanks Yvonne

Please do!

Glad to Happy. When I planted these Feather Boa Hostas in 2003 they were just single leaf plants.

I added the Oak Leaf Hydrangea in 2005 and it has really taken off.

This spring when I was planting my impatiens in the middle of this bed I was greeted by a nice sized hog snake.

He ran off but I look for him when I go out there now. I would not want to step on him(or her).

More....More....More.... (the crowd chants) : )

~Lucy

LOL, I am so thrilled you are still interested in my shady gardens.

Here is a picture of the first bed that we made.

We had a really nice old bird bath in there, but last summer some kids stole it. I haven't found one I really like to replace it yet. So this plastic one is standing in for the birds.

We have red and whit impatiens in it now, in the spring it is edged with paperwhites.

I think I might try planting some Tulips in the outer circle this year. Any suggestions as to what variety I should plant? I have not had much luck with tulips.

Of all things to steal.....a birdbath. There is all kinds of evil in this world.

As far as tulips, I don't think they would like it here, so I have no suggestions. I wish they would tho, cause they are so pretty. : )

I am just thrilled that this thread is back! I hadn't noticed it before and I am getting inspired. I plan to get rid of some lawn in the next couple of weeks, and I still do not have a solid plan. This is just a great tutorial for me.

Keep those beautiful garden pics coming.

msmaati I love the photos!!! We have almost all shade, but do not have the room to do what you did.
y husband loves all the paths in the yard he like thats that kind of gardening. this is aphoto of my side yard made out of free bricks and slate. Not quite as large as your but we love it. Ronna love your photos.

Thanks Marie, It is quite simple but time consuming. If you want to buy more than one mold of course it goes faster.

GardenLady, That is very beautiful. I love the areas that you can sit in and enjoy. Winter comes around to fast to suit me.

Here is a shot of my bird sculpture bed.

I made the bird in about 1996 when I was completing my art degree in sculpture class. My family teased me about him for years then whimsical garden sculptures became vogue and he fits right in now. Goes to show if you keep something long enough ...LOL.

The spotted Caladium I got at the local zoo sale. I was told it was rarely cultivated here unless it was brought back from its native home.

It's such a joy to see the plants grow and the gardens mature! Thank you for sharing the new photos.

Thanks enya. I can't tell you how much gardening has improved my life. It is such a joy to work in it. I know you all know what I mean.

Finally we are getting some rain. It really helps the Impatiens get going.

I use over 500 plants each year to add color to my shade islands.

This year I noticed a lot of volunteer plants coming up in the areas where I do not till and replant.

Just beautiful, MsMaati. : )
I'm gonna check to see if my Lowes has any of those molds. I just love your paths.
~Lucy

Here is a picture of our path using the same mold from Lowes. The garden looks much nicer now :-) Just don't try bent grass between the "rocks" I wanted thyme - but DH insisted. It looked great for about 2 months - but now (2 years later) it just looks unsightly. This year I ripped out the grass in the front of the path (not visible in the above picture, it's on the left side, beyond the white fence) and replaced it with the thyme I wanted.

Eventually, I will get all the bent grass replaced with thyme - which, btw, looks great and smells better!

That looks great Seander.
I was wondering what could be planted in the spaces.
I have to pull up weeds every spring.
I will be watching to see how your thyme works out.

Ms, I'm glad I found this thread. Makes me jealous, since I don't have a yard, but it's fun to admire yours. I've seen those stone molds and always thought they looked so fake. I couldn't figure out why yours looked so good, then read that you have an art degree. You have a eye for design, and know just what to do to those stones to make them appear as natural as they're ever going to get.

You asked about tulips. You can plant tulips, but you may want to treat them as annuals. They're hard to have come up a second year even with sun, but without sun they won't do well. However, they've got stored what's necessary to bloom the first year. It depends on how early you want them to bloom, and how tall you want them to be. The earliest tulips are generally pretty short, while the later tulips are the tall ones.

I love your pics, please keep on posting!

Rev - thanks for the info on the tulips.

I would like to put them in the bed pictured.
Maybe taller ones in the middle and shorter ones up close to the edge. The area close to the birdbath and right along the pentagon center is planted with paperwhites. They usually bloom in April.

In the fall when the impatiens are done I guess is when I should plant them?

Should I just dig them up after they bloom and store them until fall again, so I can put my Impatiens in again?

Do you have any particular ones that you would recommend?

Thanks

Plant them when the ground is cold. I usually wait till November. They need about 12 weeks to develop their roots. I like to have early tulips, so I plant the species tulips humulis which are the earliest to bloom, and then Kaufmanniana which bloom next, and finally Triumph tulips. If I have late tulips it interferes with my Asiatics which bloom in June, or annuals I want to plant in May.

I don't save the bulbs because I always cut back the foliage to make room for other things, therefore they don't store food. Tulips don't do nearly as well the second year, which is why I treat them as annuals. I just pitch them at the end of the season.

Go to some of the great tulip growers sites, like http://www.johnscheepers.com or http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/spring/. You'll have fun choosing the right tulips and colors.

Here's "Christmas Dream" triumph tulips blooming in April.

Oops! Those are early singles, not Triumphs.

Here's another pic, "Showwinner", either Greigi or Kaufmanniana, can't remember. Those are early.

Lovely place MsMaati, how much land do you have?

Brenda

Thanks Rev I sure will be adding some tulips this fall I really appreciate you helpful suggestions.

Brenda, Thank you so much.
We have about 3/4 of an acre total but only about 1/4 of it is wooded.

That is the area that we put all the shade islands in because in the summer it was always just a dead dust storm when mowing because all of the grass would die.

I think that mowing around the gardens is a little price to pay for something to enjoy rather than to just maintain.

My Neighbor next door has an equal amount of land on the side of our adjoining properties so she started a garden there too. Her area-to the left of mine, gets a lot more sun. It makes both of our yards look bigger.

Wow, I would have thought a couple of acres. My place is 7/8 acre.

Brenda

Brenda - here is a pieced together panoramic of the entire area.

Feel free to post some of your garden areas, I would love to see them.

Yours are so neat and defined and lovely. Mine are willy nilly. Here's a pic of one of my hosta beds.

Brenda, That is wonderful. Is that some sort of varigated lirope? It looks so lovely as a border. Yvonne