My garden in town (Ottawa)

Now that I'm getting 'in the mood', for the coming gardening season, here are some shots of my garden in town (not the cottage). I have a townhouse with a teeny back yard, which has some nice features in it. After eight years, I'm thinking I could have done more, but we all know gardening is work-in-progress. I bought the place brand-new, from the builder.

This first shot is my neighbours' space, which is what mine would have looked like if I hadn't done anything. At least there was a nice hedge, decent-quality patio stones, and the retaining wall which has huge potential. The fences between are kind of nice too.

When the development was being landscapped, I got the backhoe guy to bring me boulders from the excavation and dump them in my space before everything was closed in. I picked each one and then had to arrange them. They thought I was a little crazy, but I could never have done it after everything was closed in.

I've planted a few trees: a cut-leaf weeping caragana and an Italian prune plum, which I've trained as an espalier. These give some height. For perennials, I have a hosta, a heuchera, and some thalictrum which I'll be replacing. I also brought in a few ferns from the cottage: a maidenhair, which luckily had a trillium in the midst of its rootball; a Christmas fern, which has already sprouted two offshoots, and a Royal fern, which I put in last fall and have high hopes for.

The rest of the space is mostly annuals for now, as I continue to find new things to put in. This past year's colour palette was pink and white, and the bluish hosta worked well with that, as did the dark heuchera.

Looking the other way, you can see the plum tree. I tried a birdbath, but all I got was sparrows, so I put a pot of Martha Washington geraniums on the pedestal instead. There's a tarragon bush beside the plum and a single white peony beside that; agaisnt the wall of my shed I have a trellish with red, pink and white clematis growing.

This garden faces north, and gets about 4 hours of afternoon summer sun from about 1:30 to 5:30 depending on the time of year. This pic was August 8, and includes my best friend, Zoë, a 6 1/2 year old boxer.

Andy, you did a marvelous job! It's beautiful, and looks like a wonderful place sit with a glass of wine, enjoying your surroundings. It doesn't matter how big or small your yard is, as long as you put your stamp on it. Well done!

Laurel

Here's an overhead view. I planned the garden mostly to be seen from above, because I have a lovely deck which overlooks it.

Just to the lower right of this pic, you can just barely see where I removed four of the patio stones and sank a large (and very heavy) boulder in the space. I've been planting alpines and succulents there but the squirrels keep eating them. I also had some tansy growing up against the pedestal because I like the lacy foliage, but it's too high, too weedy and gets ratty in August. I'll post another pic where you can see this better.

This year I hope to do something with the wall. I'm the only unit with the stepped effect, a very pleasing feature. My plan is to buy one really good pot for it each year. I also want to try backfilling some of the spaces between the blocks with soil and putting in some cascading alpines. Any ideas?

I don't seem to have a shot that shows much of the sunken rock. Note in this one the rampant creeping jenny, which I love. I just rip it out each fall and watch it grow fresh green shoots each spring.

I'll post some pics of the cottage grounds (10 acres!) and the front of my townhouse... another time.

Cheers to all!

Andrew

What a lovely secret garden you've made for yourself Andrew. I was thinking oh how nice ($$$) it would be to just have that space to plant and decorate........and then I read you also have 10 acres. ;0

I love that fence!!! Ü

Very nice job. Ü

Andy
You have done a lovely job with your space. All your plants soften the hard edges on the blocks and patio. Zoe looks like the best kind of companion!
I have had great sucess with Lamium in my planter that is stacking blocks. I don't know which one it is but it has the varigated leaf and dark pink flowers. I believe it would do well in mostly shade.
Looking forward to seeing your other space too.
Ann

Your little garden space is very inviting. I love Zoe, Oscar says he likes Zoe too.

Andy, you have sure made your small garden an enticing place to visit. You must enjoy it a lot.

Brenda

Lovely Andy - what a great example of what you can do with a tiny space. Andy consider growing things up that wall - clematis and such.

Nice looking dog too!

Hi, Andrew! I don't think I've met you before. I'm from the Ottawa area too. A friend of mine just bought a new townhouse and we're going to get together next year and get a plan together for a back yard garden for her. It'll be a clean slate and what great ideas you have provided!

When I look at the first picture of your neighbour's garden it shows what talent you have to create such a lovely garden. The weeping caragana really makes it look sophisticated too. Love the blue hue of the hosta and the lacy maidenhair fern. I enjoyed the tour and meeting Zoe. Thanks for sharing your pics!

Sandy

Hi again Andy,

Just now found this thread. I enjoyed looking at your pics. You've done a great job with a small space.

There are getting to be enough of us from the Ottawa area, maybe we should all get together for coffee someday. Should be possible for me now that I'm retired (as of today).

Couldn't resist adding a pic of my granddog. This is Sydney with my grandbabes. The twins are now almost 4 and Sydney is now 7.

Ann

Boxers are becoming very popular again. They're wonderful dogs especially with kids.

Sydney certainly is. VERY patient and gentle, but she WAS protective, especially when the kids were really little.

Ann

Thanks to all for your great comments -- such a nice welcome to the group.

Ys, it would be fun for those of us in Ottawa to get together for coffee. We could compare seed orders! Zoë is a very attentive hostess.

Andrew

Lovely Andy , lovely .... you have made such good use of your space. I am particularly partial to huge rocks.... good thing I live where I do but you have used an imagination creating around them that they look God placed. Thanks for the pics.
Greetings from your neighbour to the south west of Ottawa
Dianne
Glad Zoe is an attentive hostess I have a huge white GS named Storm who loves company

Thanks, Dianne. I think I drove through Verona when I visited Blue Roof Farm -- do you know it? Zoë and I went to Kim's Dalmatian Day a few years back. She was an honorary Dalmation for the day!

Here's the awful truth of my garden today, complete with Zoë-tracks (if you can see them). Makes me head straight to the seed catalogues!

Andrew

I just bet it does and know exactly how you feel.
While I can't say I know Kim personally I have been at the Blue Roof Farm for some showings of artists and know her here through the village. Glad Zoe made an honerary Dalmation..... we do have some strange breeds here in Verona.
Read your comment on another thread about the food industry..... always fascinated in how the world turns. I am a Stained Glass artisan and for years have participated in the Ottawa Chrsitmas Craft Show, Originals and The Tulip Festival..... bet our paths have crossed at some point. Trying to come up to speed but where is your 10 acres? Spent many years of my life enjoying summer on the Mississippi near Blakeney.
Welcome to DG.... my favourite place other than home....
Dianee, Storm and Quill

Hi Dianne. Blakeney is in my neck of the woods, not 20 minutes away! Great little waterfall there.

Sandy

Dianne, our summer place is on the Big Rideau Lake (near Perth). More specifically, it's within viewing of Murphy's Point Provincial Park, Rocky Narrows, Nobles Bay and Adam's Lake. Do any of these names ring a bell? We're on the north-western shore, so get sun almost all day.

I'll post a couple of shots showing my space up there some time soon.