Saw this thread yesterday and didn't have a chance to post - Wow, just one day and I'm already way behind - you're all busy!!! Harper, love the "green tail" in the pot - reminds me of our new puppy, when I'm watering the houseplants I keep finding pieces of her "chews" that she's buried in the soil of the pots. On my list for spring - teach her to stop digging!
ngam, Victor beat me to it, but I agree - try Spirea thunbergii 'Ogon', I love this Spirea! Even though the flowers are tiny, they completely cover the shrub - blooms really early and lasts forever!
Another "gold" plant I was really pleased with this year is Caryopteris 'Summer Sorbet' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/169615/. Lovely bright variegated foliage all summer and explodes with the blue flowers in the fall! And one more to consider - Leycesteria formosana 'Golden Lanterns' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/169670/. This one does great in the shade but will be more chartreuse than gold - if you plant it in a sunnier location it would need more water - but the gold foliage with the red of the new growth is incredible and the red flowers in late summer/fall are so unusual you'll have everyone guessing what it is!
pirl, your "Aster Hill" is beautiful! This was a good year for our Asters as well, even with the drought!
Michaela, you've been BUSY! I remember when you first mentioned this project - impressive!
For 2008 - I've got a ton of planting to do since the heat and drought this summer (and into the fall!) didn't allow much time in the gardens. First and foremost, is to finish the steps from the new arbor and plant around them. I had really hoped to at least get something in the ground there this fall but ran out of time. Right now, the steps and arbor are looking so lonely :(
Visions of Spring '08!
Loved reading everyone's plans. Ahhh, dreaming!! I will be working down in the poison ivy patch and trying to get rid of that and clearing the area of other brush, roots and stumps. I can't dream beyond that cause I don't know what the soil conditions are. It will probably take us all spring and into summer to get it cleared anyway. We do want to get a small shed that we can put together and set it up down there for the chipper - it is very difficult to get it up the hill into the main storage shed. I will get a place set up for composting leaves and grass clippings near the shed and then we can add the wood chips to it also. It would be great to post pics of our dreams after they come true. I'm also looking forward to seeing what comes back in the new garden I planted last year. Eleanor
I have several ideas in the works. Most will stay in my head for now, but I do want to work on the front shade garden. The grass just isn't cutting it and there is alot of competition with the large red maple. I bought a shade garden book for some ideas and have quite a few already. I'm also thinking a water feature would be nice, but I'm wondering how to run the electric without seeing the cables.
You probably have to dig a trench and run the electric through pvc pipe, Anita. I don't know of any shortcuts. A GFCI circuit is needed, of course.
I have just a couple, VERY ambitious projects that I want to make happen. Paul and I just had a deck put on the back of our home, our home is on a 30degree grade sloping down front to back...so, before the deck, if you were to walk out my kitchen door, you would have found yourself falling about 10' or so. This year the front porch is getting done...that means, EVERYTHING I have planted around the porch needs to be dug up, and moved, and healed in...yep...project number 1.
Project number 2: build a retaining wall around the base of the deck, pour a concrete slab, and fence part of it in, this will be a giant doggie run...it will measure about 25'x30'...give or take. In addition, build out from the wall, with another wall, and do a raised bed, it will be aproximately 30'x8'...I've already started buying stones/gift cards for this project.
Project number 3: All raised beds for a veggie garden...this will consist of 4, 8'x4' beds, and then finally get my fruit trees/bushes/brambles planted. It's been awhile in the making, but I'll get this project definitely together.
Project number 4: This is the most ambitious(expensive) of the projects, rip out an entire hedge row at the bottom of my property, abot 40' long...about 8' wide or so...build up the wall, steps, plant all of the things I have healing over right now, where hedge row is at.
It's depressing, yet exciting all at the same time...I wanted to throw a pond in there also...I don't see that happening until 2009.
I have my eye on Hosta 'Stitch in Time'....and then I went to the Stamile daylily site...that was so wrong of me...I may have to order some...lol.
Wow - ambitious is not the word, Thom! I like the 'gift cards' part. To entice additional labor??! Good luck and please post photos of the project. Make it a dedicated thread!
Victor, I was about to reply, but you and all the posters have exhausted me completely with your wonderful projects. I have to take a nap now and take some Advil. I'll be back later with my list of foolishness, folly and what I have been inspired to do by you all. Nice thread. Plus if I am forced to write down my ideas they usually become more than idle dreams. Patti
My goodness, what exciting projects you all have planned. Very interested to see your progress next season. Sure sounds like a ton of work but I'm sure the results will be worth all the sore muscles.
Seander I love your project but be careful with the golden agastache, I took mine out because it re-seeds like crazy. I also have Blue Fortune and that one is much better behaved although it doesn't have the golden foliage. The flowers on Golden agastache are not as nice in my opinion either. The clematis VV is as Victor says really in the purple shades but I was very impressed with it in its first year. It grew over 6' and bloomed for an extended time.
I am glad to hear about Chard. Pearls and Little Henry, also will look into Ogon spirea, golden Dawn Redwood and the other golden berry viburnum. All this talk of new projects makes spring seem a bit closer until you look out the window that is, some great ideas to file away for the future if you all don't mind a theft of inspiration or two. I think more lawn might disappear after all. :)
Seandor,
Your plans sound lovely. Be sure to check the plants requirements before you put them all together, though. Hibiscus needs quite a bit of water to look good, where some of the others you have in the same bed need it dry.
It sounds like a lovely mix of shrubs, perennials and annuals.
I did mention Golden Jubilee's re-seeding habit to Michaela last Summer. She said she did not mind. I have it and started pulling it out this past Spring when it shocked me with its re-seeding. However, I did leave it and even introduce it to other areas. So far, I have only seen it come up in the same general area - not 300 feet away. So it looks primarily wind driven, not bird pooped.
There are many golden hostas of course, and at least two gold hydrangeas - one an oakleaf.
little rubber chamelion is peeking out.
Yowza, Thom!! When you're done with all that, can you come over here and use those muscles in my yard? sounds like your place is gonna look great. I agree with Victor about you keeping us updated in a dedicated thread.
ha lizard butt
I will try...because I have self-diagnosed myself with ADD, I tend to do projects that are scattered at best...part of the reason I get scattered is, I look at the project(s) as a whole, not in parts...to counter that, this was Paul's idea, instead of trying to buy all of the cinder blocks, and versa lock blocks all at the same time, go to Home Depot or Lowes with every pay check, and buy a $20 gift certificate, or more...which is what I've been doing for a few months now. So I hope the initial sticker shock won't make me go, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"....lol.
I will promise to post as I am making progress...the thing that saddens me the most, is all of my prized hosta I am going to have to rehome while the front porch is done, along with mayapples, bugbane(cimicifugia), solomons seal, toad lilys, mondo grass, a couple of carex's...I look at that, as the most daunting task...I know from prior experience, bugbane sort of dislikes being moved, or rehomed...but with luck, weather, and more luck, all will survive and do well.
I think I maybe getting a digital camera for xmas this year...not sure...but I think I am...can't wait!
Thom, how do mayapples do for you? I've wanted to try them. Are they short-lived?
As the snow falls (again) (still) on my gardens this morning, I am here to say that I am VERY impressed with everyone's plans, hopes and dreams for a more gorgeous 2008.
Anna and I really don't have any major plans, yet, other than to see what may have survived this winter and perhaps do some re-arranging of what remains. Of course, once it gets to be May, we may revise our 2008 plans.
Honest Victor, I have no idea. I worked at a garden center this summer, and the office manager dug some up from one of her woodland themed gardens...She is in the same zone as I am, but more zone 4b/5a, than my 5b. My only concern is that she has loads of organic matter from forest litter, etc, where as I self ammended with mulch and compost. The big difference also, between Susans garden and mine, is that my soil is more friable, healthy and well draining, where Susans is poor soil, does not drain, and is heavy in clay...So this spring I will see if the Mayapples come up or not. There is a Mayapple cultivar, I believe it's zone 6, although I may be mistaken, and I believe it is 'Kalaiedescope' or something like that...it's an amazing looking specimen plant, that is not cheap...
I will post in the spring time as to how the mayapples did/do.
Thanks Thom. Yes, I have seen 'Kaleidoscope' for sale. $22 for a four inch pot!
I know, I spent $75 for some Great White Trillium, and am waiting for them to get establised. They are so gorgeous in the wild. Remind me of my mom.
First, I'm trying to get those 'visions of dancing sugarplums' out of my head! The past two weeks have been so busy with Christmas stuff that I didn't even do home school - Becky's gonna love me when it's tacked onto the summer end of the school year! I'll probably hate myself for it!
I threw in some purple Candytuft for the first time this year, and fell in love with it - lasted well into the Fall. I'll put in a bunch of mixed colors in the Spring.
I think I mentioned (somewhere) that I had been painting one of those small wooden garden bridges. In the photo, it will go between the "Christmas" tree and the rock to the left of it, after the first 8 stepping stones. (The green fiberglass rods are my hose guides.)I live on Hill Street - can ya tell?
Wow - that's a lot, Deb. Hope they do well. Sue - very pretty. Those are some size 'rocks'!
That's only the half of them, Victor! Big rocks are a blast, especially for kids. Here's one in front of the Christmas tree that has a dip in it. I keep it filled with water (except winter - use a heated one) for the birds, cats, etc. That's K.C. drinking from it.
Very cool!
Sue - I'm close. We live on Hill Road.
These are the best kind of threads. Hearing ideas and others responding with what has or has not worked in their experience. I have already ordered a bunch of stuff for April delivery. I'm going to try some xericscaping in the far front of the house since the grass will NOT grow there and I will NOT(hardly ever) water out there. So I have already placed a rather large order from High Country Gardens, along with a few fill ins from Bluestone. I'm hoping for the best. And I have "planted" my first lasagna bed under the pine tree. That will be fun and easy to fill in this spring. My SO got so excited when I told him I planned on putting in some azaelas and rhodies,as he loves them both. Of course, when I said they need to be watered regularly while being established, he looked at me like I had 13 heads. Men are funny...
Agreed!
Ahem!
Ahem, agreed!
Weeze, what xeriscape plants are you trying?
Well, the list is a bit long. It's a mix of perennials and some shrubs and I was a bit scared somone would ask.......but here goes, to the best of my recollection...Salvia (blue flame), Artemsia Powis Castle, which I LOVE, Panicam, Stachys 'silver carpet', Lavendula 'Sharon Roberts' Schizachyrium 'prarie blues' Marrubium rotundefolium, Assorted Agastache (I also love) some Festuca, Salvia daghestacica, Teucium Aroanium, some Thyme,Caryopteris, and at least three or four other shrubs including one of your faves. Starts with a v????. I'll be curious to see how some of these "western plants" do in the east
Non-gardeners are funny...
I have a mess of new seeds I am going to try out and a "few" new daylilies. There's a surprise! I also have a mess of lilies bulbs coming due to all the wonderful co-ops that have been going on. I think I have 70 bulbs coming...I need to stay away from that thread! I have also asked for gift certificates so I can rebuild my garden wall along the south side of the house. I need to make it bigger to accommodate all those bulbs!!
But first I need to go through another surgery with DH. We just found out his bone did not heal right and it trying to rebuild the nerves, which is causing all the pain and swelling. They are going in at the end of Jan. and remove a quarter to a half inch of bone. It should keep the 2 bones from touching and there fore fusing together. It really is going to be a loooooooooong winter!
Oh, pixie, I'm so sorry to hear about the surgery. Your poor husband! Hopefully they can get things corrected so he can get back on his feet and feeling good by summer. My thoughts and prayers are with both of you. Eleanor
Thanks Eleanor, I am just going to plan on planting alot of seeds inside the month of Feb.
Pixie - good luck with DH's operation. What's the recovery time?
Thanks Pirl, much faster this time! 6 weeks!!!!!!!! It's so much better than last time.....6 MONTHS.
Wow - sorry to hear that Celeste. This never seems to end! He must be very discouraged. Good luck and wish him my best. Hope he can cheer up for the holidays.
He is discouraged, he has been at this 5 years on Jan.2nd. This will make the 5th surgery in 5 years, and he was supposed to be "as good as new" after the first one. He will never be able to do his trade again, he was a carpenter for 30 yrs. He will never be able to climb a ladder, ice fish, walk on beams, or shingle a roof, ect... He has hopes of being able to hike again some day but they aren't sure and he has no feeling in parts of his foot so he will always have to be careful about stubbing, injuring that foot. But he is healthy and alive and im good with that!!
Celeste, 6 weeks doesn't sound so bad compared to last time. at least he'll be up and around by the time the good weather comes. it stinks that he has to have the surgery at all, though.
I've been reading and taking note of everyone's suggested plants.
Michaela, your project looks just wonderful. I love your ideas. It will be hard to be patient and wait for those perennials to 'do their thing'.
Thom, you are unbelievably ambitious. definitely get that thread going and keep us posted. Hope all your transplanted babies make it ok.
I will be wintersowing a bazillion things again. My plan was to be very selective this year, but I think even being selective I will be sowing a LOT. My seed trades have outdone themselves LOL. There is a lot of room in my new cottage garden for more perennials, I think. I want it to be packed. and my butterfly garden also needs more perennials.
I am going to order some blueberry bushes for one end of the cottage garden. I think a few highbush and a few lowbush (or maybe half highs). I'm keeping all the acid lovers at one end.
Already have some roses ordered to add to the rose garden. and will be ordering a few more. There will be a several hardier ones added to the cottage garden as well.
I really want to get some trees put in the front. Our front landscape is bare except for the foundation plantings. we ran out of time and money last year. I'm trying to stay away from what everybody else in the development has. I'm looking at a kousa dogwood, a fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), and maybe a Ginkgo biloba.
Pixie - I'm glad to hear about the recovery time and hope it works as planned for you and him.
Pixie, how frustrating for both of you! It's so hard to maintain a positive attitude in this situation.
I have a very exciting spring ahead. I have talked DH into throwing in the towel on a 30' x 20' plot that has about 12 grape vines that almost never give us grapes. Although we are near the Finger Lakes region, the elevation is much higher and the climate is more like New Hampshire. So here I am with a huge space to play with. Getting out the grape roots will not be a picnic but he will help with that. Essentially I want to rim it and have grass, a bench and a bird bath in the center. I will have 30' for a shade bed, 20' part shade/part sun, 30' all sun. I have tons of shrubs and perennials that need dividing and/or transplanting because, although they were planted in the sun with lots of room 30 years ago, they are now shaded and crowded by trees: maybe 6 large peonies, 3 or 4 rose bushes, and the usual perennials for dividing (hostas, phlox, bee balm, golden globe, astilbe, sedum...). I did transplant a forsythia into one corner last spring and it is already taking off. I may put in another. The euonymus is always sending up babies and I'll probably put in a few of them for fall color. I have been paying attention to the NE Garden threads and will probably buy a few new things that sounded irresistible (Heuchera- Creme Brulee, waterlily dahlias, maybe an oakleaf hydrandea if I'm sure it will survive in this zone, and a rose someone told me about that I'd better get--the Bebop Rose). Also plan to leave room for a few bulb areas and annuals to fill in. How much of this can actually happen in one season is problematic. I still have my huge vegetable and annual garden to get in as well as the main perennial garden which is also huge and full of beds. But I can't wait to start digging!