Gita: It is me who has been coveting your Bob Hope -- I searched the internet for it, unsuccessfully, and pestered you mercilessly on DG. I've thought of airlayering it when you weren't looking! But I know they are very hard to root, and very slow to grow. I can't wait that long!
I like the idea of a camellia on each end, and maybe nandinas in the middle. But the narrow bed between the house and the driveway is so small that I am concerned it won't be big enough for the roots of the camellia. And maybe that would be too symmetrical. And I'm not sure camellias and nandinas would look good together. What do you think?
Maybe I should put in azaleas -- they are shallow rooted.
This area is a high priority for me this season . . . . .
Spring is in the Air and the Dirt
Happy, I love your garden, I know it's a work in progress (aren't they all?) but I really like what you have done and it will be truly beautiful when your finished (do we ever get finished?) I know what you mean about ugly fence. I had a pretty nice wood fence that Ric built until our idiot Beagle / Basset Buddy started tearing it apart. Now it is a mixture of wire fence scraps over holey lattice. With a few scrounged pieces of chain link gates propped up here and there. LOL
Thanks, Holly. I posted the worst spots, so the yard actually isn't all quite so desperate. Actually, this is the year I think I have turned the corner and more of the yard is good than bad. Before there were vast areas of pure weeds that I couldn't get to because I was planting other areas! And hopefully this year I'll decide what to plant in the barren areas I posted.
My yard is much like that I have areas that we tried to keep after and others that didn't get touched. My old veggie garden was just a small plot of perennial weeds. I consoled myself with the knowledge that Blue Buntings were using it. With our work schedules and other activities we did what we could and just let the rest go. About 2 years ago we started to reclaim the veggie garden, last year with my retirement we made some more headway even with my shoulder surgery. This year with Ric's retirement and me back to 100% (or as close as this old bod will get) we are really able to get to some projects that have been planed for years. Also I have gotten such good ideas here at DG. I have such a vision for my garden and get such joy from seeing it slowly come into being.
Holly, your yard is an inspiration to all of us! I love to see Rick's projects unfold!
Happy, I've been rolling aroundideas for your not-garage design this morning. Question: is a trellis and evergreen, ornamental vine an option? I ask because I'm thinking about what those shrubs might look like in 10 years in that 2 foot-ish wide bed. I know that you need to get cars in/out of that area as well ...
I'm contemplating an elegantly shaped trellis against the house with a flowering vine neatly growing along it ...
This message was edited Apr 26, 2008 8:19 AM
I hadn't thought of that! It would look really nice. But that would cause problems when we paint the house, wouldn't it, if the trellis were next to the house, plus having it close to the house would cause mildew/mold on the wall (of which we already have too much). Or not? It is also deep shade, so I'm not sure what kind of vine would thrive there.
Maybe I should just stick in azaleas, which I dearly love. I don't know.
Climbing Hydrangeas will thrive in deep shade. They grow slowly, so maybe you could control where it grows.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/147/
No, there are ways to hang a trellis so that you can still maintain the house. In a nutshell, you would put spacers a few inches out so that it is not up against the surface of house and you put hinges on it so that you can swing it out/down in order to paint, clean, etc. Also, there would be airflow behind the plant.
I need to run to a vet's appointment shortly, but there are a lot of CREATIVE trellis designs that you could work with. You could even create a sort of trompe l'oeil effect if you wanted to get kookookrazy with it. IMO, that would suit your lovely neighborhood quite well indeed. But, that's just me! (PS If you want to do some cyber-sleuthing on this topic, the Brit's have really nailed down the art of the trellis. Use Google.UK in your searches)
Claypa, a climbing hydrangea is EXACTLY the plant that I was thinking of, though I'm sure that we could cough up others if we had to. =)
One more comment, then I really need to go. Happy, you could even hang the trellis and then *not* plant on it. It would give the area 'elegant interest' even if you didn't have anything growing up it.
Here is a not great example of what I mean with the trompe l'oeil cuz I'm in a hurry: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gardenstructure.com/plans/TRO-111-front-cover2-trelli.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gardenstructure.com/detail_image.php%3FID%3D271&h=386&w=300&sz=22&hl=en&start=1&sig2=iWuZV5UhNYXgnOajh8n07g&um=1&tbnid=k-EQymi1i0Nh3M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=96&ei=JCQTSIGPFouuebOLjKUC&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtrellis%2Btrompe%2Bl%2527oeil%2B%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG
That's very cool, Wrightie. Thanks for the suggestions!!!
Claypa and Wrightie: I thought climbing hydrangeas were really tough on structures. Am I remembering wrong?
They are easy to prune, Happy. They can become top heavy as they climb, so it helps to keep them in check. My next-door neighbors have a very old one climbing up a trellis (with spacers as described above) on the side of their house which they keep small-ish with very little effort on their parts as they are big fans of Low Maintenance landscapes.
Happy, What about a Variegated Solomon's Seal, Do you have any of those? I got one last year at the swap and it seemed to be doing fine and then I lost it for some reason. I really liked that and will have to see about getting another one or two. I love climbing hydrangea and there are some trellis options that could work for you.
I thought I would post a pic of a lesser seen spot in my yard. Here are my rusty mismatched and holey fences. The area under the Apple trees is fenced for Buddy. The brown building you can partially see to the left is what was at one time my horse barn (now a very messy work shop). Just on the other side of the wood lattice fence is the veggie garden area. That wire fence with the grass permanently embedded in it (you'd think I didn't own a weed whacker). Was put up as a temp fence a couple of years ago when we were going to replace that section of fence. Maybe if I keep letting the grass grow I could weave it thru the wire and have a decorative grass fence. LOL
Holly -- that's lovely, as all your garden shots are!
You might have gotten the variegated solomon's seal from me. I'll bring you some more, if you are coming to the Northern Virginia swap. I can't remember if you said you'd come.
I doubt I will make anything this spring. We will be traveling during Becky's swap and just getting home the week end before the June 7th swap. Don't think we will be turning around and going back down for that one. Both Ric and I are really going to miss the swap. We had such a good time last year and got some very nice plants. When we get home from our trip Ric and I are going to start on the new wall out front so I will have those two beds to plant. Can't wait. I got some real good suggestions for that from everyone a while back. I was thinking that maybe I could put some of the Variegated Solomon's Seal in there it would be shady and make a bright spot against the dark wood stain of the front wall.
I keep this Vinca Major growing in a protected spot and use it in my window and deck boxes. If anyone needs any I'd be glad to send you some.
Thanks -- I love that plant, but it has invaded my yard so now I pull it out in large quantities!
Wow- a lot to catch up on-
Crabapples--I love the fragrance!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't know anyone would not know they smell good- at least the old ones, maybe not all the new so called improved ones.
Viburnums- alot smell funky-musty, not too nice, but the Korean spice vib smells awesome- that reminds me its time for my annual sprig from the neighbor so I can enjoy it in the house.
For a tough shade shrub try variegated Weigela--Altho I only have the unvariegated one- but I can say it is in a maple-rooty very shady spot, but still it grows and blooms
Really? Thanks for the clue about the variegated Weigela -- any particular cultivar? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55685/ ? Funny, until today I always thought it was Weigelia -- Wye-gee-lee-a.
Sorry- I don't know a particular cultivar, but you found variegata .
I got my wiegela for 2 bucks at a Franks ~~years ago~~unlabeled plain green--And you know- I might as easily have written Weigel-I-a if I had tried to think about it LOL
I am all ears for deep shade shrubs. We need to replace some shrubs next to the house that are in deep shade -- really, quite a few new shrubs are needed. Anyway, thanks for that suggestion. How does it look when not in bloom? My impression is that weigelas are no too handsome. Right now we have a lot of azaleas in front of part of the house. They are white, which is dull because our house is painted white, but I might just extend that bank of white. I've rooted some of them. But I'd prefer more color.
Happy,
How about some Hydrangeas? Many colors to cheese from---evergreen---
My beautiful Camellia is in shade and growing well...
Has anyone, maybe, written an article on Shade gardening?
I've read a ton about shade gardening, but I keep listening . . . .
I think only the Annabelle hydrangea is supposed to do well in full shade, and it doesn't look good year-round. I'm going to put it on a hill I have that is very shady.
Then I'm considering Sarcococca hookeriana var. 'Humilis', but that is fairly low. Maybe box? Definitely camellia (and you know I lust after yours).
Happy--if you lust after my Camellia--you need to ask Mike (in GA) for one of his rooted cuttings.
I will be seriously pruning my Camellia right after it blooms. It is not looking so good this year. All the branches are getting leggy and the blooms are just hanging down. I asked mike, and he said I should consider each branch and cut it back to the next "split" of growth. I am planning to let the people on the Shrub Forum know, in case there are any seriously interested people in rooting this Baby. If you know how--you are welcome to some of the cut ends... Let me know. Of course--it will be some years before it is blooming size.
See how they are all drooping down? Now with all this rain, the whole thing looks pitiful! All the blooms are starting to drop already.
Gita
I'm supposed to feel sorry for you for having such a droopy sad camellia? NOT.
Happy, I have a GAWGEOUS variegated weigela which is starting to bloom right now. BUT, it does NOT look good year round, being deciduous. Mine is in Full Sun, so I do not know how well it would do in Full Shade... I'd be tempted to give it a miss given your location and preferences.
If I can get some batteries for my camera (GRRR rechargables won't hold a charge!), I'll snap a photo of mine now while it looks GREAT.
Wrightie: Thanks!!!