Spring Projects - Show Us Yours!

"Equipment" - what a wonderful word :) I'm not sure what I'm going to do, I've used most of the rocks I had collected which were ultimately planned for the endless stream project. I've sent a note to the local stone company asking for prices, I think I'm going to have to suck it up and buy a pallet :(

Yes, Phoebe is having a ball "helping"! I'm hopeful with all this exercise she'll start dropping a few pounds. We still don't know if there was any permanent damage to her joints and the extra weight certainly doesn't help if there is :(

I have a few more stone walkways I will want to put in later. Maybe somemore mid-sized rocks for the pond. I think I have enough large rocks for that. LOL I'm done with rock walls I think, but Ric keeps saying he would like to build a stone wall out front along the road where the pine grouping is. I think that is a bit much aprox. 80ft. Don't really think it will ever get done but he has talked about it for years.

Love the rocks and moss. Wouldn't non gardeners find it funny how we're working so hard for rocks IN the landscape?? But good rocks add so much.
I think my beds would be much improved by a good, well planned, somewhat uniform edging treatment. I have lots of bricks, leftover wood, junk like that. Too bad good stuff usually costs.

The "really" good stuff IS expensive but I'm always looking for unique "free" stuff in the woods. Collected a few more moss covered rocks yesterday when I was collecting moss for the path and found a neat moss covered stick to add a special touch to the spot above the Hepaticas I planted!

I could post these on the Spring Peeking thread but since they're planted along my new path I'll post them here. Pretty pink Hepaticas :)

The deep blue of these wasn't captured very well by the camera, but still pretty!

Planting of Bloodroot and Dutchmen's Breeches on the other side of the path. The wind really tormented this fresh planting yesterday but they should recover soon.

Just below the above I planted some of the Wild Ginger I found yesterday while collecting moss.

Drum roll please...here it is, the finished steps and path! I've already made three trips to collect moss and I still need more :( At least the moss is easier to collect than the rocks! LOL You can see how the new path will connect to the path with the new arbor in the background. I'll continue to collect moss covered rocks, sticks or whatever other unique "piece" I find and add them along the path.

These two photos pasted together give you an idea of the area I have to plant. Lots of ideas rolling around in my head and the Hostas are ready and waiting - all I have to do is plant them! Running out of time now but I'll keep plugging away a few hours here and there over the next month whenever I can and hopefully finish before the end of spring :)

Debbie, the path turned out great - the stone, the moss, and the wild flowers you found and relocated sure do work well together for that beautiful natural look. It really fits the location. I have the same environment (woods, shade, etc...) so it sure is inspiring to see what you're doing.

I think it is so neat what you do with photoshop too. I'm going to order the Photoshop Elements version and try to see what I can do with it. I'm sure it will be a learning challenge LOL! Terri

It's amazing that something 'new' could look so settled already. GREAT job!!! I love moss.

rcn--

I too love the moss look! It just looks like it has already been there for a long-long time....
It "fits"....it "belongs"....
Do you collect the moss from the floor of the forest? Does disturbing it this way affect it in any fashion? Will it grow and thrive once moved?

Loved all your photos too! You do well with close-ups.

My "project" this week is to prune all my Roses (started yesterday), rake the beds clean---fertilize them and mulch them. Saw some baby bunnies the other day! Oh--OH! In my Rose ber yet! I was watering and all these tiny (4") bunnies went scampering out from under a pile of leaves...Ran off to my neighbors. Hope Mama finds them...

Time to get out the rabbit fencing so the freshly sprouting plants won't get chewed down....UGH!!! Hate that green plastic! NOT gonna keep buying "Snake Away". The jug costs $14 (at Lowes) and I cannot afford to keep buying it....

Gita

One tip I read about moss is- collect from the same surface, I E if you want moss on rocks, collect rock moss, for moss on dirt must collect from dirt.

Terri, if you run into any snags with PS Elements let me know. Even though it's a little different than PS, I've got some screenshots I took for another DGer somewhere to help him with layers a while back :)

Jan, thanks :) Not quite "settled" yet, I've still got planting to do!

Gita, I've been collecting the moss from our woods. Some of it was collected from old pots of soil and I think I'll probably have the best luck with that. Sally's right, collecting from the same surface is better and I already know I've made a few mistakes :( I had a small moss garden in Maine where I displayed my bonsais and you'd think I would have remembered from that experience. I used to collect small bits of shale and place them under the moss I collected from rocks. I'm going to try the same thing when I have a chance to apply more moss. Thinking I might have to go back and put small rocks or at least grit under some of the moss I've already placed :(

Ideas are running rampant! Rick gave me permission to use some of his "expensive" plants he bought from Asiatica at the conference in January :) I'm trying to decide where the best spots are for them and I started thinking I might have a perfect pocket to place a small water feature amongst the rocks! I searched last night and I found exactly what I'm looking for at Tractor Supply, reasonable and I've got a $5.00 discount coupon! I just can't tell exactly how big it is - 15 gallons, any guesses on the dimensions? http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_28472_-1______14602%7C14604%7C28472?listingPage=true&Special=false

rcn--

I believe HD and Lowes both sell the black plastic insert that goes inside a whiskey barrel. It makes a nice, rustic water feature/fountain. Plant a few water plants in it--and voila!
I think it runs $20-$25.

Re moss---I remember our local gardening Guru (Alan Summers of Carroll Gardens) talking about growing moss. I just remember that it included buttermilk.....Anyone?????

I LOVE stones and moss and all that woodsy look! Your garden will be gorgeous!!!

Gita

Debbie, do you have a source of electric to run a pump for your water feature? And if you want to grow water plants they will need some sun.
Did you give some though about making a stream maybe something to look live a natural spring? Looks like water pops out of the ground, runs down hill a ways and back into the ground. If you have a downhill slope this would work quit nice. The sound of running water will bring the birds to the stream.

I remember something vaguely about putting moss and buttermilk in a blender and then "painting" a stone or rough concrete surface with it... the moss gets spread around (spores or just vegetative bits; I'm not sure),and the buttermilk gives it something to lap up as it starts growing.

Found a link by googling "moss buttermilk garden" LOL

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/601275/how_to_grow_a_moss_garden.html

Jill,

I think you found what i was talking about!
Yeah! The blender!!! I had forgotten about that!

Maybe i should write Allan Summers an e-mail and ask him to elaborate....

Gita

LOL Chris, actually that's the "project" I was supposed to be working on when I got sidetracked with this one! My 'endless stream' is going in the gardens on the other side of the pond above my path. Only a year in the planning stages so maybe by year two I'll finally get it accomplished? That's what all the rocks were being collected for but now I'll either have to collect more or buy some! I checked the area where I'd like to drop the small pond into yesterday and looks like there are no tree roots to prevent me from being able to dig deep enough. In the photo I posted above where it shows the tags of the Hostas ready and waiting is where the pond would go :) I DO have an electrical source on the corner of the gazebo and another idea popped into my head yesterday morning when I was "test" digging! I've had this wonderful Dragonfly dripper for two years waiting for the "right" spot and I think I've found it :) http://www.kineticfountains.com/dragonfly-dripper-fountain.asp

Gita, I spent the early morning hours yesterday researching moss gardens and the buttermilk concoction :) I've got a couple of stones with fern impressions to wedge into the main path and then once the path is raked clean I think I'm going to try the buttermilk recipe! Picked up an interesting stump on the side of the road yesterday. I need to find a spot for it and may try the Buttermilk on that as well. I've been eyeing the stump for several weeks now on my morning walks with Phoebe, told Rick I'd grab it for his woodland garden but hauled it home and I think it's going to look much better in my garden! LOL

Deb that is funny, to many projects, not enough time or energy to get them all done. Love the dragonfly, make sure you have the pump in a spot you can easily get to, sometimes they clog easily and you are constantly cleaning them.
I have been through 3 pumps in my watergarden and each time I have upgraded to a larger pump, I told my husband pretty soon I'll have the water shooting stright across the yard. LOL

chris- maybe Longwood got to your brain! ha

I need a slope so I can put in a stream! LOL

I have a big new pot with no hole... gonna make a grouping of water garden containers where I hope to eventually put in a little pond (next to the ill-fated weeping willow stump).

If anybody has an extra water plant that wouldn't mind a pot... ? I think I "need" to find a miniature hardy pink or purple water lily... if there is such a thing! :-)

Sally, my brain was long gone before Longwood, now if it starts shooting out on a timed sequance with music then I have a problem. LOL

Jill, I'm not sure if I need to trim back my water plants, I did that last year and traded them for some plants I wanted at a local nursery but if I do separate any I'll bring them to the swap for you.
If you can get your hands on a Texas Dawn Waterlily I would recommend that one, It blooms the most for me. It is also noted for the maroon specks on it pads. I'll see if mine is ready to share again, but it is not a mini.

My biggest water garden pot is about 22 inches or so across, so I'm afraid I do need a mini. A trip to Lilypons may be in order...

Critter, I passed by Lilypons about two weeks ago - didn't realize it was so close! I'll tag along on that shopping trip with you :-)

Jill,

Our HD has, once again, erected an actual, working pond in the Greenhouse. They also have a rack of Water Plants nearby.
I haven't really looked what is in this assortment--but water Lilies are usually part of it...

You might want to check your HD....

Gita

Thanks! They had very little of interest last week, but perhaps that has changed. I think your HD is better than mine! :-)

Well--here may be the "better" part.....

We are the second oldest HD in MD. ONLY the first 4 had Greenhouses built on to them...such a bonus, in my opinion....
The 1st was Glem Burnie--the second one (us) the White Marsh--the third was Catonsville and the fourth was the HD on Joppa Rd. ar Perring Pkwy.

Many years ago--most of these stores took about half the area away from the Greenhouse to use for something else--like the Joppa Rd. store built their Rental Center in that area,,,,in ours, all the grills and patio heaters and chimmeneas occupy the front half of the Greenhouse..

All the rest of them just have a section inside (near the garden end) where all the houseplants and tropicals are jammed in....No humidity...NO light to speak of....gotta be SOOOO careful watering as it is a customer area....etc...
Now--where would they put a pond??????

A pond of some sort usually ends up somewhere outside and then no one takes care of it....it gets all green and filthy....
I always thought it non-productive to have the pond in one place and all the pumps and fountains and filters and pond accessories somewhere inside.....

Gita

RCN, That walk is just gorgeous. What about a Japanese deer scarer for a water feature? Water runs from a bamboo tube fills a wooden cup. Cup fills up lowers down makes a loud knock and dumps the water. It is supposed to scare deer. It does make a nice sound filling up the cup and then you get this wooden knock very rhythmic. Do you know what I'm talking about?
I'm always dragging home branches, moss and rocks. I have all my kids looking too. LOL Here is a nice small stump I put in the new bed out front. It's been years since we scoured the woods for plants but many of my first ones came from the woods behind the house. What a great find that wild ginger. What about Indian Pipes, are they in your area and are they protected?

Holly, I know exactly what you're talking about :) Maybe for another spot in the gardens, I've already got my Dragonfly dripper and I've never had anywhere to use it! You're killing me with those rocks :( We were exploring the back roads in the area last weekend looking for blooming wildflowers and found the most incredible rock wall - rocks were similar to yours. If there was just a way to sneak a few! LOL There's a lot of that Wild Ginger growing in the woods, just tough to find it at this time of the year because everything's covered with leaves. We don't see many Indian Pipes around here but wouldn't it be great if I could get them to grow in the new garden :)

Sally, I know what you mean about edging. I like to have some kind of edging around my beds. Although most of them don't. It gives me a line that says this is flower bed this is lawn. Edgings can be extra maintenance as well as extra expense depending on what you use. I have used the RR Ties, landscaping timbers and that black plastic edging, all those are buried so we can mow over them. Then there are the rock walls and paths they take more work and maintenance. I even like a dug edge they can really show off a bed especially when they are freshly dug.
Rcn, Years ago when we were collecting plants for the bed out front I found Indian pipes in the woods, but really restrained myself. To me they are such a special pant. Memories of childhood walks in the woods. I was afraid that if I took them they might not survive the transfer and I would have rather left them there to grow than to chance it.

from Holly "Edgings can be extra maintenance as well as extra expense" the nail on the head there.
(I just found out I can hightlight, click and drag a piece of previous post to copy it.)

Agreed on moving Indian pipes and other special plants- if they don't survive it's almost a sin.--to me at least. I would research before trying some thing like that, unless maybe theres a huge patch of something. Even then, for example, I think it was running cedar/crowsfoot that has a symbiotic thing with the tree roots in the area so you can't move them.

I think Indian pipes might have a site-specific symbiosis going on, also... need to research, as you said.

Here ya go... short & sweet, with photos! http://dawson.nu/indian-pipes.html

Holly, Indian Pipes are a "special plant" to me as well :) Rick and I have a running competition every year to see who can spot them first! LOL I did find some info on that "other" site where a few people had posted about successfully transplanting them into their gardens but for now I'm just going to leave them where Mother Nature intended them to be :)

My 'spring project' has come to a halt this week :( Busy getting ready to head to Alexandria again this weekend and lots of chores to take care of - vet appt, dog grooming, etc., etc. I stopped by Tractor Supply to check on my oval pond - they were supposed to come in on the truck Monday but now they're telling me NEXT Monday :( I did however get an "old" project started again. I bought a vase for Rick's birthday 4 years ago and we bought the base for it 2 years ago to set up a "disappearing" fountain. The hole in the bottom of the vase wasn't large enough for the tube that we needed and we weren't confident to drill it out ourselves. FINALLY, we loaded it yesterday and traveled to Springdale Water Gardens and had the "professionals" drill it and set it up for the fountain. We haven't even got it out of the van yet but at least it's all set when we have an opportunity to get it in place and hook up the water :) I'll be posting pictures of the process on a thread Victorgardener started in the Water Gardening forum as soon as we do. He's been wanting one of these for years and I took lots of pictures to make him drool! LOL The prices on these things are way out of site and even though I really like some of their vases better, I'm happy with the steal I picked up in OBX! These were some of my favorites :)

Cool! How much "water noise" (one of my favorite things about most fountains) do those provide? I think something like that might appeal to Jim, but I need a water feature to make water noises!

Critter, My Blue ball feature makes some nice water sounds. It changes as the water level in the bottom pit lowers. I have gotten pretty good at knowing when to add water just by the sound of the water dripping down into the pit. We will have it up and working when you come up in May.