The Long View 2009

my back hurts just thinking about it... but I can't wait

Looks great, Meredith and Bill! Bill - I see lots of space for more plants! You're way more tidy and neat than I am.

gotta give things a chance to grow - there are perennials and small shrubs that will fill it in over a few years

Just gorgeous everyone. How do you keep the edges so perfect?? Do you use edging, or do you just use a spade to slough off the grass that creeps in? I look at professional landscaping, and I wonder what the most common approach is.

I use pavers on edge for my edging. Holds up the the mower and weed wacker.

Bills gardens are beautiful!
I need at least ten yards of mulch myself. I have decided to wait until I am done changing stuff around and adding new plants this year. I just ruined the 12 yards we put down last year. Don't want to do that again.
About the edging - I use my regular garden shovel to initially get the shape of the bed in.Then I use a tool I picked up at Sears that is called an edger. I use that to touch it up because the shovel leaves little grooves. The edger is good when the clover and grass starts trying to creep in as the summer goes on. It isn't really strong enough for me to get an edge where one hadn't already existed - hope that makes sense. It lasts longer if you go at an angle so it slants away from the bed. It gives the grass more of a fight to get the roots in there. The clover is another story. Anywhere with clover needs to be edged quite often. Usually I don't keep up with it 100% but if I see the clover trying to take over my plants I end up waging war! ; ) I actually would like to get a better one. One that is sharp. Mine is a dull version. But it looks a lot like this one. http://www.unbeatablesale.com/wets2264.html?utm_source=nextag4&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=wets2264&srccode=cii_9324560&cpncode=23-38448854-2 Here is one I think I will get in the future. http://lawn-and-garden.hardwarestore.com/83-525-lawn-edgers/union-sidewalk-and-garden-edgers--682052.aspx?utm_source=nextag&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=682052&utm_campaign=nextag

This message was edited May 18, 2009 9:13 PM

When you use the weed trimmer, just turn it on its side and go along the edges and that keeps them clean - once you've made them.

You know when we bought a weed trimmer we were talking about that. I was trying to figure out which one would be easier to do it with. My dh uses it more so in the end we got the one he was comfortable with. Only problem for me is.. I seem to not be strong enough to maneuver the thing like that. They don't make these garden tools designed for a petite gal like myself.

There are always kitchen utensils.^_^

I just planted a bunch of plants from the swap in my shade garden...I planted till it got dark so didn't have a chance to take pics, I'll take some tomorrow.

I also started making my yellow and blue garden bigger.

I enlarged this garden a little to make room for my sweet autumn clematis that I got at the swap(thanks Wind)

i use a heavy duty edger that i got a home depot - hound dog or something like that - it is green and will never break - i use to use a straight edge shovel the edger does a better job.

great pics everyone! and more than anything the amount of love and work you guys have done... so amazing ... ah my friends that gives me hope!!!!
my entire garden is a work in progress ... it seems that I never end changing things and moving plants. specially this year. I have not taken many pics yet... so here goes ....

Nothing is really finished yet... I need a support for the hydrangea - but those are the new hostas...

the covered veggie garden... no more mowing the lawn around thar area... bye bye grass...

front of the house.... can't believe it has grown this much already!

finally I got some ideas for the very front of the house... sedums (they are 2 year old plants - going on 3 years) that has grown a lot... this pic is 2 weeks old.

now this is one of my greatest finds... I have been in love with this azalea for a year now... I got one in Sebastopol when I visited Zuzu, but my favorite nursery had one last sat... so of course I got one... and I am going back since my mom insists that I get 2 more.... oh well since she insists!!!!

the new really raised beds.... they are for lettuce other edibles... really nice to plant... no bending... love it....

irises... oh they are growing... another couple of years and I can just imagine how nice it will be...

oops wrong pic.... that is some of my roses... and the clematis that is finally going to cover the arch.... so cool... one of the sage I planted 2 years ago... this plant didn't die! stayed green all winter... and even when was covered in snow it did not freeze.... telling you I love that plant... I have 4 huge ones!

oh Kassia love what you did in the back yard... and man I can smell those roses already!!!

the thyme path ... it's all a work in progress... some clumps of thyme have doubled it size... and it smells so good... if only rosemary could survive here....
I lost 4 huge lavender plants... I don't get it... they were huge last year and look horrible this year so I pulled them out... so sad since I love lavender....

Allison, I was just thinking of you... look at the coleus... oh I love them... we need to get together so you can take cuttings of what you don't have....

look... the first one to show off.... it's Hansa - a gorgeous rugosa.... tons of buds.... can't wait....

the arches at the front house...

tomorrow I will take more pics... ah, my little heart can't barelly wait for roses...

nice Kassia... I think I have the small trailer the dark one on the right... other than that they aren't ringing a bell... I have lots of nice ones this year... we need to figure out a time and place

Allison, I got 4 containers from Rose dawn... and I will give you the list... also I got some others but I will get then to you... I saved all the wrapping just in case ... but if I have to go and see you it will be ok with me... I am planning to go to Elizabeth Rose Park in CT soon... and also I want to make it to Select Seeds also in CT...
oh I can't wait for the pots to fill in...

no kidding... I am dying to smell some flowers!!

we will figure something out... no worries

Bill those JM's look wonderful,all your gardens are great
Kassia Love the thyme path.

Made some changes,moved the sculpture.

Got the deck walk containers planted and YES we had frost. The plants just dont like the cold.
Theyre showing signs of leaf damage even tho they were covered.

another view

Kassia, love your veggie set up.

Still early. Looks almost the same as last year.

Meredith, I totally undrstand. I'm not very big either. I usually try to find something smaller to work how I want it too. The big tools I leave to DH!

OMG! Everyone's long shots are outstanding. Everything looks so neat and tidy and developed. I have such a looooong way to go. Well actually my loooong shots will be relatively inkydinky shots cuz I don't have much land (snort).

D-Nut your shots are gonna be great as you know what your doing! My shots will be dead shots even long dead icky shots!

Icky is only in the eye of the gardener about their own stuff methinks.

edit: wasn't sure how to spell icky. I put a 'u' in it of course.

This message was edited May 19, 2009 7:13 PM

Kassia, seeing your roses makes me remember the Round Up you had, and THAT is a happy memory indeed! Just so gorgeous!
Thanks for the edging advice, my edger is so cheesy that it bends everytime I try to use it. My answer might be to simply get a stronger edger. I already do the weed wacker thing, but once the grass creeps in it's too late to wack it. I use an electric rechargeable Toro, and that's seemed to be about my weight limit. It works dandy on my small yard.
I think you're right, DN, we're all critical of our own work....but really, they all look so wonderful, even the WIPs (Works in Progress).

Drumlin you are so right on about that. We all need to focus on the beauty we each and every one have in our own gardens. I visit so many gardens where the gardeners are so quick to point out what they think are the flaws. We all need to sit back and just look at the beauty in our gardens day after day after day and don't sweat the small stuff. I've learned to run around in h*a*i*l with a box over my head and laugh; I've learned to have way too much fun battling aphid cities; and mostly I've learned that although I will ALWAYS be greeeeeeeeeen over everyone else's gardens, to dance with joy about everything that happens in my own garden, good and bad. It makes me smile and laugh out loud every day. I sincerely hope that everyone else is dancing and laughing. I wish that for everyone.