Planting purple wave petunias concludes five days freshening flower beds
with seven cubic yards of hardwood fine mulch.
Stay at home! 2020
Tag Archives: spring planting
Gardener’s dilemma
17 May“It’s my day to sleep in.”….”Did you say fresh catnip?”….”I’ll be right down!”
Spring mix of perennial volunteers…catnip, lemon balm, oregano and mint…an island in the garden plot. All (except the oregano) take a lot of effort to keep from taking over the garden.
Horehound
Rue
Love the foliage and the tameness of these perennials.
Six Tomato seedlings
Melon seedlings with room for vines to run along retaining wall.
I chose very young plants this year due to the unseasonably cool weather. May need to replant. I also chose to add a path for access to the six tomato plants.
Path-Before
Dilemma? 25 years ago my kitchen garden was two 8’X8′ raised beds in full sun. Over the years the transition has been to nearly full shade. The Earth Angel and Golden Edge Hostas as well as bird bath and feeders were the new look. A sweeping retaining wall replaced the original box plots enclosing about 400 square feet. The dilemma for this season is that we are back to full sun due to the loss of ash trees to disease. The hostas may not survive a hot August. Rather than fine tuning the stepping stone path (and have to redo), I took them up and mulched the path. Check back in the fall on how this season worked out!
Path-After
“Blooming-ton” containers, before pictures
10 MayYes, there is room for annual flowers/plants in the lawn of perennial flowers/plants! We choose to use containers for annuals.
Last year I planted “Wave” petunias in the old containers. These hang like photos on a wall in an indoor room by decorating the fence “wall”. Cost = $3 each. I planted lantana and verbena this year….”Citrus” and “Raspberry” photos below.
Wave petunias
The next project was filling hanging baskets. These have another variety of “Wave” petunias. We did three more baskets with begonias. Cost = $5 each (including new cocoa fiber liners).
Hanging baskets
Three pairs of foam containers flank the front porch step. My tradition/habit is to have geraniums and spike plant (foliage). I choose variegated Salvia for the largest of the containers. Cost = $4 each.
Front step containers
Last but not least is a pair of containers for purple fountain grass by the garage doors. This terra-cotta looking container has weathered well over 10+ years (unlike the real thing). Cost = $8 each.
Purple fountain grass
Container contents Total = $74 plus some potting soil and mulch to top off.
Raspberry Verbena
Citrus Lantana
Glad tidings
5 FebThe Breck’s sale catalog for bulbs direct from Holland and perennials has arrived! It is well received after Polar Vortex Part 1 & 2. Fun fact: we have 23 days to receive 6.9 more inches of snow to tie the seasonal record set in the winter of 1981-2. That is likely!
In the meantime, let’s order bulbs and plants. The lower seasonal temperatures may have killed off plant material.
My shopping list:
Frosty Morn Sedum and Goatsbeard for the Moon Garden
Red border lilies and Crocosmia for the center island bed
Rainbow Yarrow for the southeast corner bed
Deluxe gladioli Mixture Super Sak
White Swan coneflower (note my signature icon)
It is deep
It is deep. 2
elfcroft 