Hill Garden - Cottage Garden Start

midnightgirl

16 years ago

The fence and arbor are up & ready to plant!

Comments (6)

rhodium
16 years ago
Do you want to hide the fence, add a path to the arbor, or juxtaposition its rigid geometry with "wild" plantings?
careytearose
16 years ago
What a lovely look you've got going here!! Thank you for sharing your pics with us all. You might consider adding some roses that can grow along and through the fence sections- hybrid musks are very nice, or try Mutabilis, or Golden Wings. Be careful about getting roses that are super thorny on the arch though, makes it harder to tie the canes down on it. Honeysuckle and Clematis on the arch are also great classics to add on the arch. Salvias, russian sage, lavendars are nice for filling out in front of the fence sections, rosemary, oregano and other herbs could work well too. Butterfly bush is always very nice, and cottage flowers of all types. A walking pathway of flat irregular shaped stones running the length between the front planting to those against the fence could be nice, of a similar coloration as the edging rocks placed at the lawn area. Love the peacock sculpture, where did you find it?

To see pics of our recent landscaping projects and Roses we grow, ck out out my Picture Trail:

careytearose

Here is a link that might be useful: look at Landscaping Projects, Favourite ROSES We Grow albums
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Mike, this is a project which requires a bit of logistical planning as you intend to hybridize which means the need for easy, close up access to your plants as you perform minute, hands on work. The simple answer to your question is...yes, any disturbed slope, no matter how slight, will erode. And, yes it is necessary to create barriers and layers edging the outside of each bed dug into a hill with rocks, lengths of board found on construction sites, brick...whatever material is available. In a situation such as yours I would include several sections of concrete blocks as edging set with the holes topside, holes filled with soil and planted with smaller growing herbs/flowers that attract beneficial insects which will help to control insect problems. All sorts of information can be found on the web re this subject. As I visualize your project and planting list the logistical part of your endeavor is what to plant where? Some need upright support, others sprawl. If the slope is large enough you might want to consider staggering the beds on the hill rather than one row after another marching up the hill. This would give room for access, growth and make necessary annual plant rotation easier.
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I would like to start a coastal cottage garden, is this possible?
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Hi again Barbra. I see from your list that you are getting lots of annuals. That's very cottagy but where you live your garden could be all year round so I personally would also get into perennials and, as I said, some shrubs. A 'real' cottage garden would be full of a mixture of plants, not just annuals. By their very nature cottage gardens were eclectic and had to be easy care. Permanent plantings will help that. You could also be getting some summer flowering bulbs like Crocosmias and the little Gladiolus nanus cultivars. Crocosmias have run riot around our coasts. They thrive in mild, well drained, sunny ground and there are some lovely ones which are less rampant the the standard 'Montbretia'. Another two bulbs which love the sun and will flower in November are Schizostylus and Nerine bowdenii. Both will take an occasional light freeze. Also there are the Mediterranean herbs, rosemary, lavender, sage, thyme and bay which would be perfectly happy in a seaside location. They can take heat, drought and salt. I am quite excited with this project. The opportunities are endless. Even before you start thinking about 'nautical' featues like drift wood, rope handrails, pebble edgings, boat seats in shelters, etc. I'd love to be doing myself! Here is a link that might be useful: Boat seat
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Comments (24)
Moved here last year to a nearly flat rural acre - 4 oaks trees, a pecan tree and a pine & 66,000 ant hills. As a designer, I have to study the way the sun moves - where it's too hot- etc.: that determines priorities. The front is west facing - so up went the chaste tree... No path from the drive to the door- there was an opportunity. It's divide and conquer- And of course, the beauty factor starts its' demands. I had a sense of urgency the first spring to get those plants going due to having to wait a few seasons for a mature look. They don't plant themselves ! Having parties does wonders for kick starting a design plan. Your guests would be mortified if your garden wasn't at least underway ! I love beautiful color combos that repeat - So I start there: Silver, chartreuse, black, and deep green, purple/ blue; with pops of yellow & red. Front borders go from shade to hell hot. So- the fun part is finding balance in those colors in plants that will work on the shaded side and their corresponding counterparts for the dry hot side that also bloom or show out the same time- For instance - Plumbago - Endless summer hydrangea. Anise hyssop- June Fever hosta - I'm several years from my shaggy garden look that I'm so fond of- but it really helps to be compulsive, impatient & that there's a marvelous growers outlet nearby. :)
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Help!! Trying to start veggie garden on hill!
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Comments (5)
My vegies are on a 45degree slope. When my house was put in the leach field was put in about 8 to 10 feet below and the fill was just as it was dozed and fell to the lower level. Last year I decided I wanted a few Toms and Peppers 18 each LOL but nowheres to put them where they would get much sun except the hillside. My answer lottsa stones from an old wall. Carry up the hill and terrace then fill in it gave me 2 to 4 feet by 60. This year its harder the carry is getting longer on my 2nd tier. Now I have to wheel the fill down the hill to the leach field shovel into 5 gallon buckets climb up on the 1st tier dump ugh. I have room for 4 or 5 tiers but at least by next year I should be able to put a temp ramp from the side hill and eliminate the shovel bucket routine. You got good answers from the others for the easiest fixes but this post is just to show no slope is to steep. Regards Scott
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ohesq
16 years ago
How refreshing to see a properly installed fence. So often--more often than not, I see fences traversing along slopes like a wave rather than being installed in a jagged fashion according to the various slopes on which they sit. Very nice job.
Embothrium
16 years ago
I dunno, I think I'd like it better if it followed the contour instead of making all these little jumps.
barefootinct
16 years ago
WOW! What a difference! Here's a link to the previous thread about this area.

Patty

Here is a link that might be useful: previous thread
karinl
16 years ago
I'm knocked over by the speed at which you work. And yes, it looks great. Happy planting!

KarinL

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Hill Garden - Cottage Garden Start

Comments (6)

rhodium

careytearose

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ohesq

Embothrium

barefootinct

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