Working in My Secret Garden ...need ideas!

12 years ago

Been working in my Secret Garden Log Swing area ... the prairie plants are growing...everything is looking like late Spring/early Summer!

I had transplanted some Hosta's in the Pines ...thought the deer could eat those as they wander thru ...here's path w/whiskey barrel rings made into a 'sphere'...gr'kids just roll it around when they come!

Trying to do a new garden in the Secret Garden...the bit white pines have grown so much that my garden isn't hidden very well...so earlier in the yr (during our nice Winter), my DH & I hooked up the old claw tub & dragged it out there...I've added to it a bit ...Willow easel & frame, a metal thingy, an old log ...now I want to plant something with heighth ...so it will camoflauge better!

Those ferns are getting moved to the ground! I don't want to stack any rock in this area...love the pine needles ...dont' like slinkey creatures that like to hide under rocks! ;-)

Here's the easel...you can see the shutter birdhouse thru the frame:

That cement leaf stone I bought from a place last yr on a day trip...I love that guy's works! Also the Hosta's I planted in the Fall here, too...they survived, so far!

I need ideas for easy plantings here that will help camoflauge (so I can't see my house in the distance) now that the White Pines have bare branches down low. Very shady & I have to haul water out here...any ideas, anyone? I'm thinking of a sculpture or see-thru Willow fence or something...what would you do? Thanks! Jeanne S.

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Comments (17)

Marlene Kindred
12 years ago
What about some sort of fencing like the willow fence or a brown lattice type with some ornamental grasses in front? Maybe some zebra grass...it's tough as nails and has nice foliage. We cut ours down in the early spring. It gets about six feet tall and spreads over time. It has nice winter interest too.

Love your Secret Garden area...nice and serene.
cnm1
12 years ago
That is so nice. I LOVE the willow easel - did you make that? That is a long way to haul a cast iron tub - do you have farm equipment to help. I dream of hauling my old soapstone utility sink to my garden - then reality hits.
I agree with the ornamental grasses - they are pretty tough; for something faster willow fencing or even old shutters would be really nice
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We just got evergreen Euonymus "Manhattan" trained on trellises that are currently 4 feet wide by 5 feet high. We have placed them four feet apart, these grow to be 8 x 8. I particularily liked these when I saw them at the nursery as they are not very deep at all, like less than 6 inches thick. These are for outdoor green walls to cover the ugly "good neighbor" back and side fences we have. I didn't want boxwood or hollies as they would take too long to get large, full and lush and they would grow much thicker. We have turned one side yard (long and narrow) into a Secret Garden for our children, its coming along quite nicely! At the front end flanking the future keyed gate are brick columns we had built, with stone ball finials to put on top. We got the finals in on Friday, the concrete construction people that built the hardscape for the front and back for us will be concreting them to the columns. Inside the gate and columns the Secret Garden steps down nine inches lower than the rest of the back yard, with cantilevered brick steps.Unless you go to the far end of the side of the house, you wouldn't even expect or know there is a special garden tucked away there. Eventually there will even be a small waterfall area with a little river and a small pond. Its our only shade area in the entire front and back, so its been fun choosing gardenias, camelias, violet odorata and other fragrant part shade plants for this area. We have a small metal arch to demarcate one section of the garden with thornless roses, and a small metal bench in front of the arch and a little metal bistro set at the other end. We have two nice urns set on the brick steps at the far end filled with trailing fuschias. We have some slate pieces left fdrom our patio we had built to make stepping stones in the garden, and four Rose stepping stones from S&H for another part. By the way, a pitch for S&H, we have their Eden Park moogate and square arch and we love them! Expensive but well worth it. Have three of their Monet Arches on back order to add across an area of climbing roses on the other side yard. DH and I both love the idea of an outdoor clawfoot tub. Maybe after the children are out of the house, we'll add french doors out our master bedroom side wall to enter the Secret Garden and put one in. To see pics of our Secret Garden in progress and other recent Landscaping Projects and some of our 108 Roses, ck 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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Thanks for the nice comments it was one of those projects that just happened, really didn't have a plan just an idea. Kathy, sounds like a plan and come winter I'll be sitting on your doorstep :). Christine, nice and restful, I wish, there's a 4 lane highway right behind the fence. Renee, I've always been partial to ferns, a lot of the ferns have self seeded, we have to keep removing them. I'm wondering if Button ferns would survive the winter, if I can find one I just might give it a try. Mytime, eventually the lattice will be covered with vines, in fact I have a Passion vine sitting in a pot ready to be planted. I already have a Silk Vine, odd little flowers that don't really smell that great but I like the leaves:). Lots of ideas going through my head of what to do with the birdcage it might even end up with a tree branch, spanish moss and Tillandsias, time will tell. LOL Cyn, now if the rest of the garden looked half decent I'd be a happy camper. Yes we dug the pool ourselves or I should say DH did. We built the U-shaped planter first, then the roof, then the pool (rubber liner with carpet underlay under it for added protection), it's about 10'x4'x4' deep. Then we built the deck it gives the illusion it's over part of the pool but it isn't, note to self the planks should have been screwed down not nailed, changing a board if need would be so much easier. If we were ever to do it again the pool would be straight sided no ledges for potted plants, that itself would help keep critters out. The other thing we're contemplating is putting doors on another thing to help keep whatever out that gets our fish, we've been pretty lucky but last year we lost a few. Cyn, if you get a decent filter and a UV light you shouldn't have any problems. All we do with ours is a partial water change a couple of times during the summer and scoop anything out that has fallen in, that's it. When we do the change we pump the water through a piece of hose and I water the garden with it. Annette
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It might have had a lot of stress if you did not cut it back a lot before you transplanted it. Transplanting damages the roots, and so they cannot sustain the same amount of top growth for a while. However, it looks alive to me. If it was mine, I cut those canes back by about 1/3rd, and most importantly make sure it gets substantial water for a while. Don't feed it anything until it starts to put out new growth. Jackie
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concretenprimroses
12 years ago
The whole area is so lovely and serene!
Can you grow plume poppies down there? I've always wanted to try but don't have the space. They are not a poppy really.
Have fun!
Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Plume poppy
Tiffany_Jones
12 years ago
so funny! i too have (or have in the works) a "secret garden" so i had to read this post and it seems very similar (in idea/location) as mine. I have a long back yard and then a row of white pines (huge ones with no low hanging branches though) and behind them is the garden, complete with a huge swing, hostas, bird feeders (and a lot of plans!) we plan on putting up an inexpensive fence and ivy.
calicocat1967
12 years ago
What an awesome place. i like the idea of using old shutters, or maybe you can score a screen divider? Pampas grass will do okay there. I love when they blow in the breeze. Keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing.

Kim
cnm1
12 years ago
I also saw a divider in a garden made with old doors hanging from a frame of 4x4s. That could work too. They were painted great colors
jeannespines
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, GJers...
I do have some variety of 'grasses' in a sunny garden...most all of the grasses need 6 hrs or more or 'full sun' ...so they won't work there, I wish! I don't have Pampas grass but mostly around here people grow it in full sun in ditches. It is a very pretty grass!

Old shutters is an idea..thanks ... & old doors...I do have a door arbor nearby ...so probably wouldn't use more...but the idea is cool!

Plume poppies look pretty cool! I've never heard nor seen of them...but am going to do some more research...maybe invasive it sound like tho?

Thanks for the feedback, GJers! I'll post more on this link when I figure out exactly what I am going to do. Jeanne S.
User
11 years ago
I can't suggest anything since you live in a zone so far from me but your garden is cool.
toomuchglass
11 years ago
My suggestion is -- invite me over & we can enjoy your "secret place " ! :)
midwestgirl
11 years ago
The willow frame is just lovely. All I see is it needs a touch of color. Nice place though.
marylee_2010
11 years ago
Jeanne, I love your secret garden. I have a thought, but don't know how good it is. I was thinking of a large frame with chicken wire attached and then you could hang stars, moons, metal flowers or other sculptures on it. Greenery could be planted at the bottom.

I also like to see different sized windows hung on a frame to form a dividing space.

I am just meandering here. Marylee
jeannespines
Original Author
11 years ago
This is what I ended up using at the clawfoot bathtub on the path in the pines to my Secret Garden...a corner trellis...I spotted it at Lowes (chained to a rack...folded in half so it wouldn't tip over)...last one...so got it on sale & I really like the looks of it!

{{gwi:144315}}

Kept trying to think of what I wanted to hang in it ... & then **...my rainchain!!! DH wouldn't hang it from the house with new siding last yr so it was just hanging in my garden shed...DH took out a few links for me & I love it here! A close-up shot:

{{gwi:144316}}

Plants are growing slow in the tub...I put some Astible, Bears Breech, Varigated Solomen's Seal & a Coral Bell. Would like something to climb up the trellis...but it needs to be a shady plant (& not invasive!)

I'm pleased with this tho & things are really growing in the Secret Garden! But I thank you for all your ideas! Jeanne S.
Marlene Kindred
11 years ago
BEAUTIFUL Jeanne! Love the trellis and the rain chain was the perfect choice! It's going to look especially lovely when the plants fill in. Your secret garden is just gorgeous.
jlily
11 years ago
A very restful area. I can see sitting there with a book. Your tub and rain chains are magical. TYFS. Jlily
sunnyca_gw
11 years ago
Glad you found just the right thing to "hide" your secret garden from the world! It will be great fun for the GKs when plants fill in & maybe climb up the trellis a bit so they can hide in their secret place & dream...... The rain chains are the perfect center, I really like them there! Jan
jeannespines
Original Author
11 years ago
LOL @sunnycal ...about gr'kids climbing trellis..nope, not that sturdy! Ha! Ha! But the gr'kids love the 'hopping stumps' in my Secret Garden...behind the log swing & the prairie plants ...the first row of stumps have rotted (so I just plant in them)...& the gr'kids were here on Sun for Father's Day...they 'hopped' along the stump trail here! (pic from a rainy day in May) Plants are much taller now & some bloomin'! ;-)

Thanks, GJers! Jeanne s.

{{gwi:144317}}
Calamity_J
11 years ago
I LOVE that trellis!!!! Perfection!

Working in My Secret Garden ...need ideas!

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