Your side garden sounds beautiful. MOst of my garden is a response to a necessity. I used to garden in the vacant lot beside us with permission from the owner. It had good soil and several large oaks nearby, which made it inviting. I had a large side yard, much bigger than my back yard but it was unrelentingly sunny, the trees were not so big, and it wasn't very private. Anyway the vacant lot owner didn't like the permanent look of some of my roses, so asked me to vacate. I had to move my entire garden and began to colonize my side yard. The trees grew, the forsythia hedge provided enough privacy, and I made my side yard a place of paths and hidden places. If I hadn't had to I wouldn't have done it.

Then the town came along and asked me to remove my forsythia hedge on one side because it blocked visibility at the corner intersection. The town removed my hedge for me and we put up a picket fence. Now I have something to grow some climbers on and the forsythia no longer sucks up all the water in that area. In another year or two the fence should be very colorful.

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Linda

Both your gardens sound great and Linda, I love the pic of your garden.
I have a different type of problem. I live in a 'single family condo' and so the front yards are maintained by the association. My problem is the best sun exposure is in the front. We have a front bed with small evergreen shrubs and a very bare side yard. What I wanted to do is plant roses in large containers and place them inbetween the evergreen shubs and to extend the front bed down the side yard, and grow roses and other flowering plants in containers in the side yard. I drew up plans, got 4 of my neighbors' ok and sumitted the plans to the condo board and landscaping committee and they approved it. What they realy liked was because everything is in containers it will be easy to change it back to the way it was if we ever sell the house and move.

The back yard is mine to do with as I want so I have shade tolerant roses in the back as I still get about 4 to 5 hour of sun back there.

Liz

I knew it--lots of ingenuity and creativity out there!

Erasmus--I love what I can see of your side yard. You must have felt awful when you had to get rid of the forsythia, but the picket fence with roses sprawling over it turned out to be a wonderful choice.

roses--your idea about the pots was inspired! And I bet they look great with the evergreens around them. Why don't you post some pics this summer so we can see how that works out as it wraps around your condo.

Any one else have some great solutions? This is really interesting.

Kate

Kate

I sure will post pictures this summer. I was never so happy when the condo assoc said yes. here is a picture of the "blank slate" I will start to work on it this spring. I am going to lay down weed block, mulch, and use a brick or stone edging. As you can see the houses are about 7ft apart so the bed along side the house will be about 2ft wide. My containers are 20" in dia.

Liz
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I am probably my worst garden problem. I find that it is hard for me to stop planting. We live on 38 acres. There is all the room and sunshine in the world, but of course there is a limit to water, time, and energy. I am solving this problem by planting ramblers. I have found that ramblers if there is enough room can do without pruning or water when they are mature. So now I am planting ramblers. Eventually they will be beautiful.

So far, my worst problem is deer. For a while I despaired of ever being able to use those portions of my yard the deer frequent the most. But I have learned which roses they prefer. They don't bother the rugosas, moss, musk, gallicas or polyanthas (in that order). So now I plant those along the deer paths. They also don't eat herbs, so I surround my more tasty roses with lavender, chives, sage, oregano...
I've also learned that the more roses I have, the less damage they do to any one rose. The deer just wander along nibbling here and there. So it is in my best interests to plant more and more...

mendocino rose

I saw the beautiful pictures of your garden in the march/april issue of the ARS American Rose and your roses are breathtaking! I have to agree with you, if I had your type of acreage, I would be planting ramblers and letting them do what they do best.

R/
Liz

My main problem is beaver. My solution has been a rifle. My roosters also tend to scratch things up considerably. I have resolved myself into believing that my garden is a perpetual work in progress, so I don't feel bad that nothing ever looks finished. But, I love my yard.

Robert

Mendacino Rose--your water, time, and energy may be limited, but ramblers offer all sorts of new possibilities for your gardens, don't they. Hope you post some pics when they are all in bloom.

catsrose and Robert--Oh, those critters! Got a wabbit here that's driving me nuts. Rugosas, herbs, and a change of attitude--wonderful solutions! But I don't know about this plant-more-so-deer-damage-one-rose-less philosophy, catsrose--sounds a bit like rationalizing--or maybe one of the better excuses to keep on buying roses. LOL

Anyone else find a beautiful solution to a particular problem posed by some aspect of your garden?

Kate