Help. Revamping overgrown garden

12 years ago

I just moved into a new home a couple weeks ago and slowly starting to pull weeds. I am almost done the area that was really driving me batty and anxious to get something in this space. Right now we are renting with opportunity to purchase so until I know I don't really want to do anything too expensive but do want to fill it in. There are tons of azaleas already in the yard and really don't want anymore. This area gets morning sun up to about 1:00 in the afternoon. My initial thought is some fast growing annual seeds and a bulb garden, probably a bird bath with some hanging feeders along the garage. The garage is the neighbors so I'm limited to what I can do with it. I do have some lattice but would have to ask him about attaching it some way to the garage so I may be limited to doing tall growing plants there.

This is the area right beside the garage.

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This is the rear corner you can see in the garage picture but wanted a closer picture. This gets a little more sun than the area right beside the garage. I transplanted an unknown red honeysuckle to in front of the fence but don't know if it took or not. Its only been a few days. I have some morning glory seed I could try there also. I was also thinking about direct sewing some 4 0'clocks there or transplanting some black and blue salvia from my old neighbor (I can beg).

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This area obviously is still very weedy. It also gets afternoon shade after 1:00. I haven't even begun to think about what could go here.

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Any ideas on any of these areas? This is only the begining of the yard, so I'm trying to keep cost down. We also were struck with having to buy a new engine this past week right after moving in so expenses are very tight. The great part is that she's really got some great bones to the yard. I'm thinking she did annuals here because there is absolutely nothing growing up in this area and the rest of the yard is completely overgrown. I am finding all kinds of garden goodies the more I explore and get my hands dirty. Yea!!!

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Comments (4)

Chris_in_the_Valley
12 years ago
Does morning sun count as SUNNY in South Carolina? Will many annuals grow well in the morning sun next to the neighbor's garage? What about Hydrangeas and impatients?
freezengirl
12 years ago
If the area next to the garage gets morning sun until 1:00 or so then I am thinking it must face east. Any area that gets at least 5-6 hours or sun is going to do well with a wide variety of flowers (or vegetables!). Many of the old fashioned annuals are very easy to grow from seed or available at reasonable cost in 6 packs at most nurseries and big box stores. One of my favorites are Cosmos, they can depending which variety you choose be rather tall, have lovely ferny foliage and the vivid colors would show off well against the building colors.
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Yes! Where are you? I just moved here and have NO plants and I'd love to take some off of your hands come the end of May when I think I'll have the garden hardscape done. *sigh* If you can't wait that long then you can always take them to the annual plant exchange that I've seen talked about. Or maybe even offer them on something like Freecycle. Or compost them :( As for your weeds. Ick! Creeping charley is very hard to get rid of from what I've heard. If it's anything like creeping jenny then Round-up is just gonna make it look sick. My dad who in the last 5 years has switched to organic farming mixed up a concoction of water, vinegar and some other things. It didn't kill it but it worked just about as good as the chemicals you'd buy. But maybe someone here knows more than me (which is most definitely the case). Take your time in figuring out how to clean-up. Do you want the plants in the same area? If you're digging things up this would be a good time to assess what you want to achieve. Are there plants you just didn't care for? Was there an area that just didn't have as much color as you wanted? Is everything getting the right amount of sun? Once you have a plan, then comes the back-breaking work ;) Anyway, HTH! and Have Fun! Tanna B.
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You've got pros here making good suggestions. I especially like DigDoug's planter on the left. What this amateur would do: You might transplant the tall thing in the middle of the right window into the right corner, if possible. Make sure it is located a couple of feet away from the walls. Caveat - it looks like it might be a viburnum (I can't really tell), so there is the risk that it will grow too large for the spot without yearly pruning. I don't care for the shape and density of the smaller shrubs and would take them out, perhaps put in a couple of small clumping grasses, or small variety of azalea or rhododendron (if not too sunny there for them) or weigela, or a different, small (dwarf or compact) evergreen with more interesting form and color for winter interest instead. Leave plenty of space between plants, you don't want a solid wall or row. Prune the japanese maple to open up the structure to a more open, lacey look. Getting a good arborist to do it is best. Left corner/left windows. You are right, there is too much stuff. Thin the grasses (or are they daylilies?) surrounding the blue flowering plant to just be accents, not a solid mass. Thin the hostas also. Are those Hellebores in between the hostas? I don't love the boxwoods in front of the window, but you need something evergreen - if those are hellebores, they will do - see how you like it after the hostas have been thinned, but I might remove the boxwoods, move the large hellebores back, and transplant some of the heuchera that is below the maple to be interspersed with/ spaced out in front of them.
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docmom_gw
12 years ago
I know Morning Glories are invasive in many places, but they might be nice on that fence with morning sun. Or maybe a clematis? You could put up twine for them to climb on. Oh, what about Hyacinth Beans, or sweet peas? Do you prefer annuals or perennials? Are you hoping for all flowers, or are you a vegetable gardener, too? You could hang planters from the fence to give you some color at a different height. Coleus are nice in less sunny spots, and provide color all season. Buying them as plants can be expensive. Pansies are easy and colorful for early season, and they reseed generously. I've had Black-eyed Susans, other rudbeckias, and Purple Coneflowers do well in less than full sun. And the birds and butterflies are attracted to them.

Hope these ideas at least get your mind moving. I wish I had as much sun as you. My flowering plant options are a bit limited by shade. Good luck.

Martha
Annie
12 years ago
How about Foxy Foxgloves for tall flowers in back?
Coleus (with light and bright colors).
Creeping Jenny (yellowish green leaves on creeping vines)
Cardinal Flower (red flowers)
Tall Garden Phlox (white to light up the shade)
Daisies
Violas (all colors)
Ferns
Hostas
Elephant Ears
Caladiums
Impatiens (all colors)
Creeping Speedwell (very pretty tiny blue flower)
Coral Bells
Forget-Me-Nots

Those are a few I can think of.

Might I also suggest:
Fill the beds with lots and lots of fallen leaves and /or Pine straw. This will prevent weeds from growing back and it will enrich the soil at the same time. Then you can add flowers as your gardening budget allows and it will stay weed-free and look nice too.

~Annie

Help. Revamping overgrown garden

Comments (4)

Chris_in_the_Valley

freezengirl

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docmom_gw

Annie

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