Views from the Driveway

13 years ago

I am so pleased with last years projects of putting all those daylilies in on the slope next to the driveway, starting the little annual garden and putting in the half round rose planters. It just looks so good in that entire area and it used to be just grass.

Looking thru the daylilies to the little annual garden. Taken from the driveway.

From same angle showing this springs addition of the lupine section.

Little annual garden all planted. Not all annuals anymore. It now has bulb lilies, tiny lupine plants between the lilies and the cosmos in front of everything. There are violas to the left and daffoldils at the very back for spring color.

Rose planters at end of the driveway.

BEE BOP rose in one of the planters.

WING DING rose in one of the smaller side planters.

And here you can see how the rose planters and the daylilies on the slope all go together.

More of the daylilies.

This is how I create my gardens. I start and put in a section, them I add to that and add another section and so on.

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Comments (18)

grspirit
13 years ago
You have done a lot of hard work. Just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.
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loisthegardener_nc7b
13 years ago
I really like those rose planters. Did you build them yourself?
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I suspect you will still need your drain in approximately the same location, but if you lay the drain and then wish to lay concrete there, you will be hooped. The issue is that the same amount of water will come from the woods as now, but it may flow differently after your walls are done, and it may somehow evade your drains or, Marcinde's point being well taken, cause problems with your septic. I would not count on plant absorption of water to accomplish much - partly because it isn't constant, and even if it were it certainly can't surge with water flow. And if your walls do not shift water flow but rather do hold it back, my concern would be that your whole wall and plant assembly would come tumbling down the hill and land on your patio with the weight of retained water. It is absolutely not impossible for lay people to learn what they need to know to manage a project like this, but the risk arises if you do not take the time to adequately learn it and do something wrong. The risks are anything from doing a lot of work and STILL getting water in the basement, or getting an overwhelmed septic field, or the aforementioned landslide scenario. Coupled with your slope toward the fence on the other side, you definitely have some grading issues to deal with - I think I would recommend you level the area near the fence with a retaining wall to create a walkable, mowable, plantable area there - and I suspect you would indeed, as Marcinde suggests, be well advised to consult with a landscape or engineering professional who can advise you on the whole scope of the situation and make a grading plan for the whole lot. Then you could either rent or hire the earthmoving machinery to create your new contours, and build your walls from there. Mind you, with basement water, sometimes the fix is amazingly small, and if it's just to solve that you may not need to terrace at all. We have, for instance, for years had an annual wet-basement-vacuuming event, but were never quite clear on how the water was getting in though we thought it had something to do with the porch foundation. One summer I was mortaring some bricks outside, and I had a little mortar left over, so on a whim I formed a small ledge to direct water away from the door leading into the porch foundation. About a half cup of mortar, the ledge less than an inch high and a foot long - and voila, no more water in basement. The moral is, analyze your problem first, and THEN design your solution, not the other way around. And don't be embarrassed to hire help for the analyzing, though sometimes, all you need to do is go outside when it's raining hard and be observant. KarinL
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Comments (18)
Believe it or not, there are afew Siberians in that area. If you look to the right of the very first picture you will see one blooming behind the daylilies and in front of the rock wall. I only have about 6 different Siberians in this garden area. The rest are in other areas of the garden. I had planted some out front last year, but this year added to it and planted even more. Its just that the so called clumps are so small (I am lucky if they are four fans) that they are difficult to notice.
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Comments (17)
Ironwood is a nice smaller (usually multistemmed) tree. I was going to suggest that. I was also going to suggest yellowwood, a flowering medium sized tree. Very attractive. Hornbeam is also a nice tree but the ones that are most commonly available are columnar forms from the European species. Not that there's anything wrong with those, but would look out of place in that location in the middle of the yard. American Chestnut has gone virtually extinct across it's native range, where you are, due to a disease called chestnut blight. Some report being able to grow for a few years before they die. Others are experimenting with resistant hybrid chestnuts. I definitely wouldn't plant a chestnet. American Beech is one of my favorite trees. Oddly I don't have one of my own. They're reportedly difficult to transplant and even more difficult to keep in a nursery situation so I don't even have one. Although I have seen where they have been planted b&b.
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Linda, Actually, you can grow C&S outside, but they would be the cold-hardy-for-you type. Many c/h C&S would benefit from the blanket of snow - it's an insulator. There are lots of Sedums and Sempervivums which would do well for you, and I'd think some Opuntias and perhaps Escobarias, too. And some of that stuff fell on us, but nothing like the quantities which you have.
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newyorkrita
Original Author
13 years ago
No, I designed them. Then I had the crew that does all my hardscape projects here to do the actual work. I just stand there, wave my arms around, and say I want it like so.
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memo3
13 years ago
Rita, everything just looks amazing! I love the roses and rose planters that you have. I've always loved all of the rock walls that you have but this is the first time I've seen the rose planters. Are your daylilies all different colors or are they in groups of the same colors? I'm just trying to imagine what it will all look like when they bloom too. All of the new plants look great too, blooming beautifully. You really have the touch when it comes to gardening!

MeMo
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newyorkrita
Original Author
13 years ago
The daylilies are in clumps in every immaginable color and pattern. I am really looking forward to the slope blooming as it will be the first time this year. Now those daylilies there are not new to my garden, I moved them all from other areas in the garden last August during a three week heat and humidity spell we had here last year :-((

I really had immagined daylilies on that slope for years. Even before I got the daylily crazies. But you might not be able to tell from the picture but that slope is very steep. You certainly can't stand on it thats how steep. If you pulled off the grass, the entire thing would just wash away. I could never have planted a fan or two and waited until it filled it. I had to start with instant clumps and plant them closely. What I did was I did not strip the grass. I dug holes thru the grass only were the daylilies were and started putting them in rows starting from the top. Then after I finished, I mulched heavily with lots of straw to kill the grass. It all worked as the hill didn't wash away over winter :-))

The rose planters I did first as I wanted some roses in that area and needed something that would work for them to be planted it. The design was critical in my mind as I wanted it all to step down from one to another. Then the daylilies on the slope tie all the various little garden sections all together making it one.
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mary_lu_gw
13 years ago
Just lovely! Your step beds turned out very nice. I can't wait to see the slope with all the daylilies in bloom! Sounds like you had quite a challenge planting the DLs but I bet it will look beautiful!
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tammyinwv
13 years ago
Beautiful! I love those planters.
Tammy
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keesha2006
13 years ago
pretty pictures. I LOVE the rose garden part and how it is built up to showcase them.
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scully931
13 years ago
Love the brick arrangements! Also, good idea to let the crew to the heavy lifting!
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gldno1
13 years ago
A job well done! Congratulations.

I will be looking forward to seeing all those daylilies.
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lynnencfan
13 years ago
beautiful - looking forward to seeing the daylilies also - they are fast becoming my next passion ......

Lynne
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carrieburgess3
13 years ago
Gorgeous Rita!!!

I am really looking forward to seeing your daylilies. I have heard that they do well on a slope. I have two slopes that I would love to cover with daylilies. But I was afraid they might be too steep. Although now that I see your slope, I think the grade looks similar to mine. My slope maybe two rows higher though. I think I am going to give it a go. Rita, do you have any thoughts? How steep is too steep for daylilies?

Carrie
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hosta_house
13 years ago
Must be very welcoming when coming home. Love the hardscapes you've had done, always enjoy seeing your blooms.
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newyorkrita
Original Author
13 years ago
Do you have clumps? If you have clumps to move in there and do the slope the way I did, I say go for it. My slope is steep. You can't stand on it and the grass had to be 'mowed' with the weedwacker, that's how steep.
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Oakley
13 years ago
Third picture down. Those are rows of Cosmos, right? How do you get them to bloom when they're that small?

We began doing another area like you do. Start one, finish it, then begin another.

Your gardens are beautiful, btw! Job well done! :)
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newyorkrita
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, those are cosmos. Sonata mix. They only grow about two feet tall so they start blooming muchy sooner and shorter than the tall Sensation Mix do. I much prefer the shorter Cosmos than the very tall raingy ones.
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gottagarden
13 years ago
Looks great! Good for you, you visualized it years ago and then you made it a reality. Isn't actually seeing the result so fulfilling! I admire your passion and dedication to your garden.
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a2zmom_Z6_NJ
13 years ago
Count me as another person who loses those rose planters. Sets them off perfectly.

And I can't wait to see your slope of daylilies in full bloom.
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