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Florida Gardening

Mailbox Area Transformation

13 years ago

Last fall, the mailbox flag decided to break again and due to have been replaced before and the rusty and decrepit nature of the mailbox it had to be replaced. Plus it turned out to be home to a whole lot of spider egg sacks on the bottom. Which still freaks me out. So we moved it to the other side of the driveway and I decided to plant around it.

New Mailbox installed last fall:

Mailbox area today (still some work to do):

I just planted the agapanthus and liriope so they are flopped over. Hopefully they'll all survive. I did a terrible job dividing the agapanthus (my first time dividing a plant).

Here's the change over time (cause I'm a slow worker):

Just mailbox:

First plants put in last fall:

Plants added a month or so ago (also started putting down newspaper under the mulch):

More plants added slowly since then:

I have a few things left to get. Plus I need to cut the last border piece to make it fit. But overall this is the closest to complete I've gotten with a bed. And I'm pretty pleased with the results. Now I just need to keep things alive.

Thank goodness I found this forum last year because I would never have done this without all the info here.

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Comments (7)

loufloralcityz9
13 years ago
Jellybobelly,

I love seeing the progression you made step by step pictures. Nice job! The final outcome really looks great. Now who says you have to do everything all at once.... easy does it gets it all finished, step by step.

Lou
stuartwanda
13 years ago
I like your before and after pictures. The final picture looks really nice.
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Hester, the only plant in there that currently struggles with the lack of a little shade is the agapanthas. Originally I had some different plants in the area but have tried to change to things which handle the lack of shade a little better. Thanks! kayjones, I'd love to see it. I've been working on this area for years. I slowly expanded it each year. Here's a pic from a couple of years ago: Tom, that is the guara aka whirling butterflies. The newer ones from this year are a dark pink and the ones from last year are a lighter pink and just starting to send up flowers. I believe they also come in white. They do attract butterflies and bees although I don't notice them as much there as on tall red pentas or a butterfly bush. I have noticed an iridescent green sweat bee (had to look it up to identify it) repeatedly enjoying the plant.
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SusieQsie_Fla
13 years ago
Hi Jelly
Can I ask what plants you have there? I see Gold Mound and Ruellia . . . what is the tall tree that looks like it's blooming? A red rose bush?

I did a tiny garden in front of my mailbox in my new yard. Your mulch looks nice and moist - do you have a sprinkler that hits that area?

Thanks for showing your progress and sharing your experience. Love the outcome!

Susie
(not in Chokoloskee anymore)
jellybobelly
Original Author
13 years ago
Lou, thanks! I'm glad easy does it works as I'd never have been able to do that all in one shot.

Wanda, thank you. I'm glad you like it.

Susie, no sprinkler. I had just watered the things I planted this morning. But everything should end up being drought tolerant, so that eventually I won't have to worry about water unless it is an unusual dry spell.

That red flower is a Red Rocket crape myrtle. It was just planted last fall so it is very small still. I just love the red color of the flowers. It was the inspiration for the entire area.

The plants are:

red rocket crape myrtle
gold mound duranta
purple fountain grass (had a really late trim as I'm still learning)
gold mound lantana
Mexican petunia
African bush daisy
variegated liriope
agapanthus (lying down after being divided and planted today)
Mexican heather
carnival lantana
dwarf allamanda bush

I still intend to get some of the chartreuse colored sedum as well as another gold mound lantana for the front and a little more liriope. Hopefully the poor agapanthus will survive. It looks so fallen over and defeated today.
sharbear50
13 years ago
What a nice job! I love the gradual transformation in your pictures.
FlowerLady6
13 years ago
You've done a fantastic job and have a lovely garden bed. I'm sure the mail delivery person, and the neighbors enjoy what you've done.

FlowerLady
jellybobelly
Original Author
13 years ago
sharbear50, thanks. I'm definitely slow when it comes to working outdoors. So gradual transformations could be my nickname.

FlowerLady, thank you. Yes they definitely enjoy it. It may not show but the bed took many, many hours. In fact the bricks next to the road took a couple of hours each because there were tons of tree roots running back and forth there. So I've been out there a lot and in all that time I think ever neighbor who lives right around here has stopped to say something.

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