Okay, so here's an update on the projects I've been working on. I appreciate any input on ANY of these projects. I'm constantly re-working ideas in my head. It's a big lot, and a lot of stuff needs to be un-done and re-done.

I'm sorry about how large the photos are. My re-sizing seems to be malfunctioning!

1. This was the "new" garden I was putting in last week. I've since added plants & basically completed it. It's mulched with layers of cardboard boxes and wood-chips on top of that (100% free for me!). I can still put a few hostas on the back-side, but not necessary. The pots were won at an auction, and I put them on stumps & filled them with herb cuttings (oregano, mints, etc) Hopefully they will fill out well in a couple of weeks.

Do you think it needs a focal point? There are a lot of tall plants in here, with a lot of space between (daylilies, iris, Echinacea, raspberries in bottomless 18" recycled 5-gallon plastic contianers so they don't sucker all over). I AM working my way back behind here. There are a couple of fence posts that I might just leave & put some bird houses or something quirky on them. There will be some hostas on the far side of the sidewalk too.

Also (second photo), what should I plant as a groundcover in front of the rocks? in front of that is a well-used gravel driveway, and I have to consider snowplows, so it can't be anything delicate or expensive.

The round stepping stones, I made about 10 years ago, from old round cardboard molds & cement. I re-set them this week.

The kissing bunnies in the last photo were given to me about 20 years ago, by an older neighbor (since died). He made one for me & a panda-bear for my sister. I've kept mine, since it went in my very first garden & I hesitate to re-paint it because it looses some of it's history then. I thought they needed to have a special place in the new garden!

2. I'm introducing hostas around the water feature & gradually taking out the over-grown daylilies and other "messy" plants (although I'll leave some). Photo 1 is my Sun Power that I got a couple of weeks ago in a GW trade. Not bad looking for spending a week in a tight box & having shock & getting pummeled with hail last week. I expect it to be SPECTACULAR next summer.

The second photo, dead center, shows a sort of "hole" in the rocks. I would like to plant a small-medium hosta there that will look great on the rocks. The space gets about 6 hours of sun off & on through the day & it will be about 3-4' away from the Sun Power in the first photo. Any suggestions?

3. Gnome Home. Remember my posting about a mini hsota garden? Well, here's the place. This stump is one that had a tree removed from it several years ago. This spring, my nephew drilled out a 6-8" space to put these "wave" petunias. They don't look great, 'cause of last week's hail, but you get the idea.

Anyhow, you'll see the door I was talking about, in it's new frame. My sister says it needs a dormer & my brother says it needs a window. I told them I'll gladly put them on the stump once they make them & bring them to me! :)

I put in the flagstone path so he can get to work (I don't have the Gnome to live here yet). On either side of the path, will be mini & small hostas & other small plants. flanking the empty space, I've planted several different iris & daylily plants, so it will be sort-of hidden among them. The Undu. Albos. in the front are coming out.

{{gwi:150022}}

{{gwi:150023}}

{{gwi:150020}}

{{gwi:150023}}

4. Steps leading to the front door. The long cement blocks are salvaged from an old silo & have been there for YEARS. This week, I added the plastic under them to keep weeds down & re-set them. Today, I put in the bricks at the bottom (also salvaged). I like the eclectic look, and I like the hand-made look, so the rough edge in the front is fine.

In front of all this, will be a large brick patio from several kinds of brick that have been salvaged & maybe a few bought ones if we can't get enough otherwise. There will be a 6-8" space between this & the patio, for groundcovers & some small hostas.