Beds ready to plant...
So, as I wrote in another thread somewhere, we just completed a big project in our yard, which involved spreading 15 cu. yd. of mulch. We placed a whole bunch of rock -- created a couple of pathways, some dry stream beds to help with drainage, some terracing in beds along the sides of the yard. Then finished cutting the edges and mulching.
This began in May, then life got in the way... so the mulching had to be done in this July heat (never ever again!). Of course, I bought a bunch of plants way-back-when, when I thought we'd be done sooner... so its been a struggle to get this work done, keep everything alive and happy in pots, and stay on top of the weeds that were popping up continually. I know you all understand the work involved in this. I just thought I'd share some 'after' photos... I'm planning to do some planting this weekend, as I've recovered from the slight heat exhaustion I experienced after finishing the mulch last weekend.
Starting from one side of the patio:
Makeshift plant nursery:
Over further... then up the side of the yard...
Back down, off the path and onto the grass...
The hole that you may notice in the gravel bed is where we will place a large pot/fountain/bubbler -- have to run some electricity there first (probably in the fall)...
Continuing around...
Looking down to the big corner bed...
Comments (20)
windymess z6a KC, Ks
6 years agoAnd a few more....
Grow Linden, grow! The scraggly looking, taller shrub is a Summer Snowflake viburnum that we transplanted. It went into shock, but appears to be coming back nicely.
Up and along the other side of the yard...
Voila! Can't wait to get those babies planted now.
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Comments (17)mid tn mama, I have 5 blueberry bushes and 8 blackberries growing that arent pictured. This was all grass last November. Im going to add some fruit trees early next year but I dont plan on building anymore beds than I have now. I think I calculated it once and I think I have close to 900 sq ft of actual bed space. I dont want no steekin' weeds!...See MoreSize of plants
Comments (15)I appreciate all of your responses & you all gave me much to think about. Sometimes I'm too much a cheapskate & don't want to fork out big bucks if I can get away with it. We are remodeling a place & it's a blank canvas on the outside at this point. We are not living there yet, but hope to move in next year sometime. Hubby is seeding the grass right now & is marking the flower beds. I thought I would get a head start & plant at least some of the beds around the house this fall. A friend of mine designed our flower beds & gave us suggestions of things to plant. It's a very nice mix of perennials & shrubs. Things like tree peonys, fringe tree, autumn brilliance serviceberry, Black lace elderberry, green velvet boxwood, endless summer hydrangea, holly bushes, blue star junipers, crabapples - pink princess or lollipop, Dwf butterfly bush, grapeleaf anemone golden moneywort, moonbeam coreopsis, Bird's nest spruce, Korean spice or Juddii viburnum, Gold heart bleeding heart, wine & roses weigela, garden plox, bell flowers, etc. LOL! And the list goes on & on! And that's only the beds around the house. There are more beds down by the drive & also above and around a retaining wall. I think we have good soil & bought some Root Master B-1 to use while planting. I started pricing & that's when I got the bright idea of buying small, so I can buy more! But I think I will take your advice & buy bigger on the shrubs & trees. I have friends that I'm sure I can get some starts on the perennials. I have not been found pictures of a fringe tree or tree peony? Do any of you have those?...See MoreGrass in perennial bed
Comments (14)^^^Maybe mulch, tarp, chicken wire layers over the top. Humm? concrete edges added.. hahaha...^^^ plaidbird, I am considering dynamite or maybe pouring a concrete pad over it for a new patio. Altho the picture in my mind of the new improved me after all of that digging is a bit tempting. LOL. I can relate to your impatience to start planting rather than letting the bed lay fallow for a season or two. I have decided to get the grass under control before I put in new plants, even if I have to wait another year. I hope my resolve doesn't weaken in the spring. This grass isn't quack grass, I have that too. It is more like what my dad called canary grass. It grew along the irrigation ditches in our hay fields and was very difficult to control/get rid of. It is very coarse grass with thick stems. The cattle didn't like to eat it off so it grew quite tall. annpat, I had weed barrier and about 3 inches of bark mulch on the bed. Obviously not enough. I also neglected this bed for a couple of years during a time when there was little to no time for me to garden. Thank goodness that has changed and this summer I started working in the yard and garden again. Getting things back in order is going to take quite a bit of time and work. You are definitely correct when you mention the need for soil amendments, that is why I am working on this particular bed. I want to add organic matter to the soil as well as get rid of the grass. kimmsr, do you think that rather than adding mulch now I could leave the roots exposed over the winter then improve the soil in spring adding mulch at that time? The grass grew so well with mulch maybe it would not do too well without it. I know I am grasping at straws here. LOL--- just trying to get out of all that shovel work! Thank you all for your input....See MoreMy two new compost beds! Looking for ideas/help
Comments (3)Thanks! I have an area with natural 80% shade. Actually a pretty large area, enough to grow 100 plants. The world record for ginseng in America is around 160 years old! They grow forever( it is said) Even at that old age, the 160 year root was only 18 inches long! Ginseng is very endangered in the wild. Back on subject :) I've seen how piles rot without it the additives, but I figured since I had some blood meal and peat just laying around unused, I would add it to help the process. Are you saying it might HURT the process? I ran an irrigation tube from my gutter spicket to the nearby bed, is it a bad idea to give it this extra water( it's been really dry) or will the natural rain do it? I've seen how a hose works on it and you may think you're getting it moist inside but you're not. Only the top layers. I don't however, want to flood my compost pile, although it's in a well drained area.. will it work?...See Morewindymess z6a KC, Ks
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