Tag Archives: Garden Design

Asymmetrical Parterre: Part 3

The new garden is about as finished as it’s going to be. This year.

We moved the bench from a side garden and laid a path from the front of the garden to the pond, and then to the bench. Jim and I talked about creating a small shelter around the bench. It won’t be this year. We need to think about setting posts in concrete, maybe using lattice or horizontal fencing around it. And what about a roof? Maybe next year …

I’ve planted irises and one Ms. Wilmott’s Ghost (eryngium giganteum) that I saw on Big Dreams, Small Spaces. I just knew it would look terrific in this garden if I could get it to grow. The problem? Too wet with serious lack of drainage when it rains. And it’s been raining most days this spring.

Taking a tip from Monty Don, I dug an enormous hole–way wider and deeper than needed for my little plant–and added a mix of peat moss and pea pebbles. Hopefully, that will keep the plant happy and well-drained until it matures.

I already had the large pot, one of a pair that I used on my front stoop. Except this year, I decided to use only one in front. The hibiscus was a lucky find, in line with my #Learning2bLucky lifestyle. One of the local groceries discounted their spring plants 75 percent, so I snatched up a $30 plant for $6. Yay.

My one extravagance was the Buddha. I went to Classic Statuary looking for a pair of Foo Dogs. And they had a gigantic pair–too big for my little garden, and really much more than I wanted to spend. I saw the Buddha sitting way in the back, in a corner, and just knew he should be meditating in my rockery parterre.

I don’t know what else I’d add other than more, possibly bigger, rocks. Cleaning the pond is going to be an issue come fall, and I’m not sure my water lily is going to make it. Time will tell.

Updates to follow.

This Year’s First Daylily

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Ta-Da …

I went a little crazy last year and bought a gazillion different daylily hybrids. Honestly, I don’t remember how many different kinds.

When I planted them, I carefully made a label for each, using plastic markers and permanent ink. Sad to say, the ink disappeared and something ate most of the markers.

So I don’t know most of the names. It’s sad to think I’ll have to go through the summer, showing you all these great daylilies without identification.

Coming face-to-face with this glitch in my garden design seems to have made me remember my working days. I’ve been dreaming of my four most memorable bosses–and since I dream only nightmares, not in a good way.

Gotta get these four out of my head! So instead of flower names, I’ll say more in subsequent posts about my one stupendous and three dreadful bosses. No names, of course.

Unanticipated Consequences

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Back in the days when I thought gardening required nothing more than design, water, and weeding, I planned a red garden. Composed of red lilies and daylilies, red columbines, a couple different red clematis, and red geraniums, I looked forward–that first year–to brilliantly red blooms.

The joke was on me. The red lilies–as seen in the photo–bloomed an orange-red. The daylilies bloomed a wine-red. The columbine didn’t bloom at all. The clematis bloomed a rich purple-blue.

Only the geraniums were red.

Oddly enough, after five years, I like this garden better. It’s full of surprises. Not what I’d planned, but good.