Hello Friday!
A high of 39 degrees and wind is predicted for today and you know, after playing in the yard all day yesterday, I think I’ll stay inside today, work on rugs and drink hot cocoa.
Last night after surveying the yard, I sent my friend Heather a text to see if she wanted all the plants in the front yard. 🙂 Well, all but one. The oriental poppies, I’m totally keeping those.
Daylilies, spotted hosta, cosmos, and a bunch of other stuff random that doesn’t fit into the whole boxwoods and hydrangea theme that I like so much, will be dug up and headed to Heather’s house in early spring.
Anyone know what the name of this plant is? There are three of them scattered in the front yard. Neat and tidy and all in a row, that’s how I like my landscapes, anything else and I break out in hives.
I think this one is phlox. We actually have an enormous patch of this planted alongside the house and it looks pretty good where it’s at. I do plan on trimming {uprooting?} the patch a bit in the spring though as the amount of it is kind of overwhelming for the space if you ask me.
Did I tell you the house came with one little garden box? Or rather, four 6″ pieces of wood nailed together? There’s a giant hedge of who knows what planted next to it so I’m not sure if I’ll have the HH build me a new garden box in the space or not yet. I suppose I’ll have to trim the hedge back first and then go from there.
We had two deer wander through our yard yesterday {and a flock of turkeys the day before} so I’m not sure what our {vegetable} garden set up is going to look like next year. One thing is for sure though, I’ll have to figure out some sort of fencing before I plant anything in the ground.
The entire yard gets an ENORMOUS about of sun, which is a wonderful thing, so I don’t think growing food is going to be an issue. Keeping the wildlife out of the vegetables though, that will be something else entirely.
Lucy hard at work sniffing out truffles.
Besides wandering around the property this week trying to figure out what plants I want to keep and where the veg patch should go, I had my resident handyman trim some tree branches down by the edge of the property for me.
I’ve been trying to get the bases of all the little patches of trees cleared of their scraggily bits to open up our view of the water a little better.
Before.
After.
Much better don’t you think?
Next week I plan to work on the area just past the evergreens {where all those little saplings covered in orange leaves are in the center of the photo}. I figure if I keep at it, by the time the snow falls, we should be able to see clear across the cove this winter while we’re safe inside, all warm and snuggly and sitting by the woodstove.
Shaping the view for winter, that’s the plan Stan. 🙂
Wishing you all the best on this cold and windy October morning from Maine,
~Mavis
Joely says
Looks great! I think your purple flower is from a perennial geranium called “rozannne.”
Louise says
Looks like my Rozanne too. Very long lasting and tough by London standards so must be seriously tough if gown in Maine.
Mary says
Indeed it is!
Diane says
Yup – I’ve got two ‘Rozannes’ in my rock-bordered bed, and they spread and bloom all summer long, until frost. Love ’em.
Cindy says
Yup, is was going to say the same thing.
Connie says
This is fascinating to watch. Want to see how seasons play out at your new place.
My parents lived on cove of lake in central Texas so agree that the view is everything !
Thanks for bringing us along Mavis.
Robin in WI says
The mystery plant with the purple flower resembles one of many varieties of cranesbill (geranium), a perennial favorite of mine for four-seasons gardens (zone 5a here). Long bloom time, great fall leaf color, and gets going early in spring.
Gloria says
I sent you a message via FB messenger with a link to my blog post about our deer fence.
Sue says
My Picture This app says your purple flower is a Himalayan crane’s-Bill, a species of Cranesbill geranium.
It’s chilly here in Alabama this morning after the storm left it’s mess. Lots of people without power.
Your view is beautiful and looking forward to see your vision for the yard.
Have a great weekend.
Patti Vanderbloemen says
I think you need to install a greenhouse…so many critters to contend with!
Richelle says
The “spotted hosta” you reference is probably pulmonaria, aka, lungwort. It blooms in early spring, before most other things, usually burgundy-purple flowers m.
dj_1973 says
Agree – it’s lovely, like bluebells. I have it in my yard.
DIANE DODGE says
Yes, I love this pulmonaria plant. The name “lungwort” doesn’t inspire admiration, but it blooms early pink, then changes to blue–it does indeed remind me of bluebells. The blooms last a long time and it’s very hardy. I did not grow up with this plant, but it was in the yard of a house I bought and I just love it. I’ve spread divisions of it all over the yard.
Jeanine says
Although not so pretty…we put two fences around our garden area. Inner fence is 4 foot tall. The other fence is 3 foot tall. These fences are about 3 1/2 feet apart. Made with wire, so you can sell see the garden. Two gates. One near the house, the other next to the garden shed with access to the wooded area. The deer don’t jump over the fences. Too afraid they might get tangled up.
Now, this being said…can’t say anything about moose getting in. They might just plow through, but we don’t have moose in the California mountains. Only problem we have are squirrel, raccoons, shucks, possums, and moles. I haven’t been able to protect my strawberry patch. Have to figure that out next year.
Good Luck. You may ask at the farm stands that you visit and see what they do to protect their gardens.
lindsey says
We have moose in Alaska. They regularly jump a 6 foot fence.
Jeanine says
I guess Mavis will need at least 6 foot fencing! Don’t know how many moose are near the coast of Maine.
Jeanine says
Outer fence!
Sharon says
I just was going to mention. Please make sure to remove any mushrooms unless you know they are not toxic to dogs. A good friend just lost her beloved baby to a mushroom. And he never messed with them. The vet tried everything.
Marie says
I completely agree with double fencing for your vegetable garden. Last spring our newest garden was decimated by the local deer. Once they imprint on your property (seems like it has already occurred as they wander through) you will need a double barrier to protect your bounty. One fence will not be enough. They can jump a 7 1/2′ fence if they really want a treat of tender peas and vines! Be sure to “mark” your fence line with a reflective tape (similar to Ed Hume’s bird tape) or bits of Irish Spring soap in small fabric bags to hang around the perimeter too. It will look a bit strange the first year but once the deer find another pathway you can begin to relax your defensive line of “decorations and scents”.
Also use care and caution if you encounter buck during the rutting season. They are crazed!
Nancy D says
Beautiful! The YouTube channel The Impatient Gardener lives in deer country and has a gorgeous raised bed garden and fence you might like!
Kathy N says
The plant you said was phlox, looks like basil to me, but not if the white flower goes with it.
Rory says
This site has really good info about not doing too much fall cleanup, leaving some things for bees, insects. Also the website has information on deer fencing that also recommends double fences
https://awaytogarden.com/bee-friendly-garden-care-with-heather-holm/
Beverly C. says
I live in North Carolina and found out the hard way that phlox is very invasive. It spreads everywhere. I just spent a couple of days pulling it up and then digging out the roots. I had deer problems and my hh put out some rebar and I put heavy weight fishing line around it like a fence. Deer wouldn’t jump it.
Dana says
You can send me some of them spotted hostas .. I will plant them .. ❣️
Mel says
Looks great! We are the only house on our street that doesn’t have a problem with wildlife in the garden, but for the life of me I don’t know why the ignore us.
I picked all of our butternuts today so that we could clean up the yard for trick or treaters (the butternut was a volunteer that our chickens must have planted in the yard, so it was growing across the lawn). We got 20 squash from one vine, but some of them still had some green stripes, so I’m not sure if they’ll cure properly. The vines were completely dead and the stems brown, so I think it was better to pick them.
I planted all our fall veggies late, so I don’t know if they’ll make it, but they look good for now. And we just cleared out our herb garden to start fresh in the spring (it was overrun with parsley and garlic chive volunteers). I really need to do more with bulbs and flowers in our yard, but I haven’t gotten that far. Maybe next year.
Diana k says
Here in Ireland i have five plants in various beds .. they.bloom all summer long. In fact a couple of them are still blooming. They really make a beautiful show.
Linda says
Here in Wisconsin it is recommended that you do not prune evergreens until late winter/early spring.