Yesterday I finished clearing the {future} herb garden area. Digging up sunken stones and raking all the pea gravel out of the growing area wasn’t the funnest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s done.
I still need to pull the boxwood shrubs near the air condition unit forward {see arrows} and then figure out what I’ll plant in the awkward corner between the left side of the house and the air condition unit. I need something tall {about 5 ft or so} that is not bushy. Any suggestions?
This dwarf Japanese maple I removed will be going to Mrs. HB’s garden.
Rocks! I have a bunch of extras and have nowhere else to use them in the garden. If I had this problem at our old fence, I’d just heave them over the back fence. But I can’t do that here. So I thinking maybe I’ll stuff a rock or two in my pocket every time I take Lucy for a walk and deposit them somewhere in the neighborhood. You know, kind of as a random act of garden kindness gesture or something.
My tulips are popping up… Are yours?
Remember all that dirt I deposited on the side of the house a few weeks ago thinking that was where the new garden beds were going to go? Ya well, I need to move it. And quick!
I think I’ve come up with a pretty good solution.
After transplanting a bunch of tulips to the base of a tree in our front yard, I covered the area with a fresh layer of dirt.
When we bought the house last fall I noticed there were about 9 hosta plants in the side yard. As soon as those pop up, I plan on transplanting them to the lower 1/3 base of the tree where the tulips are. I’ve seen hostas planted at the base of trees before in shaded gardens and they look fantastic. Once the grass gets reseeded, I think this little area on the side of the house will look nice.
Progress. It’s happening.
~Mavis
tc says
Try advertising those rocks on craigs list or free cycle, there are people who may be looking for them and will come and take them all of your hands, put that picture in to show them. If I were close to you I would pick them up today, I could use them in lots of places. One woman’s trash is another’s treasure.
Put them in an old bucket and put a sign saying free to good home and leave them by the road (that is if the HOA lets you)
Lyn says
What kind of plant your growing on the planters?
Leslie says
Is another Cyprus too tall and too bushy? Or maybe a dwarf red bud?
Carol says
Good work, Mavis! I love your ability to “see” how things are going to look and then make it all happen.
Deborah Herman says
As to that spot that needs something tall. I looked at the pictures and what you’re planning on planting and noticed all the green. Why not try a trellis? I think what you need is a good pop of color. Depending upon your climate, A nice old fashion rose (which would give you rose hips to harvest in the fall. Think of the jam.) or morning glories or a honey suckle vine. Ivy might be nice. How about Kiwi? it will grow on a vine and give you fruit. or grapes. I know how you like to get the most bang for your buck. Just a thought.
PattyB says
Your ideas are wonderful except for the Honeysuckle vine… it’s very invasive. Maybe there is a non-invasive species?
Dena says
Careful with the dirt around the base of the tree. Straight dirt can suffocate a tree by preventing air reaching it’s surface roots. A combo of dirt + mulch would be better. Google something like ‘placing dirt around base of tree’ as all the old timers I know say about an inch or two of straight dirt MAY not cause trouble, but more will kill the tree. Good luck. How about a dwaft fruit tree at the corner of the house by the air conditioning unit?
Mari says
Beside your Air con unit, in the corner…. is it damp or very dry?? If its damp, you could stick with the conifer theme you have and plant a thin column cyprus. But because you are planting herbs…. what about Bergamot aka Bee balm (monarda), which is a perennial mint that grows 4+ feet tall in summer with amazing feathery flowers. Makes a wonderful tea and comes in lemons, pinks, red and purple. Something like that will spread around the corner and naturalize, but still allow the air flow your unit will need.
Personally I would ditch the buxus from there all together and just have a flowing herb garden. You can get many lovely herbs that are more on the medicinal side that would do the screening you want. Think about sage (purple and green and white, marshmallow, meadowsweet, lavender or borage instead.
Renay says
I like to put rocks along the house and fence. That way no weeds grow there and it looks very cleaned up. Ah, another OCD devotee…. Rocks along the house are also nice to keep the dirt back (and keep paint clean) as well as keep drips from the gutter splashing dirt onto the house. See? Told ya I had OCD!!! lol
Wynne says
I really like this idea — I wish those extra rocks were mine!
Jenn says
Mavis, be careful depositing the rocks around the neighborhood. Someone from the HOA is likely to see you and send you a fine for helping decorate someone else’s yard! Bahahaha. You are so much better than I am.
Alison R. says
There are daffodils blooming here and it is supposed to be 25 degrees tonight. No tulip shoots yet though.
My zone is 8b (Savannah GA area) and I am still getting used to a new area as far as trees, shrubs and flowers.
Every time I see a palm tree I think I took a wrong turn!!! YIKES!!!!
Practical Parsimony says
You will find a use for the rocks. Make a little pyramid of them or a pile, as a decorative element. Then, when you need a rock, you will have them. Why not make a double row of rocks, with one row offset to make the rocks fit together instead of rock butted against rock. You can still have them when you need them.
While you are digging up Hosta, divide them to go all the way around the tree. They will soon be very full and you won’t have to dig up the Hosta to divide. I would never plant close to the trunk of the tree. Pull the dirt back from the tree trunk.
In the corner, maybe plant a nandina for the red berries. Dwarf nandina does not have berries.
Lauren says
Maybe a jasmine by the air conditioner?
Christy says
What about a Camellia near the air conditioner?
Oh, and hope the HOA doesn’t get too worked up about fresh dirt and tulips around the base of the tree! 😉
Janie Smith says
Really do be careful with that dirt around the tree. That looks like too much. And it will kill the tree. I know that from experience. It is sad and expensive when a very tall pine tree dies. You don’t want to lose your tree.
Stacie says
Plant sky pencils in the awkward area
ann in E. oregon says
I like your little gnome. :-))
beth says
The only tulips I saw were the ones that were $9.99 a bunch at Costco. -24 Celsius (that is -11.2 in Fahrenheit) plus at least a foot of snow cover here in my part of Canada today.
I would keep the rocks. You may have a project for them in the future. I toss or donate everything but I would keep the rocks.
Nicole says
Do you ever use Freecycle? Those extra rocks would be an excellent freecycle item.
Brandy says
I’d be careful with planting around that tree like Dena said. I’d give more space around the trunk. As for that corner, I’d be boring and stick a rose tree in there. Or fruit!
Diane says
Did I miss news? Did the HOA nix your garden plans? The moving dirt quick comment led me to think that.
Kimberly says
Why don’t you put the extra rocks around the bed that has the tree in the center? (last photo)
Floraista says
HI Mavis. I love your blog! I love your dog! I think a Golden Yew might be nice in your ‘awkward’ corner. or a fastigiate or weeping beech tree. I like grasses. Soften things up.
If you dont mind? Tree bark is a bit like our human skin. Keeps out bacteria and other germs. So for a healthy tree. Soil, compost and mulch need to be pulled away from the bark of the trunk to keep the bark on the trunk dry. If the bark gets very moist it can rot your poor little tree.
Keep your rocks and create something new. a spiral?