The Big Dig
I know - that title is only funny in Boston.
Come to think of it, the title is not even accurate compared to the Rain Garden excavation, but I'm not changing the title now !
Yesterday was 8 hours in the front yard and today was about 7 hours in the front and back yards planting about 20 bare root plants, 5 potted plants, and several varieties of seeds. I'll picture the highlights.
Climbing Roses for the Front Porch
The sunny end of the porch was planted with a Queen Elizabeth climbing rose.
This was the rose cultivar that grew up to and covered the outside of my parents 2nd story master bedroom in the house where I was raised. My dad loved his Queen Elizabeth climbing rose. It's one of my favorites and is planted partially in honor of him. If it grows up the trellis pieces I cut and hung last fall, and reaches the upper balcony, this rose will grow up to the 2nd story master bedroom suite of my wife and I
The flagstone 'curb' pieces were found in the backyardand used to create matching small beds for the roses on each end of the porch and a long bed on the rain garden side of the front porch. (I may have mentioned that a couple of weeks ago when I did the work.)
The shady side of the porch was scheduled to be covered with a nephrine rose in a similar pink to the Queen Elizabeth rose, but suitable for the shady northern exposure. The seed company sent a substitution.
Stormy Weather described as :
There’s no Climber that sings the blues any better… mysterious deep smoky purple blues with just a touch of cloudy white on the reverse…set against loads of grey-green leaves. Clusters of this uncommon color can cause a commotion in the landscape ‘cause it blooms & repeats in the very first season. A mid-size Climber with full-sized flowers that can be used to give a backdrop of unusual garden duskiness…a perfect contrast with oranges, yellows & whites. More purply blue in cooler conditions.
The wife sees a trumpet player in the stalks of this rose.
Although the description is a bit poetical, Stormy Weather is 'Heart & Soul' x 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Generally pictured as maroon to violet double rose with yellow around the stamens. Similar in it's effect to the trumpets of a bicolor Morning Glory. If this one grows past the trellis pieces I cut and hung last fall it will grow up to the 2nd story bedroom suite of the youn lady of the house.
The cottage Garden
Also planted was a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick - a European dwarf Hazel with contorted branches. It should reach It's full height, 6' tall, in a couple of years. This crooked little tree has prinde of place at the street side corner of the cottage garden. I underplanted it with (perennial) Lupine and Canterbury Bells.
Most of the plantings are similarly unexciting until they grow.
The cottage garden also was planted with a dwarf lilac, a pair of peonies, and a trio of 'Orange Glory' butterfly plants (a 1' tall cultivar in the milkweed family with bright orange umbrels for the bees and butterflies.)
I also prepared the bed in front of the porch on the Cottage Garden side by leveling, weeding, and creating a low border of tumbled beligian pavers to define a bed the same size as the flagstone curb defined bed on the rain garden side. Currently this bed has Wormwood, lemon leaf verbena?, daffodil, tulip, crocus, and nodding onion bulbs planted last fall. I overseeded with White clover to keep the weeds in check until we add more insect repelent shrubbery and herbs. Between the paver border and the sidewalk is a 10" strip that I weeded and seeded with (annual) marigolds and 3 types of zinnias.
A 'before' picture of the cottage garden side bed and the tumbled belgian pavers. I didn't take an after picture
In the Rain Garden
I planted what should become a 6x6' purple leaf plum hedge (a shrubbery!) interplanted with (annual) marigolds and short zinnias until the hedge takes hold. At 6' tall, people walking in front of the house and cars driving down the street will not be able to see us seated on the rain garden side of the porch.
One birdhouse was moved before a quick swipe with the chain saw removed the lowest branch from the flowering (plum?) tree. The wren scolded me but is still moving into one of the bird houses.
Perennial Sweat Pea vines were planted at the both ends of the side yard fence (trellis along the swale.)
A Burning Hearts Dicentra was planted on the shady slope. Ivy in the shade near the paw paw trees,
Marsh Marigold seeds were scattered along the edges of the rainwater (dry) pond.
The robins have been truly enjoying the bird bath in the rain garden. We catch them bathing a few times a day.
In the back yard
Along the back fence, Two rows of 3 types of sunflowers, canteloupe, and luffa sponge vines against the trellis were planted n the dirt removed when widening the swale for a walkway. These plantings are annuals. I'll probably think of a plan and move this dirt before spring planting next year.
Red Flame (pampas) grass was planted at the far end.
(As with all these photos, most of the changes appear in the imagination.)
Black Hawk Raspberry was planted between the little patch of corn, beans, squash and the arbor circles. Hollyhock roots and seeds were planted just past Black Hawk's Raspberry vines. Bridal White Spirea was planted at the garden end of the swale walkway. Roma tomato plants in the arbor circles. Silver lace vine on the arbor closest to the back door.
- - Add in breakfast, dinner, and socializing with the family and that is my last 2 days - -
I am expecting delivery of about 20 more herb and vegetable types (seed and live plants) to be split between the back yard and the garden herbs flanking the cottage garden. There is mowing to be done in the cottage garden and seeding to be done in the rain garden while I wait. - then I can get back to scraping and painting the front porch floor
