Lone Agastache

When we moved here, there were several Golden Agastache planted in the lower level boardwalk. This spot was mostly shade with very little sun shining through to it. After the first season, all that came back was this lone plant growing out from the crack between two rocks. I have tried to move it to a happier place several times but it never comes back where I move it to and it always comes back in this spot. Again this year, he has appeared here. Apparently this is his favorite spot in the garden and if he is going to stay, this is where he wants to stay. So now I have resigned myself to accepting that and all I do is wish him luck each spring when he starts to poke through. At least his flowers fit in here.

Another Perfect Weather Day

I was digging all day. Dividing Daylily which is now all the way through the Sun Gardens. I have a little bit left to put in along the Front House Garden. I am really enjoying the orange out the front windows so I am going to add the Orange Daylily there tomorrow. I have a plan for finishing the Front House Garden this year but it doesn't quite include the pink Peony in the middle of it all. Somehow I will have to work that in with yellow but I have not exactly figured out how. I am sure it will come to me by the time I have planted out that far. I am so excited to be getting things done outside finally. The weather has really taken a turn for the better for me here. Tomorrow, I will be planting all the new Iris and dividing some as well. I also got the 'Kabitan' moved into the concrete block and the wilted division beside it is the Lamium from Calgary. It is already standing up and looking great now as is the white blooming I put next to the block with 'Fire & Ice' planted in it. The last garden chore on my list for tomorrow is to spread more of the groundcovers through the Sun Gardens and Front House Garden. I am spreading the less invasive ones into spots throughout now that all of the patches I have are big enough to divide. I decided to leave the Orange Daylily in the Combine Garden and am only moving the patches out of the Nursery. The Combine Garden Daylily are in full bloom and since I waited so long to see that, I don't want to dig it up. I was moving it from there into more sun so it would bloom, seems like I don't need to move it now. I will plan the other plants in that garden around the two patches of Daylily.

Ranunculus and more

I lifted the Ranunculus today. It needs lifting as soon as it dies back or the claws will rot. Not sure I like that. Seemed like asking Fall to show up when I was lifting them. Although the flowers were pretty, there were only two of them. I will store them now and hope to get them in earlier next year. If that happens and the sun shows up next Summer in a way it didn't this Summer, maybe I will get a few more flowers from them. I also planted a seedling of the silver-leaf white blooming lamium and a division of the variegated sedum at the 'Fire & Ice' concrete block. Still have not got the Kabitan planted in the other block but I did find some Bouncing Bet which I had thought was lost. It showed up at the bushline along the back of the Orange Lily Garden. I am going to move it out into the Sun Gardens. Was a cool day in the garden and a little wet. Perfect day to weed though and I did plenty of that!

The Gravel Strip

The Boardwalk Garden was given its' name because it runs along the wood walkway from the drive to the house. It is a two level garden to the house side of the walk that leads up into Benedict's Garden if you follow the weeding path. To the drive side of the walk there is a gravel strip that runs along the top of a retaining wall leading down to the deck drive. Although the wall was not designed to be a stairway, all of the animals use it like it was so there is no fighting their constant movement through the strip. An added problem for plants is that nutrient stealing mature trees run all the way down the strip providing only very dappled shade. In my desire to add colour, texture or both to this space, I have tried many strategies. The strategy that has worked the best to date is planting climbing plants on the deck drive below that will grow up the wall and over the gravel. At the front of the Boardwalk Garden, I have 'William Baffin' rose and Red Virginia Creeper that are doing this nicely. Further back, it becomes harder for this to be successful because the same trees begin to shade the deck drive edge heavily. Only Goutweed will grow there. When cleaning out the garden tool shed, we found three of these hollow centre concrete blocks and they have become my latest strategy for the gravel strip. I have planted 'Fire and Ice' at the base of one tree and am going to plant 'Kabitan' under another in the second block. The soil in the blocks keeps the Hosta roots out of the same ground as the tree roots and makes it as easy as a container to look after while still protecting the Hosta root from the winter cold. The concrete block is more than thick enough to do that and keep the dogs from stepping on the Hosta. Dogs always take the easiest route. Next, I am going to root various low but spreading groundcovers along the bottom edge to soften all the grey. Probably sedums of different varieties since they grow well in gravel and shade. Things that will spread slowly and stay low enough for the dogs to step on without doing too much damage. Not pink Lamium. 

Hot, lazy days

The Calla 'Flame' red and yellow at the boardwalk continues to change. It is getting more red in it and where the colours blend, it is turning orange. Another hot day today. I couldn't even do the entire garden tour with the camera in one go. Had to break up the enjoyment. The coreopsis decided to open. It is as tall as the pinks now. Hopefully next year, it will gain some height.

Taking Control of the Boardwalk

It has been two years since I have been able to see this weeding path and that whole time, I have been saying I need to take control of the Boardwalk Garden. This year, with all of the plant divisions from Linda's Garden, I have been inspired to do just that. The top of the path is cleared for use and Hosta have been added. The frog has been watching me make the changes and is enjoying his new view. His old view didn't stretch beyond the summer phlox in his eyes. The summer phlox and iris still need to be moved from here. I have managed to get further on the lower level and even finally completed the path with two stepping stone prototypes that Bill dropped off last week. The Coral Bell garden added to that level is going to be fantastic but I can already see a change I want to make on the other side which is how my best laid garden plans usually work. My schedule for this project would have it finished this year. Any bets on how far I get?

Sad Little Thing

This is a two year lesson in how not to kill a Hosta ! Year one it was under the biggest bird feeder and it almost didn't come up through the layer of seeds over the ground. Year two it was beside a tree that was ripped out at ground level in a storm and barely made it. This year, year three, I moved the tiny little piece that was left into the Boardwalk Garden lower level where I can protect it until it gets big enough to survive without help. I figure I owe it at least that much for hanging on through so much. It is Hosta 'Guacamole' and trust me, it can look so much more spectacular than this and it will again. I am determined. Got shots of the Mystery Double Red and Mystery Double Pink carnations today too. A lot of re-design going on in the Boardwalk Garden. It is starting to look completely different and I have literally trays of yellow sedum in the side yard waiting for a new home.

The Wreckage

Well, I've been planting fast and thinking faster and stumbling a lot ! So there is no real "before" picture but I did take this shot of the wreckage of garden re-design in progress. I am taking advantage of all the new shade plants to finally deal with the Lower Level Boardwalk Garden. This is the Knautia that was dug out and there is more to go but this allowed me to plant what I need to at the moment and the rest I will move later. My "before" photo already has plants but the "after" will be next year when they are looking a little less roughed up. I dug Lamium out to plant 'Big Daddy' - he can just fill that space. There are 'Cinnamon' Fern and light pink Astilbe planted together next and then a little Coral Bell garden. Also came upon another pale delphinium today. This one is a solid pale purple in the Nursery. Tagged it already for seed.