You have a plan - at least in your mind. [In my waaay too anal-retentive way, it is actually on paper, too, but at least most of it is written in pencil, not ink.] You try something and you like it. You try something else and you don't like it so much. You plant something that you know fills in fast - either as a place holder until you decide on something else - or to fill a large space. You plant the "wrong" plant and it works out well.... or it doesn't. Or, all of the above.
Case in point.
This nearly circular garden is one of the first things that I did when we enlarged from a rectangle in the back yard to the first real "garden". This birdbath came from Mitchell's mother's yard and I wanted it to be a focal point.In this early April photo the daffodils are fading (Tete a Tete minis) and you can just see that behind the daffs all the way back to the walkway is filled - and I do mean filled - with mondo grass. What have not made their appearance this early in the season are the calla lilies that also ring the birdbath. The apparently empty area in front of the daffs is actually planted with ranunculus bulbs that I put in early this spring.
By last week, this area looked like this:
Ah ha! The mondo was the right plant at the time, but but instead of the well-contained "ring" around the birdbath that I had envisioned, it became a bully and is now choking out the more desirable callas that are struggling to come up thru all the mondo. Goodness knows what the callas are doing for water with the thicket of roots surrounding them.Last weekend I decided that the time had come for the mondo grass to go. Several hours on hands and knees later and several buckets of vegetation added to my compost pile and it looks more like this.
Added some mini-dalias in pink and white (the callas are a clear pink and the ranunculus are a mixture that is heavy on pink and white - I hope) a big bag of mulch, and re-sited the gazing ball. Voila! this is more what I had in mind all those years ago.
*Yes, I know it's Saturday. You do what you have time to do!!
They say 'a garden is never finished' and this is so true, I'm forever moving things that haven't worked. The birdbath setting really works now and love the planting with the red shrub as a backdrop x
ReplyDeleteMondo IS a big bully! I has taken over several areas in my yard. I need to spend some time on my knees as well. Thanks for your encouraging words over at my place. I shared your earthquake joke with my landscaper. While he didn't smile.....he got to work and I think a smile might be appearing on my face. "bird by bird". Hugs!
ReplyDeleteDeborah, about five years ago Mitchell says to me, "Well, now that your garden is finished, what are you going to do? Pull weeds?" "No," says I, "I'm going to start moving things around!" and so it goes. In some ways it's what I like the best.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, Hope I didn't offend your landscaper, or maybe he just needed to look with different eyes! It does seem to be coming along nicely, tho. Can't wait to see the "finished" product. I guess hardscape does become a bit more "finished" than the rest of a garden, doesn't it?
I had to stop in here and say a little something. You actually PLAN a garden? LOL LOL I so admire someone who can do that. Mine always just is a bunch of volunteers and whatever happens to catch my eye when I visit the nursery. It is so hot here, usually, that I am just grateful for anything surviving the heat. BTW....you garden varieties are quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteJo