Georgia Flower Garden pt 2

Today is the second part to my 2 part series on what I like to call my Semi-Formal Flower Garden. Yesterday, I told you about Levels 1 and 2 so today we will go into Level 3 or the main level of the Garden...

You know the white fencing was the first thing to start the garden by hiding that ugly gas tank. The second thing was the formation of this round planter. I had some free bricks that needed a home so I dug them into the ground to form a half circle around the circle planter. This was fine for the first year but with the addition to the Levels, I no longer thought it worked in my garden. Time for a change.

I got my shovel and little red wagon and went to work! I broke up the half circle into two separate planters. As you can see the black-eyed Susan's were already popping up from the ground inside the planters. See the clay brick's that form a planter to the left in this picture? Well, those bricks were taken from the planters and I dug them into the ground to form a border to a walkway. Many bags of pea gravel made for a perfect path for the feet. My only regret was not using landscaping cloth under the pea gravel. Pulling weeds from the gravel was not fun this summer. Argggg, live and learn...

Wow, did I pound a lot of bricks into the soil. Did I mention I had a tonsillectomy a few weeks prior to taking on this task? Yep, I love to play in the garden in the spring and surgery will not keep me out for long!

I put in stepping stones to the garden bench. Ah, the fun of playing with a hand shovel, rubber mallet, sand and a level...

You can see the 3 levels from this view. The main garden, then up one level to the upper level, then up one more level to the boat shed.

Boat Shed, what boat shed? I don't see a boat shed, do you?

I have accomplished my goal. I don't really notice the Metal Monster any more. There are too many other things for my eyes to see.

Things started out growing slowly but once the warm summer was here to stay things started to take off like weeds. The picture below was snapped on May 9, 2008.

This picture below was snapped on June 19, 2008. What a difference 6 weeks can make in the garden!

In this picture below, you can see both Castle Rock planters that now replace the clay brick planters. The planters look so much nicer with the Castle Rocks to replace the brick. I am bad about taking away from one project to create another project. Does anyone else do this?

This picture below was snapped on July 30, 2008. Another 6 weeks of growth makes a bigger difference. Notice how the circle planter filled with Periwinkle has grown. I will show you that planter in a close up sometime in the future.

This picture below, was snapped on Sept. 8, 2008. I had to finally cut the golden Lantana from the pathway. Snakes like to hide under such fun stuff and I like my ankles without holes in them!

Just look at the upper level on Sept. 8, 2008. The Verbena has grown like crazy and the Periwinkle has reseeded itself from last year and jumped the planter! You can no longer see the Castle Rock planter. Everything is getting into the grass of the yard now. We must take control...This is the view from the upper level into the main garden. The elephant ears give such a tropical feel to the garden. The main level has Lavender, Lantana, Yarrow, Verbena, Cosmos, Marigold, Begonia, Black-eyed Susan, Periwinkle, Coreopsis, Mexican Heather, Trumpet Vine, Cleyera, Loquat and Plum trees.

Here is a view from standing behind the white picket fence. I can see the entire Flower garden, the Butterfly Island and also my blooming Crepe Myrtle! Ah, what a view!

So there you have it. A Semi-Formal Flower Garden all because of an ugly Boat Shed! Who would have thought something so pretty could have come from something so ugly?

Spring is my favorite time of year as everything wakes up from a long winters nap and is ready to take on the world. I am kind of like that also. I take off into the garden and have so much fun creating things such as this GEORGIA FLOWER GARDEN while the birds sing high above me as I play, In the Garden...

*Note: I want to give Tina a big Thank You for allowing me to post this week. I knew getting a posting up every day was a challenge but had no idea how much work is involved! I enjoyed my week but am looking forward to taking off for the next week for a bit of R&R myself. So see you all in about a week or so! Okay Tina, back to work for you! lol