A couple years ago I had a problem that needed to be solved. My lovely azaleas had begun to die. Actually about 4 in total have met their demise. This area needed some help. I first put in a flag pole. Then I tried planting flowers but that didn't work. The soil was not ready. So I began to remove the grass and add amendments to the soil. These are some of the plants that I began to add to this garden.
The second picture shows how it looked in 2008 at Halloween. Not very pretty I must say.
This picture shows the Flag Pole that was added and also the bird bath for our feathered friends. At this point the garden was taking on the shape that I had envisioned. I planted some Iris, Canna Lillies and Snow Bells along with the Day lilies and glads that were already there.
After I had gotten to this point I started to add some mulch as I finished the garden. You can see the "hole" that was created from the azaleas dieing out. I took advantage of this situation to place an article, that a friend had given me, into that "hole". You can see the article in the second picture.
It is a flower pot holder that looks like a chariot. So I tucked it into the "hole" that was created. It helped to cover the bare spot that would have looked strange otherwise. Notice the "stands" I mentioned in another post!!!
This angle is looking South. You can see the front and backside of the garden. Not finished with the mulch yet. These Castle Rocks help keep the soil in the bed. If it rains a lot like it has this Spring, I would have lost a lot of this rich soil had the rocks not been there.
This is looking toward the point where I stood to take the picture above. This is the front part of the garden. See the pretty Iris"Royal Thunder" that is in bloom!!! Poor little Gnome sitting on the rock with his hand up to his ear trying to hear what is being said. lol
This is a view from the back side of the garden after all the mulch has been applied. I think it turned out pretty good.
This picture is looking straight on to the garden with azaleas beyond.
Other plants can be added as permitted. I do have a couple in mind.And as all gardeners know work is never over.........
In the Garden.
Lola, It looks great! I like the curve and how it gives that side of the yard some definition. Very smart to put the castle rocks on the low side. I like that chariot flower pot holder very much.
ReplyDeleteEveryone have a great day!
Lola, I am so sorry about the azaleas. I remember when I lost the only ones that would grow here along with a prized Japanese Maple. Doesn't it feel productive to have a problem area taken care of...and it looks great. I'm with Tina, I love the curve and the cannas will give the planting color and height. gail
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to lose plants but I'm glad you took the opportunity to make another beautiful bed. :)
ReplyDeleteLola : ) You are doing a great job with that spot ! .. To take an almost problem area .. with a hard focal point like the flag pole and highlight it .. soften it ... make it truly interesting, wonderful job !
ReplyDeleteYou did a fantastic job re-creating this bed! It's so hard to lose plants, but you were very creative in replacing them! Looks great!
ReplyDeleteIt looks great Lola! Just imagine it when things fill in and get nice and thick. The irises will look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteGood morning Lola. I really enjoy seeing progression of a garden photos. I never remember to do them myself. Love the little flower pot holder.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, congratulations on you blue birds! I'm sorry to be so late commenting but I'm not online over the weekends so just saw your post Monday morning.
Marnie
What a wonderful bed, it looks great!
ReplyDeleteI am with Roses and Lilacs, I too enjoy seeing the progession of flower beds. This has turned out quite nice. Also agree with Dave, just imagine when it if full and lush!!
ReplyDeleteLola -you made an excellent flowerbed! It looks great now and will fill up as you decide what other flowers/plants you want as things mature. I love the photo progression --I never remember to do that but pictures make it much more interesting -watching it transform. Have a super day --beautiful morning here --just got back from a walk and picked green beans and one lonely bell pepper from the garden. Ciao!
ReplyDeleteYour last sentence is a truism. My wife should know, she is the one who does all the gardening. In my case I just mow the lawn. Highly therapeutic, I recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI loved your post because you took us through all the steps and process. Many for the fantastic images, too.
Greetings from London.
Good Morning All.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tina. Those rocks were my first choice to help hold the rich soil in place. I really like my chariot. The curve can be enlarged. I had thought about doing that slowly. I can't go any further on the backside as the property line is there.
Gail, I hated to loose the azaleas as they created a "privacy wall" from the neighbors. They weren't very good neighbors. Gone now. I planted the cannas on the far side from me as a kind of backdrop.
I'm sorry you lost your plants. It is sad when we loose them.
perennialgardener, I think it does help that part of the yard as it does help it to look more pleasing.
GardenJoy4Me, Thanks, I do try to make things look better. You can't see them but I've had to work around the "stubs" of a couple azaleas as I couldn't get them out so they just stick up out of the ground.
Meadowview Thymes, Thanks for the nice comment. Sometimes I think if a plant dies it's saying don't put another of the same kind.
Thanks Dave. I do plan to add some more iris at a later date. It will look better when it fills in. I did put some plants in that come up first & bloom very early in the Spring then die off. Trying to have something blooming at different times.
Roses and Lilacs Hi. Thanks. I like to have a record of the progress even tho sometimes I forget.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, Thanks. Hope your getting drier. We need some rain here.
Darla, Thanks & I too like to see the progression of a project. I do believe it will look good when it fills out. Will have to take pics of it later.
Hi Anonymous. Thanks loads. I'm slowly trying to remember to take progression pics so I have a record of how a place looked from beginning to possible end. I do plan to add some plants at a later date. It's nice here too. We do need some rain. Sounds as tho your garden is doing good.
A Cuban In London, Thanks & glad you liked the post. I use to mow & did all the yard work till I broke my leg/hip. I sure wish I could still do it. I love to work in the yard. I like to be next to nature in the soil.
Greetings from Fl.USA
This looks great, Lola! I like the chariot plant holder and the lines of this bed. It's always a good feeling of accomplishment when you finish a project like this...and of course, it gives you another excuse to buy a few more plants:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rose, I agree on buying more plants. lol I was pleased about this bed when I got it finished?. It does look most pleasing to the eye.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great. I never have much luck with azaleas. I like how you have the containers with plants as well, I like to mix in planters with the plants too. It's easier to move plants around and it gives it added height.
ReplyDeleteGood morning to you Lola!! I don't look at the second pic and think it does not look very nice, I think it is a "work in progress" pic. You proved that to be the case with the great transformation of that spot. Good job, it looks great. Now we will need an update in another year.
ReplyDeleteSure wish I could send some rain to you. We in Maine have broken a record of the most rainfall in June. No real end in sight for us yet either.
Hi Catherine. Thank you. I do add potted plants to fill in when plants aren't there yet. It helps to fill in the overall look.
ReplyDeleteHi Jean. Thank you for the lovely comment. I think it does look nice, now if only the rest of the yard looked half as good.
Sure wish we had some of that rain down here as things are starting to get pretty dry. I just turned the sprinkler off that was on in the back yard. It's really shady there. My corn & squash out front needs water bad. Maybe when Young'un get home he will help me.
Hi Lola, sorry you've lost azaleas, but I see you've turned it into an apportunity, and it looks really wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWow, just now getting to the blog! I tried earlier but something else got into the way! Ha, I have had the water sprinkler on all day today moving it from spot to spot. Really dry here but a front has us not so humid! Totally unheard of low dew point of 50% so not as muggy for a day or two! Yippee.
ReplyDeleteLola, I had heard you talk of your Flag Pole Planter before and am glad to finally get to see it! And how smart you are to tag everything! I think I will remember all the names only to forget when someone asks me about a plant. Sigh, I must get some tags written up for certain things that were added new this year. Hope they all survive this heat. We just cant win can we? First too much rain then no rain. argggg. I really do like your planter and am impressed with how much you do with a bad leg and hip! You Rock Girl. :-)
Marnie, thanks and dont worry about not commenting. I have been a bad blogger lately as I have been too busy to visit anyone. I must get caught up before our next trip which will be next weekend. Arg, I have to get busy!
Thanks garden girl. I try to make my surroundings look as good as I can. I love to look out & see nature. Pretty flowers are really nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Skeeter, for your kind words. I do have to mark the plants or I shall forget.
ReplyDeleteIt takes me a much longer time due to my leg/hip. How about yrs. lol Now my rt foot is a bummer. Dropped the bench on it looking for wasps that put my ggs in ER for most of Fri. night. Allergy to stings. Had his little eye shut. Scary.
The weather sure isn't accommodating us is it? I put the sprinkler on in the back this morning then guess what!! we got a hard shower later. Go figure.
Glad you got home safe. It's hard to garden & do some needed travel. Be safe. I'm so proud of you for being able to drive over ME. It is scary. As many times as I've driven over it I still get nervous.
What a bummer about your azaleas Lola. It's a good opportunity to try new things like you're doing tho and I think it's turning out really well. Our work in the garden is always evolving, isn't it??
ReplyDeleteHi Lola, love the before, in between and after shots. And I look forward to seeing how it evolves in time.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen, yes, I hated to loose my azaleas but sometimes things happen beyond our control. I'm trying to make it look pleasing to the eye.
ReplyDeletecatmint, Thank you for the nice compliments. I will have to update the garden after it gets going. It is starting to look a little better as some of the plants have gotten a root hold.
ReplyDeleteLola, So sorry about ggs and the sting and your foot also! Ouch that must have hurt you both. Saint was stung by a wasp while I was in TN. Same spot in the yard where he was stung a week earlier! This time, he found the nest and took care of it so hopefully no more stings for him. When he was younger, he was allergic to them and had to carry a needle with him in case of an emergency. Apparently, he has outgrown his reaction to them as it only left a whelp but a big one though. Wasp have been bad this year more so then ever before. Wonder what is up with that?
ReplyDeleteI saw on TV where FL had some downpours and I was betting your yard got wet as it was in your area. I was trying the sprinkler thing also in hopes we would get a shower. Usually when I water all day long we get a pop up shower. I also washed the car for good measures. lol No such luck this time and the yard could use a good drink from Mother Nature, So much better then faucet water....