Some Garden Beds In the Backyard

Looking southwest from the deck. Note the two 'brides'. The 'Vanhouttei' spireas that flank the pathway to the deck.

Rear Center Garden

Deck Garden

Perennial Border alongside the Vegetable Garden

Another view of the Perennial Border.

More perennials in the Perennial Border.

The new 'Non' Pool Garden looking down from the deck. We'll see it again below. It has really worked out the way I planned it last year with the exception of two hydrangeas dying and several grasses dying. I replaced the grasses by dividing others in my garden, but the hydrangeas lost their spots to irises. Disregard the plant pots scattered about. The dogs use them as chew toys. Sometimes with the plants still in them. Bad dogs. 

Woodland Garden looking toward a camellia with a ground covering of lamium.

This garden bed is on the northeast corner of the house. It got a complete rework when I buried the downspouts back in February. Due to the intense shade and moisture in this bed the only things that really grow here are hydrangeas, the 'Sango Kaku' Japanese maple, a ligularia, hostas, ginger, brunnera, and some astilbes.

Another shot just across the pathway from the above garden. This is the Heuchera Garden that is minus several heucheras. Most of my heucheras died out last summer. I have not replaced them because I'm thinking that if they want to die out then I must plant something better adapted to the dry conditions under the cedar tree. Hellebores, goatsbeard, daylilies, hostas, and turtlehead all do well here in this bed.

This is kind of a new bed. I can never grow anything in this area due to the large cedar tree and the two mature oak trees. I did decide to extend it and backfill it though and that gave me a bit of extra room. In the new area there are hostas growing along with some pulmonaria and wildflowers. The next layer inside has a few 'Annabelle' hydrangeas, though they don't show up in this picture. I will not plant anything inside of the bed due to the cedar tree and the fact that the back side of this garden opens to the 'Secret Patio' garden and I wish to have a view to it.Can you see Mr. Fix-it in the picture? He was busy fixing my riding lawn mower and his chainsaw. Both have seen better days.

This bed is just across the path from the previous garden. Here we have the 'Non Pool' Garden. It is doing spectacularly. So far just about everything has worked well that I planned for last summer when we removed the pool and I redesigned this area.

Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes' is still a stunner in spring. Here it resides in the Rear Center Bed.

Another shot of the Rear Center Bed looking west on the southern edge of the bed. This bed has a few mature oak trees and is undergoing a major change due to a new patio area. It is a unique bed in that one side gets pretty good sun whereas the other side gets barely any sun. The center has a row of shrubs and the above 'Wolf Eyes'. I am having fun with this bed and being that it is the rear center of my yard and very visible from the house it must look great all the time. It is a challenge due to our hot long summers. Spring always has gardens looking good for some crazy reason.

Now this is what I call the 'Garage End Garden' looking up toward the house and the 'Rear Center Bed'. Someday we will make an addition on our garage extending the garage to this bed. For now it seems to float in the lawn. It is basically a 'catchall' garden. I do have a J. maple, doublefile viburnum, hearts a burstin shrub, the Korean maple, a 'Summer Snowflake' viburnum and several perennials growing in this bed but basically it is a holding or overflow bed.

Here is a secret little spot hidden behind Mr. Fix-it's garage. Once I built the privacy fence it was a simple matter to place the swing and find a nice sitting spot when I wished to reflect. Okay, when I wish to look at the garden in peace. Can you note my neighbor's horses behind the fence? They were probably heartbroken I put the fence up. They can't eat my shrubs anymore. Ha! I was happy to block them out as I like to be the only one in this yard that prunes shrubs.

Still behind the garage looking at 'Daylily Hill'. Another overflow area. There are a few asters, winged sumac, and several 'Goldsturm' flowers growing here as well.

The NonPool Garden looking up from the shed toward the house. David's bicycle sits happily in its spot amongst the shrubs and perennials.

Now we are walking up the pathway between the NonPool Garden. There are two parts. I was faced with a gaping hole once the pool was removed. We needed access to the shed but how to design it? Finally I put the pathway in the middle with a nice curve toward the shed. I was able to plant a bunch more plants, shrubs, and two new trees (sourewood and stewartia).

This is the 'Natural Garden' area. I have a spicebush, Blackhaw viburnum, and a Japanese maple 'Bloodgood' growing here. There are a few perennials as well. Namely: astrantia, bouncing bets, columbine, hostas, cannas, mums, heath aster, and great blue lobelia. It does look a bit bare though.

The Secret Patio is looking great. It's so secret you can barely see it huh? The gardens surrounding it are coming into their own after two years of growing here.

This is a way back bed I call the Dogwood Garden. It is a challenge because not only are there two dogwoods growing in it but a huge black tupelo grows here. This bed is too far away to water so I've converted it to a natural garden. Plants growing here are Solomon's Seal, monkey grass, and I will soon be adding yuccas to it as well. It will be a dry bed for sure. All the greenery is the dying foliage from daffodils.

Here is the Garage End Garden again looking west away from the house. This bed is very close to the Dogwood Garden. That big 'shrub' in the front is a St. John's Wort. St. John's Wort is one of the few sub shrubs that does okay in shade.

This garden is called the 'Rear Sidewalk Garden' and is immediately visible once you enter the backyard. It is anchored by a 'Vanhouttei' spireas, ornamental plume grass, crepe myrtle, and a cryptomeria 'Nana Gracilis'. There are also perennials growing here as you can see.

Another shot of the Woodland Garden looking down the path behind the greenhouse.

There are a few more backyard gardens not shown in this post. Namely the Rear Cutout Garden, the Wisteria Arbor Garden (coming up soon in another post), the Spa Garden, Oak Tree Garden, the Picket Garden, and the Rear Corner Garden. 


This last picture is a teaser. Can you see where I am extending the Rear Center Garden as I mentioned above? More to follow but while Mr. Fix-it is on vacation, he, the Jimster, and myself are planning a big project that of course affects the gardens....

in the garden.
 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden