Thursday, April 12, 2012

Gift

BY SKEETER
The best gift in the world for me is to receive a gift card from a Garden Center. I can take that card and turn it into something new for my Georgia Gardens!
The Saints sister sent me such a gift for my birthday last month. As usual during the month of March, I am so busy playing in my gardens that my birthday just seems to creep up on me. I spent the day playing in the garden and even though the Saint wanted to take me out to dinner, I had him run for Sub Sandwiches and we ate them at the patio then back off to the gardens I went. My kind of birthday! I was not expecting much as my gift will be a bit later with a Trip to Ashville in May! So, What a surprise to find a gift card in a birthday card from the Saints sister!
I failed to snap a before picture as I really did not know what I was going to do until I did it. That is how a lot of my project's come about. I had cleared the debris and mess from in front of the planter in the Semi-Formal Garden and then the idea struck. A rock garden to break up the small area! This photo is to the far right going right up against the upper level of gardens. Creeping Phlox has been transferred from another spot in this garden with pulling sprigs. They should take off at some point. You can barely see them just below the Begonia. I had that one odd plant remaining from a 6 pack and it kind of got stuck there. There are also two daffodils in this spot that happily bloomed last month. I shall add more bulbs this fall.
Moving a bit to the left of that picture, we see one of two stepping stones and some creeping plants. I haven't a clue as to the names of these plants. The names were printed on the containers and I recycled them before thinking to write down the names. All are creeping plants and perfect for a Rock Garden.
Moving on to the left a bit more and you see both stepping stones and more creeping plants. I put the stepping stones so as to have a spot to step while tending to the plants in the planter above. I need to add some of these to the large Rock Garden as I am walking on the Lava Rock all the time thus pushing it into the ground more and more with each step into the Rock Garden.
To the very left of this Garden is where the Lavender begins. I stopped the Lava Rock at that point and started to pick up the Cypress Mulch. I have mulched most of the Gardens with Cypress this year. The Saint had this idea instead of Pine Straw to see how differently it would act verses the Pine needles. The theory being, thicker layers of mulch will keep the weeds down and last longer then the pine needles. Only time will tell but I think the Saint may be onto something. I have spread about 100 bags of mulch thus far and I have one more area yet to work on. I will say it is a lot easier to work with verses the Pine Straw.
Here is a view of the little Rock Garden from end to end. I like the way the Lava Rock breaks up the area from the planter to the walkway and adds another type garden in between. Neat and clean looking just the way I want this garden to be.... Sis B, Thank you so much for the wonderful GIFT, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

21 comments:

  1. I love this garden area. It is so lovely and peaceful. You did a GREAT job.

    Belated Happy Birthday.

    FlowerLady

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    1. Thank You! This garden is a bit away from the house and over the past few years, I have spent more time working in the other gardens. Last year, I started to dwell on this garden a bit more and this year, I am really working it over a bit. It is a nice place to sit in the evening and watch the wildlife enjoying the blooms...

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  2. Your birthday celebration sounds perfect! What a nice sister in law to send you a garden gift card~ The garden looks great. I like rocks in it very much.

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    1. I know you would enjoy a birthday just the same Tina. LOL, digging in the dirt makes me so happy and I was so into it that day that I totally had to made the Saint understand why I did not want to get showered, dressed and go to town. I was in my element in the garden and covered from head to toe with dirt. LOL... I have never been so into rocks until this house. I love the rocks and how different types break up a look and change things. I cannot imagine a garden without rocks now...

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  3. Happy Birthday! Enjoy your trip to Ashville in May!! -Carla

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    1. Thank You! I shall have a great trip to Ashville in May. It shall be full of new friends and flowers. Just the way I like it. Bloggers Spring Fling, here I come....

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  4. A gift card to a garden center is one of my favorite gifts to receive, too--it always comes in my size:) I really like the way the lava rock contrasts with the rest of the rock garden; it really adds a nice finishing touch.

    By the way, the photo you posted on Facebook looks like one I put on a blog post last year. Once I knew it was a weed, I dug it out right away!

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    1. Yikes, a weed. I shall tell my friend it is a weed. I have not been on Facebook since I posted it last night. We watched a movie and I turned off the computer. I shall give it a check once finished here.

      Funny you say a weed as that reminds me of some words shared with our British guests. I spotted what I thought to be a weed in the garden and they were like, maybe a weed to you but not a weed to someone else. They view weeds as wildflowers. Well, all except the dreaded dandilion.... LOL...

      I like your way of thinking about garden gift cards, always comes in my size! I might have to steal that verse... LOL....

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  5. I am moving to hardwood mulch instead of pine straw. It also amends the soil. Nice to have a gift card from a garden center!!

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    1. Janet, I like the natural look of the pine straw but the cypress looks so much cleaner to me. The only issue I have with wood mulch is, that during one of our gully washing rainfalls, we may loose the mulch when pine straw mostly stays in place. I am putting large rocks as borders to hold the mulch in place on slope areas. Only time will tell but thus far, I am liking it much better then the pinestraw...

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  6. It looks great Skeeter, I love it. I also use straw with newspaper under it and it works well but last year I bought several bags of the wood mulch and love it. I actually looked at the rubber mulch as that would no doubt last forever but went with the wood. I just may try the rubber this year. Since change is not my best feature I also may chicken out on the rubber.

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    1. The only issue I would have with the rubber, No nutrient for the plants plus it would get messy from leaves and I would have to clean it out. With the wood mulch, I think a scattered layer will do the trick next spring. But only time will tell. How pricey is the rubber compared to wood??? I would use it in an area that would not get debris in it though...

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    2. Not sure the wood mulch adds much nutrients other than it does decompose so therefore would add some over time by ammending the soil. Also I do not know why debris would gather anymore in the rubber than the wood but then I do not know as I have never tried the rubber. My concern for the rubber is leaching of oil but I suspose they would not sell it if that were true. Not sure on the price cause I just do not remember what the rubber cost. My guess would be that it would cost more but a guess only. Now you have peaked my intrest to the point that I will just have to give the rubber a try. Well maybe, lol.

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  7. Replies
    1. Thanks Sherlock! I had fun playing on my big day...

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  8. That's my kind of birthday, too! I always hate having to stop what I'm doing in the garden and get dressed up! I love your rock garden! It looks perfect. I use pine straw for mulch, too. It doesn't last as long, but we have a pine grove so it's free- can't beat free! :)

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    1. Oh Holly, free is the way to go. If I had it for free, you bet I would be using the pine straw always! We do have some pine trees and let the needled fall in natural spots. Love the natural look of it. Yep, I was not in the mood to stop, get dressed and go to town for a meal. When i could enjoy a meal in my backyard while admiring my gardens....

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  9. Looks great Skeeter. I've used cypress mulch for yrs. I like the way it looks & it does help make the soil better. That was a great BD gift.

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    1. Thanks Lola! I do like the clean look of the cypress. I hope it holds up well as it is so much easier to place then the pine needles. Although, Pine needles will still go in certain places where I know cypress will wash off with a good hard rainfall...

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  10. OK you're too darn tidy...lol.
    A gift card...who gets a gift card...nice enjoy.

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  11. Very nice Skeeter. And your right about garden gift cards. Those and book store cards work for me.... :)

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