Radogast's Non-420 Garden Creation Thread

[Radogast]

On the cottage garden side of the front yard . . .


we planted herbs along the driveway. We will probably plant more herbs.

We installed a pair of double shephards hooks with a mixed seed bird feeder, a thistle seed feeder, and a pair of decorative (non-functional) lanterns.

The robin (bench) really enjoys things to hop on. Just prior to this photo he was bathing in the upper birdbath portion of the fountain.

We currently have a pair of male robins competing for ownership of the back yard. One of them has a beautiful russet chest.

 

[JPinkman]

Sorry Rad I missed your question. I've got microgreens, spinach and red chard going so far. I'll get outside with it this year if I can get a hose installed outside. If not I'll see how much salad I can grow inside.

Microgreens

 

[Radogast]

Sorry Rad I missed your question. I've got microgreens, spinach and red chard going so far. I'll get outside with it this year if I can get a hose installed outside. If not I'll see how much salad I can grow inside.

Microgreens

No need to apologize. I post here because if helps me talk more intellgently about my gardening in the real world - consolidates my garden vision. Anyone who wanders through is just a bonus

I thought about growing microgreens, but I'm the only one in the family that eats vegetables. But even I don't eat that many because I like my vegetables cooked, and cooking a sidedish for one person is extra work. The family will eat tomatos, corn, berries, and herbs. I am pushing it this year to grow melons and eggplant. Plus, I haven't grown a garden in a plant friendly place for almost 25 years

My first iris is trying to open, but the wind and rain battered it pretty hard - I have about 50 more iris plants a week and more behind.

The wormwood (Artemisia) silver mound under the backyard fountain is doing fine in the extra moisture.

 

[Radogast]

Today in the garden:

I started out with a big inhale of sativa smoke. Weeded. Weed whacked the back yard. Chain sawed 8 or 9 tree limbs into about 30 potential table top branches and a couple dozen fireplace length leftovers. Moved the big metal table out of the yard and into the driveway.

Tomorrow I intend to scalp the grass off a plot of dirt so I can plant sunflowers.

Thursday, I'm off to the big box hardware store to buy 13 4x8' sheets of lattice for facing 120' of fence to be used as plant trellis.

- - -

I am expecting lots of packages soon

8 packets of vegetable and garden seeds arrived in the mail today, marked package 2 of 3. I have another 15 or so seed packets waiting to plant. It is almost time to plant seeds. A frost advisory is in effect for tonight. It might be the last frost of the season.

I'm still waiting for delivery on 156 live plants for the outdoors garden. Some of those must be in package1 of 3 and package 3 of 3

 

[Radogast]

The wife and I have an unstated competition in the front yard.

Last fall, when there was nothing but grassy lawn and eroding slopes, she chose the sunny side of the front yard and left me with the shady side. I cut two large and low branches off the street tree shading the yard and got my side to a partly shade and shady front yard. A garden arbor went in over the center walk (neutral territory.) Bi lateral improvements were made to the front porch (bird feeders, painted lattice panels.)

Over the winter I acquired structures. Low metal fencing, a pair of urns. She acquired a small fountain with birdbath. I acquired a bench. March started out balanced, the urns flanked the sidewalk. Then her fountain goes up. My low iron fence fits perfectly on her side of the yard. My iron bench looks great on her side of the yard, because now it is getting an English cottage garden feel. I respond by using flagstone curb pieces left on the property to build planters on both ends of the front porch - with just enough leftover to make a large planter on my side of the porch. She gets me to commit to a matching brick or stone lined planter on the cottage garden side.

I am falling behind, but over the winter I have worked on my secret plans. I meet with the city and we negotiate funding for my side of the garden as an official storm water abatement rain garden. The plans are approved. I have funding to buy native and exotic shade loving herbs and flowering perennials. It's only a promise, not a check, but I bankroll a couple of shipment of plants (for the whole yard.) The city needs an completed looking garden, not just a bunch of seedlings But the small shade loving plants begin to arrive first. The wren houses go into my rain garden. Earth has been moved. Somewhere in there, herbs targetted for the back yard end up in her cottage garden. Territory is beginning to be occupied and held.

With me tearing down the fence end of the side yard, the Cottage Garden no longer controls the only route to the back yard. Her monopoly on traffic flow has been broken. The Rain Garden now has a shady path to the back yard. She starts talking about a gate on the shady path. No Tariffs on Rain Garden trade! I purchased a free trade garden arbor for the part shade entrance to the shady path. Lattice trellis is coming.

This morning, she purchased a big concrete bird bath and 5 shepherds hooks at an estate sale. We are currently negotiating the bird bath placement 'somewhere in the back yard' because the back yard fountain doesn't have a bird bath section.

We know we can work together in peace. I created 'rooms' and paths in the yards. She likes decorating the rooms. The friendly competition of creative ideas is actually quite fun. She's happy because I do all the work

 

[Radogast]

Today I added heavy wood lattice facing to the inside of the fence on the side and back yard.

I shopped, cut, and installed about 110 linear feet using a nailgun to drive about 80 staples into each panel. We get strong winds. Function over beauty


After the back fence was mostly done, I paused to water some plants.

Back yard view

Side yard view - lots of places to grow shady vines

Second floor view - lots of places to grow sunny vines.

 

[SweetSue]

Any special sunny vine you're considering Rad? So many possibilities. Did I ever encourage the planting of Sweet Woodruff? Not a vine, but it would work as a nice edging ground cover.

I love the way you guys create flow in a small space.

 

[Radogast]

Any special sunny vine you're considering Rad? So many possibilities. Did I ever encourage the planting of Sweet Woodruff? Not a vine, but it would work as a nice edging ground cover.

I love the way you guys create flow in a small space.

I had narrowed to a short list of 9 vines - before adding the trellis to the fences. I suspect we will have a few versions of passionflower vines from local gardens and nurseries.


Thanks. I ordered a few shady groundcovers, but Sweet Woodruff looks like a great addition. We still have places to plant - some we haven't created yet

 

[JPinkman]

Trimmed a few greens to promote new growth and threw them in the breakfast eggs. Was lovley.

 

[Radogast]

Trimmed a few greens to promote new growth and threw them in the breakfast eggs. Was lovley.

You are a talented man. I make 5 eggs over easy every morning - for a bit over a year now - and I still mess it up at least 2 times a week.

 

[Radogast]

Yesterday I lay around like a bum and avoided work. Today was a nice day.

My wife and I put on our dressy duds and went to a local mansion so she could have a look inside. I had been inside there helping clean it up with the Friends of the (mansion) group. It's owned by the city but is basically the neighborhood clubhouse. The city had neglected it for years, and the friends were having a work day. About 20 people working on tearing out carpeting, staples, and nails from the servants staircase and the upstairs rooms. Another 20 people outside rehearsing for a lawn wedding tomorrow. Also 10 ag college students getting extra credit for putting in new sod and mulch because the city had removed a large berm and the covering grass on Thursday - 2 days before the wedding. after admiring the carved wood tulips on he pipe organ and such, we took a stroll through the (mostly neglected) grounds.

After lunch, my wife and I chatted about gardening plans. Then a friend came over and they talked inside for hours while I changed into my gardening clothes and went to work.


I scalped the grass in a 5x7' patch and planted 2 short rows of corn, squash, and beans, then overseeded with white clover to hold back the weeds and grass until the new seeds are ready to hold their own.

I widened the swale for a little over half the length so it's a more comfortable walking path.

I could have gone longer, but I noticed I was getting sun burned and decided to stop digging and chat with the wife and her friend for a couple more hours. It was a good day. Almost every day I dig in the yard is a good day

 

[Radogast]

The color of the week is purple.

Nodding onion, violet, comfrey, ...

sage and iris.

Plant wars between the wife and I seem to have settled down, the new birdbard was not installed on the English Garden side.

The Mrs. suggested the Copyright 1956 stone birdbath be installed in the rain garden. Mr Robin likes the extra wingspan space compared to the fountain.

 

[brightlight]

Nice street you live on Rad.

 

[Radogast]

Nice street you live on Rad.

One of the earliest streets, built when the city was young. 7 block walk to downtown food, theatres and bars. The neighborhood was mostly trashy rentals 10 years ago. A few blocks away from being in a fringe neighborhood. House prices are still low.

 

[Radogast]

The Big Dig


I know - that title is only funny in Boston.

Come to think of it, the title is not even accurate compared to the Rain Garden excavation, but I'm not changing the title now !


Yesterday was 8 hours in the front yard and today was about 7 hours in the front and back yards planting about 20 bare root plants, 5 potted plants, and several varieties of seeds. I'll picture the highlights.


Climbing Roses for the Front Porch

The sunny end of the porch was planted with a Queen Elizabeth climbing rose.

This was the rose cultivar that grew up to and covered the outside of my parents 2nd story master bedroom in the house where I was raised. My dad loved his Queen Elizabeth climbing rose. It's one of my favorites and is planted partially in honor of him. If it grows up the trellis pieces I cut and hung last fall, and reaches the upper balcony, this rose will grow up to the 2nd story master bedroom suite of my wife and I

The flagstone 'curb' pieces were found in the backyardand used to create matching small beds for the roses on each end of the porch and a long bed on the rain garden side of the front porch. (I may have mentioned that a couple of weeks ago when I did the work.)



The shady side of the porch was scheduled to be covered with a nephrine rose in a similar pink to the Queen Elizabeth rose, but suitable for the shady northern exposure. The seed company sent a substitution.

Stormy Weather described as :

There’s no Climber that sings the blues any better… mysterious deep smoky purple blues with just a touch of cloudy white on the reverse…set against loads of grey-green leaves. Clusters of this uncommon color can cause a commotion in the landscape ‘cause it blooms & repeats in the very first season. A mid-size Climber with full-sized flowers that can be used to give a backdrop of unusual garden duskiness…a perfect contrast with oranges, yellows & whites. More purply blue in cooler conditions.

The wife sees a trumpet player in the stalks of this rose.

Although the description is a bit poetical, Stormy Weather is 'Heart & Soul' x 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Generally pictured as maroon to violet double rose with yellow around the stamens. Similar in it's effect to the trumpets of a bicolor Morning Glory. If this one grows past the trellis pieces I cut and hung last fall it will grow up to the 2nd story bedroom suite of the youn lady of the house.

The cottage Garden

Also planted was a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick - a European dwarf Hazel with contorted branches. It should reach It's full height, 6' tall, in a couple of years. This crooked little tree has prinde of place at the street side corner of the cottage garden. I underplanted it with (perennial) Lupine and Canterbury Bells.

Most of the plantings are similarly unexciting until they grow.


The cottage garden also was planted with a dwarf lilac, a pair of peonies, and a trio of 'Orange Glory' butterfly plants (a 1' tall cultivar in the milkweed family with bright orange umbrels for the bees and butterflies.)

I also prepared the bed in front of the porch on the Cottage Garden side by leveling, weeding, and creating a low border of tumbled beligian pavers to define a bed the same size as the flagstone curb defined bed on the rain garden side. Currently this bed has Wormwood, lemon leaf verbena?, daffodil, tulip, crocus, and nodding onion bulbs planted last fall. I overseeded with White clover to keep the weeds in check until we add more insect repelent shrubbery and herbs. Between the paver border and the sidewalk is a 10" strip that I weeded and seeded with (annual) marigolds and 3 types of zinnias.

A 'before' picture of the cottage garden side bed and the tumbled belgian pavers. I didn't take an after picture

In the Rain Garden

I planted what should become a 6x6' purple leaf plum hedge (a shrubbery!) interplanted with (annual) marigolds and short zinnias until the hedge takes hold. At 6' tall, people walking in front of the house and cars driving down the street will not be able to see us seated on the rain garden side of the porch.

One birdhouse was moved before a quick swipe with the chain saw removed the lowest branch from the flowering (plum?) tree. The wren scolded me but is still moving into one of the bird houses.

Perennial Sweat Pea vines were planted at the both ends of the side yard fence (trellis along the swale.)

A Burning Hearts Dicentra was planted on the shady slope. Ivy in the shade near the paw paw trees,

Marsh Marigold seeds were scattered along the edges of the rainwater (dry) pond.


The robins have been truly enjoying the bird bath in the rain garden. We catch them bathing a few times a day.

In the back yard

Along the back fence, Two rows of 3 types of sunflowers, canteloupe, and luffa sponge vines against the trellis were planted n the dirt removed when widening the swale for a walkway. These plantings are annuals. I'll probably think of a plan and move this dirt before spring planting next year.

Red Flame (pampas) grass was planted at the far end.

(As with all these photos, most of the changes appear in the imagination.)


Black Hawk Raspberry was planted between the little patch of corn, beans, squash and the arbor circles. Hollyhock roots and seeds were planted just past Black Hawk's Raspberry vines. Bridal White Spirea was planted at the garden end of the swale walkway. Roma tomato plants in the arbor circles. Silver lace vine on the arbor closest to the back door.


- - Add in breakfast, dinner, and socializing with the family and that is my last 2 days - -


I am expecting delivery of about 20 more herb and vegetable types (seed and live plants) to be split between the back yard and the garden herbs flanking the cottage garden. There is mowing to be done in the cottage garden and seeding to be done in the rain garden while I wait. - then I can get back to scraping and painting the front porch floor

 

[Radogast]

Today, during a thunderstorm

I sat on the porch with a wren.

 

[SweetSue]

Today, during a thunderstorm

I sat on the porch with a wren.

What a lovely thing.

Will you be getting that sort of runoff with every heavy thunderstorm Rad? You live in area that gets it's fair share of them, yes? Any plans to curtail the flow in future?

 

[Radogast]

What a lovely thing.

Will you be getting that sort of runoff with every heavy thunderstorm Rad? You live in area that gets it's fair share of them, yes? Any plans to curtail the flow in future?

This was a pretty good gully washer, puddles in the street the width of cars. My rain water basin filled halfway up. In another 3-5" it would be deep enough to escape through a drain pipe located in the upper right corner. At least I think it would. I haven't had a big enough rain to tell. 2 hours after it stopped raining the ground had soaked up the puddle. The next day, the mud was dry enough not to be squishy.

The deal with the stormwater management department is that I retain most of the water on the land instead of it becoming storm runoff. In Arizona, I would need a pit 5 feet deep about once a year. Here, they asked for 5 inches

 

[MrGreene]

I'm looking forward to seeing how all this looks once things grow. The style reminds me of the neighbors yard when I was growing up. They always had the best outdoor areas with antique wagon wheels, wagons, well pump, etc as focal points around the yard and orchard. I can almost visualize how your yard will be and think it'll be amazing.

 

[Radogast]

Last night, we picked up some outdoor victorian cast iron furniture: a loveseat, a stool, and two arm chairs. They need paint. Also a birdhouse condo conversion.

Today, we went to two plant sales: 18 native plants at the first, 6 sedum at the second. Planted the plants and set up the birdhouse.

Tomorrow we'll put some seeds in the ground, finalize the garden vegetables list, and see what's what. There is a lot more planting that could be done, but not a lot that needs to be done. We still have lots of open spots for vines and interesting specimens.

The birds put on a good show this afternoon, wren and catbird were the lead vocalists. Squirrels provided the chase scenes. Purple finch, sparrow, nuthatch, dove, robin, downy, butterflies, and bees pretty much minded their own business. A pair of eagles and a great blue heron flew overhead.

The neighbors painted their adirondac chairs in orange, yellow, and green. The teens hung out with other teens. It was a good day.