I can't get it all in one picture so I have tried to get most of the side area in two shots. This is where the majority of my perennial gardening takes place. Everything in these gardens are perennial. I only plant annuals in the deck containers. I have labeled the different areas with the names I tend to refer to each area as.
About the only thing blooming in the main gardens now is the creeping phlox.This is the front of the area above. I am standing about six feet from the road. The gardens go all the way back to the rockwall which is about 200 feet back.
If you focus on the main arbor, you should be able to see how this picture relates to the one above. I call these the "road view" gardens. These gardens are under pine trees which have been limbed as highly as DH could reach on a 12 foot ladder.
Nonetheless, sun is a precious commodity in the roadview areas. I have creeping phlox here, too, but it's not in bloom yet because of the shade. It's pretty difficult to get anything to grow in these areas. I think the tree roots as well as the tannin-infused soil has a lot to do with my lack of success.
I sometimes wonder why I even try! I guess because I spent so much time digging them all out (with only a shovel) that I can't bear to let them go back to the poison -ivy-filled empty lot they used to be. I think these gardens are about eight years old (time flies so quickly that I can't be really sure).
Everything is looking very green right now. I love to see the green grass paths. We don't water the grass so it's a rare thing to have all the paths looking so vibrant as they did at 6:30 a.m today.
I really have only done about 10% of the spring clean up work I usually do. Today I was working out there for about two hours. Considering my lack of spring effort, these gardens look fairly decent.
I think I have been working WAY TOO HARD in past years!
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You have been working way too hard. That's why everything looks so lovely. I like that first picture with the sun's rays lighting through the trees.
ReplyDeleteYour ROCK wall is awesome. Did you all build it?
ReplyDeleteOsagebluffquilter
Hi Chopsticks,
ReplyDeleteI think I've been working too hard, too! LOL. It was much easier when I was 20 years younger.
Osagebluff, Thank you. Yes, we hauled the rocks from a neighbor's house who was digging up his yard for a septic field. It took quite a few truck loads to haul them all to our place. Then my dear husband stacked them all. He had no experience at all, but he learned fast!
It's so pretty to see your gardens starting to bloom! I hear ya about the 'why do we do all the hard work'? I just love being outdoors for one thing and when I 'get it right' that thrills me to no end. Like under the Japanese maple here-the Sweet William just works. I'll have to take a photo of it.
ReplyDeleteWow! Wow,gardens are gorgeous! Kudos to DH for the rock wall. I'll bet it was lots of work.
ReplyDeleteYes, you work much too hard. Don't know where you find the time to do everything. However, if you are like me, you just find it difficult to sit, doing nothing. It's a blessing and a curse.
You sure built up some fine gardens Zoey..you should be proud!! You have 'an eye' for how it should look..great job!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a lot of gardening!! they are beautiful and it is evident the effort and love you have been put into them, it is great your husband is so willing to help, mine is the same and it is nice to work together on the projects! Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you shared these pictures because it makes it much easier to envision the size of your garden. There is a tremendous amount of upkeep to making it look as beautiful as this.
ReplyDeletexo
Dianne, Please post a pic. I will be over to see it.
ReplyDeleteGiddy, Are you my long lost twin? I NEVER sit and do nothing. If I ever sit to watch TV, I must work on a quilt at the same time. Sometimes I can sit and read, but usually I only do that in the car. I am the queen of multi tasking. Overall, it's a blessing. I'd never get to do all this if I wasn't like that.
Betty, you are so sweet. Thank you!
Nanette, Thank you! My husband is not all the helpful any more. He grudgingly carries some of the heavy items, but that's about it. He does not enjoy helping me in the garden. It would be wonderful if he would get the gardening bug and enjoy it as I do. I am thankful that at least he enjoys cutting the grass.
Susie, yes, I have a lot of gardens. If I knew I would still be employed outside the home in my 50's, I would never have made so many gardens!
I am a landscape cont. in michigan an new to bloging, quickly getting hooked, send me some more of your garden. thanks DON
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