Friday, December 31, 2010

Blooming Friday ~ Plans for the New Year


The garden is one long ongoing project, which is a lot of the fun of it.

Below is a view of the old house site and the path cleared for the house move. Now trees that were in the middle of the woods are at the edge and they look somewhat scraggly. There are some things there which will fill in, like wild blueberries and volunteer wax myrtles, but I'm also adding seedling hawthorn, dogwood, swamp cyrilla, American silverbell and redbuds, trees that typically max out at or under 20 feet. Some of the young trees are already in but I have more to add.

November '09


Looking into the woods from the backyard you can see the need for an understory and softer edge.

June '08


Peeking around from the back of the house is the opposite view from the first picture.

August '08


I have some Buddleia here -- B. lindleyana,B. davidii 'Petit Indigo', 'Royal Red', and 'Potter's Purple'.


Also a prized Gardenia from DH's grandmother's garden, started from a cutting.


I'm not sure how much more I will add to this area, since it's next to where we lead the horses up when the horses are in the paddock behind the house at night. Probably Caryopteris and some grasses ~ Blue Love Grass, Muhlenbergia ~ at the end closest to the paddock.


Looking towards the woods from the front sidewalk and the young Vitex in front of the Buddleias.

June '09

April '08

The garden would benefit from a better backdrop.

I would love to add native Crabapples next to the woods, if I can get any to grow from seed. I buried a dozen fruits from the tree in our floodway field in a compost pile in autumn '09 and nothing came up last year. Hopefully 2 years will do the trick. The native Crabapples are beautiful and common in lowlands around here.




Starting again from where the first picture was taken and continuing down the road that runs between the horse pastures and continues down to the creek ~

as you can see from this picture ditches line the road. There is a total of 2400' of ditch -- not put there by us, either. They're not even very useful, since they run counter to water flow through the farm. I looked into the price of a tractor implement that could mow ditches and was gobsmacked by the price. The plan was then to mow the ditches once a year to keep down the woody stuff, and grow Bidens there. A few years ago there was a very impressive display but dry conditions -- and most importantly, probably, mowing too late, after the seedlings were up -- erased most of those. So it's time to renew them again.


A few came up last year, less than I was hoping for because of the very dry April/May that we had. So I'll put down more Bidens seeds and add more Willowleaf Aster (Aster 'Miss Bessie') this winter.

Looking back up the road, as if headed back to the house ~


The green is nice but I'm really going for this (lower maintenance) effect:

September '08

The overwintering birds love Bidens.

So these are some of the projects I plan to work on this year. Thank you to Katarina at roses and stuff for hosting Blooming Friday.


21 comments:

  1. It seems as though it has been winter for too long already. I am ready for warmer weather and green grass again...and it's not even January yet! Maybe garden planning will make the time go by quicker! Happy New Year! Carla

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  2. Hi. It seems like you have a lot of area to plant at. What a view ...!
    Whish you a Happy New Year
    Tjingeling

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  3. Thanks for a nice trip in your garden! Happy New Year, Eva Linnea

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  4. Sweetbay ~ What wonderful pictures and ideas you have for the new years gardening. I love those crabapples, they would make a wonderful backdrop, hopefully some of those seeds you planted will come up this spring. I always love your bidens too andI always come away from your blog feeling rested after a nice walking tour of your lovely place.

    Have a wonderful 2011.

    FlowerLady

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  5. That's so beautiful, but it must be a full time job keeping it up. I would like the Crabapples out by the woods!
    Happy New Year!

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  6. I applaud your plan to plant understory trees where the forest has been bisected... redbuds, silverbells hawthorns, dogwoods, all great choices to soften that long path! I hope there will be posts on the progress of the tree plantings.

    (Love the crabapple photos) You have quite a lot on your gardening list to do. How beautiful it will all be.

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  7. Nice to take a lookaround at your place ! I have grown crabapples from seeds. Just take the apple cores out and wash them with water. Sow them in pots, they will grow quickly. Crabapples are so beautiful ! Good luck! Happy New year!
    Lisa/Lisas trädgård

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  8. Great plans! Your woods look like mine. I am adding some mountain laurel and native azaleaz (I think)for my understory. At least that is the plan.
    Love the crabapples, will have to look in the spring to see if I have any....?!?!
    Happy New Year to you!

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  9. Dear Sweet Bay! Happy New Year! I hope you have good luck with your Crabapples and all your plans for the gardens. I love seeing your vistas!! Your land is so lovely. Just knowing of Prince and his pal somewhere nearby leaping and grazing about adds to the photos you show . . . in my mind. Many Blessings for 2011! It has been a pleasure sharing your world over these nearly two years now. Warmest New Year Hugs! Carol

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  10. Hi Sweetbay, I always enjoy going on tours around your beautiful place. You have so much room to plant. Love your climbing rose (?) on the archway or arbor. Great colored Buddleas and you're right those native crabapples are gorgeous. I have a little crabapple I got a couple of years ago and if the deer ever quit munching on it I might get to see more blooms again - it's just beautiful.
    Happy New Year to you and your family.

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  11. It sounds like you have a wonderful year of gardening ahead! Enjoy. :)

    Happy New Years to you and yours! xo

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  12. The blue flowers are Gentiana. I don´t know what kind. "She" was there when I moved in. I wish you a good garden-year 2011, Eva Linnea

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  13. Thank you for your kind comment! -Your garden is so beautiful and I'm looking forward to spring and summer! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your seeds of crabapple!

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  14. Seems like you have a lot of great projects planed for the year! I am sure you will succeed in all
    Happy new year!

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  15. Gorgeous post, it is so great to see some summer pictures!

    Happy New Year! / Tyra

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  16. I always enjoy seeing the wide vistas of your home, Sweetbay. Such a beautiful area, and you have added so much color to it. Those Bidens are absolutely stunning! Crabapples would make a lovely addition; I hope you have some success with them this year. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

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  17. Ya know, I'd take a woodsy backdrop to my garden anyday over, say, a neighbor's boat, or an ugly shed, or six houses in a row. Seriously, though, I'm sure your plans will turn the space into an even more beautiful paradise. Love all those blue and purple hues!

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  18. Like you, I am armchair gardening with thoughts of improvements and remembering the best of the past. Happy new year.

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  19. Your property is already gorgeous and your projects should only add to the idyllic setting. I have been nearly overwhelmed with work and holiday preparations this year, so I have been a bit behind in my blogging. I am glad I had a chance to catch up with you today, and I really enjoyed your last few posts. Your snowy landscape was fabulous, and your wildflowers post just about took my breath away! I am looking forward to seeing what 2011 brings to your garden. I wish you the very best in this New Year!

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  20. You have such a large space to garden in and always have such thoughtful plans about how to proceed. I hope you can get the crabapples to grow too. I think it looks amazing already and the photo with the pink roses covering the arbor is just gorgeous. Also, you are so lucky to have a pass-along gardenia. I was just in the greenhouse yesterday smelling one ~ the fragrance was so fabulous and there was only one bloom. I can imagine what it would be like covered in blooms.

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