Garden, part one

This is a garden that I have been working in for the last 3 years. The first year I moved things, divided things, transplanted things and added some things. There was no rhyme or reason to this garden when I started. And, it is a mostly shade garden, so this was a test of my gardening mettle. I was not at ALL familiar with shade gardens. I've learned a lot in the last 5 years!

This is a shot from the sidewalk...The dominant features of this garden are the climbing hydrangeas along the fence on the right, the rose of sharon tree in the back on the left and then the contrasting shades of greens, silvers, yellows, purple and white that are found in the hostas, ivy, pachysandra, stonecrop and the annuals I added.

It's an entirely different garden from spring to summer to fall. Springtime, this garden is dominated by pink when the phlox blooms toward the back, along with the peonies and coral bells, followed by pink fairy roses that flower along the walkway in late spring/early summer. As summer progresses, the climbing hydrangeas bloom, as do the rose of sharon trees in the back, as well as the hostas that are peppered throughout the garden, and the annuals become more prominent. In fall, the stonecrop comes in along the front walkway.

This year, I also added a shasta daisy in the front on the right, another peony by the stone bench to balance that out, two solomon's seal along the walkway, a white wisteria on the trellis there in the back, four more pink day lilies in the back and a couple pink tall phlox. Sitting in my driveway are 6 european ginger and two more coral bells that I will add next time I'm there.

I have spent a serious amount of time on this project to get the effect I wanted, which was an old-fashioned cottage garden, so over-crowded with perennials, that weeds just don't have a chance! It's worked pretty well, I'd say! Every time I'm over there working at least 3 or more people stop to say how much they love the garden and how pretty it is! Very satisfying to hear!

It's always interesting to me to see the way plantings working out - particularly the annuals I put in. I do the same thing in each planter, and yet, they each turn out different! In one, the lamium took off, and in another, the tourenia is huge, and then the next one, the begonia is enormous! It's amazing! So here are the four hanging planters I installed:


Isn't it crazy that they each look so different even though they contain the exact same number and type of plants?

And here is the planter I did for the stone bench out front, flagged by two owls!


Part deux to follow tomorrow!