South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping

For a couple years now I’ve watched and waited for our hellebore to bloom. Every year I jealously read the posts of other gardener bloggers who are happily displaying their hellebore blooms but alas, I had no flowers to share! But now the single Lenten rose I have has grown into an 18″ little bush with glossy green leaves and has finally flowered.

Shade is hard to come by in our yard – at least in the cultivated areas – and so the space where other hellebores could grow has been occupied by other shade loving occupants, namely hostas and heucheras, which left little room for Lenten roses. But perhaps I should make some room?

I do have a location that might be perfect for more Lenten roses. There’s a little garden in the very back of our yard near the garden shed that could be a new home for hellebores. The deer have feasted there before on my hostas but since hellebores are deer resistant plants they might be safe. (Hellebores are poisonous so do not ingest!)

My hellebore may reseed and if that happens I could move any offspring to the back garden but most likely I”ll have to propagate more hellebores through division. Although from what I’ve read about dividing hellebores it could be tricky and it may be easier to make more plants with seed.

When the leaves aren’t frost bitten they really make a nice groundcover. My poor plant somehow managed to get itself singed by the cold. I’m sure it will bounce back with new growth once we have consistently warm temperatures. The only real downside to a hellebore is that fact that the flower face down! As you can see I had to hold up the flowers for the pictures.

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For a couple years now I’ve watched and waited for our hellebore to bloom. Every year I jealously read the posts of other gardener bloggers who are happily displaying their hellebore blooms but alas, I had no flowers to share! But now the single Lenten rose I have has grown into an 18″ little bush with glossy green leaves and has finally flowered.

Shade is hard to come by in our yard – at least in the cultivated areas – and so the space where other hellebores could grow has been occupied by other shade loving occupants, namely hostas and heucheras, which left little room for Lenten roses. But perhaps I should make some room?

I do have a location that might be perfect for more Lenten roses. There’s a little garden in the very back of our yard near the garden shed that could be a new home for hellebores. The deer have feasted there before on my hostas but since hellebores are deer resistant plants they might be safe. (Hellebores are poisonous so do not ingest!)

My hellebore may reseed and if that happens I could move any offspring to the back garden but most likely I”ll have to propagate more hellebores through division. Although from what I’ve read about dividing hellebores it could be tricky and it may be easier to make more plants with seed.

When the leaves aren’t frost bitten they really make a nice groundcover. My poor plant somehow managed to get itself singed by the cold. I’m sure it will bounce back with new growth once we have consistently warm temperatures. The only real downside to a hellebore is that fact that the flower face down! As you can see I had to hold up the flowers for the pictures.

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This weekend’s weather was a sign that there really is a light at the end of this dark tunnel we call winter – and it’s not another trains headlight! Spring is coming and the warm weather that we’re having this week has me itching to get in the garden – which is exactly what I did over the weekend – without the itching part! I managed to accomplish many of the clean-up chores that I’ve been putting off for weeks due to the cold weather and I even mulched up a new garden area.

The new garden is in our front yard and was mostly planted back in the fall. I moved transplants of coneflowers and Russian sage and also put in a few discount plant dwarf crape myrtles. I hope they made it through our winter – right now they look quite rough! We’ll see how they do when the weather gets warm enough for them to grow. I also found a Montauk daisy on discount sale and put it into this garden. (I took cuttings from it in the fall and kept indoors over the winter which I haven’t shared here on the blog yet – it’s very easy and I had a 100% success rate!) Daffodils and irises were planted to create a river of spring time flowers from the top of the garden to the front. The daffodils will need to fill in more before they look as impressive as I hope! The irises were passalong plants that needed divided and moved, isn’t that a great excuse to start a new garden? The garden itself is in a triangle shape and is cornered by three trees – 2 redbuds and one Yoshino cherry – all three are favorites of mine. The redbuds were transplants from my in-law’s woods and haven’t bloomed yet but this may be the year. They can be tricky to move because of their root systems.

The base of the garden would look great with a small stone retaining wall which may come later if I can get around to building one.  I always seem to come up with more projects than I have time to tackle.  Ask my wife and I’m sure she’ll agree.

It doesn’t look like much yet since none of the plants are growing yet. I went ahead and mulched most of the area this weekend but came up a few mulch bags short. I used a combination of grass removal and newspaper layering to take care of the grass that was underneath but there are a few patches that still need some attention. I’m planning on filling the gaps with zinnias, annual rudbeckia, and verbena that should blend in perfectly with the coneflowers and Montauk daisies.

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,

 Asters*,  the stars of Autumn,  have a  have a second life at Clay and Limestone each winter. 

 Asters (as they were known then) and other endemic Central Basin natives grew with happy abandon in the forested woodland where C and L now stands.  Sixty years ago a neighborhood was carved from the woods and a house was built.  Homeowners came and went,  while  the asters grew quietly  on the woodland  edge.  Twenty five years ago this brand new  gardener fell head over heals in love with the blue clouds of flowers that were covered with bees and butterflies in the yard of her new home.  They  so captured my heart,  that I built a garden  around them.   I’ve allowed them to  root and seed  themselves with abandon.  Symphyotrichum shortii, Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Symphyotrichum dumosus, Eurybia divaricata, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, Symphyotrichum priceae, and Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides  have  spilled into the paths,  crept into the wildflower beds and  cozied  up to the benches all over Clay and Limestone.

Each fall they fade to  seedy gorgeousness.

They  spill over  into the paths, 

they creep into the wildflower beds and,

 they cozy up to the benches.
 

Where they have become the stars of my winter garden.

Isn’t nature grand!

xxoogail

More on Clay and Limestone’s asters
Little Asters Everywhere (here)
Natives For Fall Color (here)
This Is The Place To Bee (here)
Central Basin Wildflowers (here)

This post was written by Gail Eichelberger for my blog Clay and Limestone Copyright 2011.This work protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Please contact me for permission to copy, reproduce, scrape, etc.

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A classic beauty Iris germanica

This bearded Iris is one of them.

Which might be surprising coming from a native plant enthusiast.

I met them when I was about 7 years old. A friend invited me to her house to play after school. They had a big sunny front yard filled with old fashioned flowers. The garden was being tended by her grandmother; a serious woman with the most amazing silver blue hair. She was very kind to an inquisitive little girl who peppered her with questions about the tall purple flower that smelled exactly like grape soda. She let me walk across the lawn to touch and smell the flowers I now know were German Iris.

Iris with Columbine, Shooting Star, Golden Ragwort and Foam Flower

To this day, their scent evokes the sweetest memories of kind friends, sunny gardens and silvery blue haired gardeners. Their tall form and rich lilac flowers fit nicely with my dear wildflower friends.

They are beautiful and smell luscious. Let’s try something.

Imagine a warm spring day.
The birds are singing just over your shoulder.
There is a hint of sweetness in the air.
You feel the irresistible urge to move closer,
to find it.
It’s right over there.
Tantalizingly sweet.
You are so close that you can see the beard,
touch the velvet petals and,
it smells delicious.
Just like grape soda.

Tell me, is there a plant that has captured your attention and never lost it?

xxoogail

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Recently I ordered plants (which I’ll cover in another post) and while choosing the plants I used a few criteria to guide my selections.  I wouldn’t rule out purchasing plants just because they might miss one or two of these characteristics but I do know that when all five can be found in the same plant I’ve got a winner!

Soil Conditions
The soil conditions in my garden range from pretty good to downright awful. The front yard is severely lacking in organic matter and consists mostly of clay and limestone gravel from the construction of our house (hello builders bring back the soil please!) When I dig I hit little rocks from the gravel and kick up tons of water-retaining-clay. In the back yard I have better quality soil and the plants thrive there with little help. When I select a plant I either have to find one that does well in clay soil or I’ll have to plant it in the backyard gardens.

Drought Tolerance
Our rainfall in the south is consistently inconsistent. The spring brings loads of moisture (last May we even had floods) while our summers can be severely dry. Plants need to be able to tolerate the drought conditions yet handle the wet springs. This is also another reason why soil conditions are important. A soil filled with good organic material will retain water during the dry periods.

Wildlife Benefit
Pollinators and wildlife can benefit when I pick plants with nourishing flowers or produce some sort of edible berry or seed. Hollies, pyracantha, and beautyberry all produce fruits that the birds can feast on to help them through the winter while coneflowers and other perennials produce seeds that the birds love!

Invasiveness
If the plant catalog says “self-sows” I’m always cautious. Many self-sowers are easy to control but other can be problems. In general if it’s on our state list of invasive plants I try to avoid adding it to my landscape. That doesn’t mean it can’t be controlled but it does mean it will require some work!

Overall Aesthetic Quality
In many cases this is what gets you to look at the plant to begin with, it just looks good! I try to fit it into a location with companion plant that will complement each other. Contrasting foliage with flowers, creating backdrops for berries (like Winterberry – Ilex verticillata), and long flowering periods are all factors to consider. Foliage, flowers, cand colors all factor in to providing and excellent accent in the garden!

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When I started putting together our first garden areas in our blank slate of a yard I always second guessed myself. Every planting was met with the oncoming thought “is this going to work like I want it to?” or “does this look right?” Ideas flow freely from my mind all the time and I always try to imagine what they will turn out like when everything is finished but there have always been those nagging thoughts. After several years of gardening I still have those thoughts that eat away at my confidence each time I do something new in the garden. Sometimes I’ll stare at a plant that I just bought and place it in 4-5 different locations before settling on a final spot for the plant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered what my neighbors think of my garden. I’m always my own worst critic.

But I’ve learned a little something over the years. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. There isn’t anything in the garden that can’t be changed or fixed to fit another idea or plan. Any “mistake” can be rectified. Every plant planted in the wrong location can be moved or replaced at any time! I can’t tell you how many plants I’ve moved over the years. I moved a willow tree three times, a maple at least twice and many perennials have migrated to different locations. I guess that’s another reason why I like to propagate the plants – so I can just plant a new one where I want it!

My vegetable garden is another example. I’ve changed it’s design every year. It started off as an “L” shape then moved to more standard potager feel and hopefully will become something even better as it changes. Maybe change isn’t the right word but rather “evolves.” A garden evolves and grows – constantly.

I’m finding that as I garden more the idea of something being “right” or “wrong” in the garden just isn’t true. “Right” and “wrong” are matters of personal taste and what looks right to one person might be just plain wrong to another. It’s up to the gardener. If you happen to be a new gardener who has had similar thoughts don’t worry so much. Whether it’s wrong or right, it’s all up to you, the gardener!

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When I started putting together our first garden areas in our blank slate of a yard I always second guessed myself. Every planting was met with the oncoming thought “is this going to work like I want it to?” or “does this look right?” Ideas flow freely from my mind all the time and I always try to imagine what they will turn out like when everything is finished but there have always been those nagging thoughts. After several years of gardening I still have those thoughts that eat away at my confidence each time I do something new in the garden. Sometimes I’ll stare at a plant that I just bought and place it in 4-5 different locations before settling on a final spot for the plant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered what my neighbors think of my garden. I’m always my own worst critic.

But I’ve learned a little something over the years. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. There isn’t anything in the garden that can’t be changed or fixed to fit another idea or plan. Any “mistake” can be rectified. Every plant planted in the wrong location can be moved or replaced at any time! I can’t tell you how many plants I’ve moved over the years. I moved a willow tree three times, a maple at least twice and many perennials have migrated to different locations. I guess that’s another reason why I like to propagate the plants – so I can just plant a new one where I want it!

My vegetable garden is another example. I’ve changed it’s design every year. It started off as an “L” shape then moved to more standard potager feel and hopefully will become something even better as it changes. Maybe change isn’t the right word but rather “evolves.” A garden evolves and grows – constantly.

I’m finding that as I garden more the idea of something being “right” or “wrong” in the garden just isn’t true. “Right” and “wrong” are matters of personal taste and what looks right to one person might be just plain wrong to another. It’s up to the gardener. If you happen to be a new gardener who has had similar thoughts don’t worry so much. Whether it’s wrong or right, it’s all up to you, the gardener!

Related Posts:

• FAQS
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When I started putting together our first garden areas in our blank slate of a yard I always second guessed myself. Every planting was met with the oncoming thought “is this going to work like I want it to?” or “does this look right?” Ideas flow freely from my mind all the time and I always try to imagine what they will turn out like when everything is finished but there have always been those nagging thoughts. After several years of gardening I still have those thoughts that eat away at my confidence each time I do something new in the garden. Sometimes I’ll stare at a plant that I just bought and place it in 4-5 different locations before settling on a final spot for the plant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered what my neighbors think of my garden. I’m always my own worst critic.

But I’ve learned a little something over the years. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. There isn’t anything in the garden that can’t be changed or fixed to fit another idea or plan. Any “mistake” can be rectified. Every plant planted in the wrong location can be moved or replaced at any time! I can’t tell you how many plants I’ve moved over the years. I moved a willow tree three times, a maple at least twice and many perennials have migrated to different locations. I guess that’s another reason why I like to propagate the plants – so I can just plant a new one where I want it!

My vegetable garden is another example. I’ve changed it’s design every year. It started off as an “L” shape then moved to more standard potager feel and hopefully will become something even better as it changes. Maybe change isn’t the right word but rather “evolves.” A garden evolves and grows – constantly.

I’m finding that as I garden more the idea of something being “right” or “wrong” in the garden just isn’t true. “Right” and “wrong” are matters of personal taste and what looks right to one person might be just plain wrong to another. It’s up to the gardener. If you happen to be a new gardener who has had similar thoughts don’t worry so much. Whether it’s wrong or right, it’s all up to you, the gardener!

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• FAQS
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My entire life, I never had a garage, and in a state where winter seems to last 10 out of 12 months, that meant I had years of scraping off snow and ice from my car. When I moved into my current home, I was thrilled to finally have a garage.

I had dreams of walking into the garage after 8 inches of snow and not seeing any frost on the windows and not worrying if the bitter cold had drained the battery to the point that it wouldn’t start. For the first few years, I lived in a state of bliss.

Having a garage was everything I dreamed of, but then it started to get complicated. It was a one-car garage, and there was barely enough room for my car, let alone anything else that we may have wanted to store in there.

Unlike the attic or the basement, there are certain things that just belong in the garage, such as the lawn mower, tools, garden and yard implements, etc. Why? Because no one wants to lug a lawn mower up or down stairs once a week, sometimes twice a week, during the spring.

Slowly but surely, the garage began to become cluttered. A wheel barrel for my garden needs, a stepladder for when I need to get on the roof and take care of those pesky gutters, a few crates of oil for when I do the oil change, garden hoses and nozzles.

When I put the car in the garage, I began having a hard time getting the car door open, and eventually, the car was barely fitting into it all. The final straw was the garden tiller I bought, at which point my car moved back to the driveway.

Fast forward about three years, and once again I am scrapping frost off the windows while my lawn mower and tools sit all toasty in the garage. So far, the cold hasn’t gotten to the point that the battery had become drained, but that day will come. Every year, I promise myself that I will reclaim my garage for its true purpose, but when I go into it I have no idea where to put anything.

My friends have suggested building a tool shed in the garage, and I am sure that eventually I will get around to it, but for now, I’ll keep my scraper handy. One day the garage will be mine again, but that’s going to have to wait until spring.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/pauldineen/2096545904/

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