When
Helen visited last week she asked about what kind of gardener I was and I didn't have a concise answer. While posting about the visit I said I had a bit of a laissez faire approach to my garden. I think of it as working WITH Mother Nature instead of trying to grow and manage things that do not do well in my garden. I want less work, not more!
While trying to compose this posting I looked out the door noticing some movement on the deck. At first it was a little Carolina Wren. These little birds are so cute...so I got my camera. ready set.....he flew away. Why? Because someone else was also on the deck!!!! Rotten little bugger!
Back to the epistle on being a laissez faire gardener............hand me a BB gun. (I don't have a BB gun).
The deck garden is the main subject of my posting. I have a large side deck 18 feet by 12 feet (?) and the garden is next to the deck along the house. When we built the addition to the house and replaced the old deck, I redid this garden. That was 1999. In 2003 we had Hurricane Isabel flood the area. There have been numerous Nor'easters that bring in high water as well. Here is a photo from before we had the bulkhead replaced. (that is another story unto itself)
This bed is packed full with blooms...and a few weeds. Here it is lush and full with Echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia ssp., Tradescantia 'Purple Heart', Kalimeris pinnatifida- Japanese Aster, Belamcanda chinensis- Blackberry lily, and two Crape Myrtle- Chickasaw which is a small one and Peppermint Lace.
After the bulkhead was replaced the Purple Heart disappeared...something about having heavy equipment rolling over it...?
Last summer...you can see the Blackeyed Susans are taking over...
I won a Bluebird box --currently being used by a House Wren. Not super attractive, but the birds don't mind.
Here is what the garden looks like now...with a reluctant Newton sitting next to it for scale.
The Japanese Asters are always first to bloom and will bloom all season, a really nice white filler in any garden.
Way in the back, against the house there are some Elephant Ears that could stand some attention... along with a myriad of weeds. I am only showing you this for educational purposes... not an area one wants people to see.......
but here you go--
lots of weeds with tiny Elephant Ears.
You may ask why there are so many weeds allowed back there?
Once the garden starts growing in April I do not go in there............
Viva the laissez faire approach!! Does anyone see the snake????
Japanese Asters, Kalimeris pinnatifida are starting to bloom and will continue until first frost.
words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.