The Plan and.... I Know, I Know You Told Me So.....

Above and below is a poorly done collage of the garden along the bank of the lake, I had to crop it into two pictures in order for it to be seen better.  I labeled what is planted and where it is planted....or was planted.  Click on each of the photos to see the various colors matched with the names of what is planted.  The big pink triangle below is 10 Muhly Grass babies.  I am planning for big color next year.  At the far right, ciricled in yellow are Miscanthus, I think it is Morning Light.  (for some reason I can't find that plant label)  Also kind of difficult to see below are some Elephant Ears.  I planted four.  

Notice I said 'was planted'.   A couple days ago I went to the lower part of the yard and noticed I had a shrub MISSING!  I know there are deer around, but I had hoped that the dogs would scare the deer.  Well, I saw some planted were nibbled on and started looking at the rest of the garden.  When I got to the stone steps, I saw one of the Loropetalum was missing...root ball and all.  Seriously???? 

This is what I found--

This is what I should have seen--

This is where the missing plant USED to be.  Today is was worse.  To date I am missing two Knock-out Rose bushes and two Loropetalum.  There have also been other roses and loropetalum nibbled on.  Deer repellent was purchased and applied this afternoon.  Rotten bastards.

I have not decided what I will do to restore the balance of the flanked stone steps.  I know deer will eat whatever they want, was hoping the tastier items were not in their sites.  I also was amazed that the entire plant was gone.  Maybe it was the beaver...he has been active lately according to neighbors.

Either way, deer or beaver, I was warned.  I know. Ok, my yard from hence forth will smell of putrid eggs. Ok?

One plant the bank has, deer willing, is the Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low'.  Right now it is three little sprigs along the bank behind the flagstone.   It is supposed to spread about 8 feet and get up to 2 feet tall.  Great for stabilizing slopes and doesn't mind clay soil  --win/win.  I love the fall color--red! 

words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Fern Gully?

For some of the next posts I am including this before picture---it was taken in mid-July before I started planting anything.  Good thing I took this picture as the planting started with a flurry. (well, after I got my garden tools unpacked)

 Last week, while I was at a friend's house and a garden visit,  the UPS guy delivered some more plants.  I am very impressed with the quality of the plants.  I needed a lot and Seedland.com offered a great variety of groundcovers, in 3.5" pots.  My order included Ajuga reptens 'Burgundy Glow' and Autumn Fern, Dryopteris erythrosora 'Autumn Brilliance'.  I got a flat of each. 

 

So I got my little red wagon out, filled it with plant material and headed to the backyard.

Looking at the photo at the top of the page you see a wide open palette.  Along the left side of the garden area, down towards the water is a very shady area.  This is the place that I planned to put a sea of ferns, Autumn Ferns.  I put a Witchhazel in a week or so before, in an area that gets some dappled light.  This Hamamelis x intermedia Feuerzaube gets large, so I gave it lots of room.  In my planting/planning I have considered mature sizes and spaced accordingly. 
I spread the ferns out, looked from many angles, adjusted as needed and set about planting.   I think the plants kind of disappear once they are planted.  Next spring when they put forth their golden new foliage it will stand out .

 The next area was to plant the ajuga on the bank above the flagstone patio and along the stacked stone wall of the garden bed edge.  The bank of the waterline/ patio area is in the shade in the fall but has a lot of sun in the summer.  Most of the plants I have in there can handle both.  As you can see I have some Knock-out Roses -- they are in the sunniest parts.  I have Gaura linderheimeri 'Gaudwwhi' 'Geyser White', Loropetalum 'Daruma', and Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low'.  The Rhus is  a spreading groundcover that likes clay soil...spreading about 8 feet.  I am enjoying the bright red fall foliage of this one!  I planted the ajuga along the center of the stone wall -- giving it lots of room to spread out as well.   

 Once again, after the plants are in the ground they seem to blend in with the mulch and leaves.  My husband said he thought I was going to plant them along the patio but didn't see them after I was done....yes, they are there.......again, in the spring they will shine!  There is more in the patio bed that will be talked about in another posting. 

I really like the Burgundy Glow ajuga, had some in Virginia.  The tri-colored foliage is terrific and the little blue flowers it puts forth in the spring is just icing on the cake. 

words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.