A ZONE 6 GARDEN PATH

 

M

ay 17’Th 1993, I received the first outdoor plant that was to be added to my landscape. Little did I know, that would be the start of a never ending love, hate relationship with Mother Nature and all her surprises.


The following website is made up of information that I got from my own experiences, or a few books. It is not gospel. This is what I have in my gardens and this is what works for me. There may be better combinations of soil, water, exposure, and pH levels, so I would suggest that you do not quote me on any of this.

This site is incomplete and will always be that way unless I should die. Until then I will be adding plants & photos as I get them. You can read my story or just jump to the photo, definition pages.

PHOTO INDEX


You see, I started with an Angel Trumpet. But where to put it. I had 1.67 acres, one Indian bean tree, and I had planned on landscaping the whole thing myself. (Big Dreams.)                                           
 

                         **********   Thanks to Isaura for getting me started.   **********

 

Throughout this site you can click on the linked plant names for a description of the plants and their growing conditions here in my garden. 

                         (2)Angel trumpet                                                      (1)Indian Been tree   

 

I had to have it all, as long as no one else had it already. I didn't want my yard to look like every one else's. But of course I soon learned that if you buy a plant from your local nursery, you ARE NOT, the only one to have it. I had never seen an Angel's Trumpet before. I guess I wasn't paying attention because I see them every where I go now.

My third, fourth and fifth plants in 1993 were, (3)Weigela, (4)Lilac, & (5)New England Aster. I'm on my way.

The Weigela I put on the corner of the driveway and the stone path the builder called the front walk.

The Lilac's, I placed along the edge of the driveway as you pull out of the garage. (Bad move) They don't like the exhaust the cars leave behind, nor do they like being hit by the bumpers. So after a couple of years (what took so long ?) I moved them to the back yard. Of course I moved two of them again as I did more to the back yard. But they didn't seem to mind. As a matter of fact if I didn't pull the suckers I'd have enough to fill a nursery.

The Asters, I put in the front along the property line. I thought I was planting them for me but soon found out that they liked my neighbor's soil better. Wouldn't you know it.

 

1994. I have now added a fence across the front yard to separate my neighbors yard from what I had planned to be a perennial bed. This was a post and rail fence 100 feet in length. My neighbor was concerned about it being on the property line and proceeded to tell me that I would have to trim under it to keep it neat. I think that was when we stopped talking. He stopped cutting his grass, weeds and what ever else up to about a foot or so away from it. He had planted white pine trees every 4 feet along and on the property line. I figured in about 10 years there would be no property line, fence, or SUN!!!!. DID YOU EVER TRY TO GROW ANYTHING UNDER A PINE TREE ? Well, because I own from Mars to China straight up and down, every branch on the pines that dared to grow over the fence were trimmed. I don't think that's what he had in mind when he said I would need to trim, but what the heck.

 

My sixth and seventh and eighth plants were, (6)Clematis which I promptly planted along a couple of the fence posts. I soon learned that I would have to move them. As the pine trees grew the sun that was allowed in was depleted until well, SHADE ! (7)Calla Lilies, (8) Peacock Orchid. I needed a pot or two for the front steps. I now find myself copying the look of the other houses in the neighborhood. So much for being different. We like to think it was our idea but of course it wasn't.  



6/30/94 Lets see, what else can I put in? Oh, how about some (9)
Oriental Poppies. Wait, what about this? Blood-veined dock. (10)Sorrel  Well there's eight & nine.


September 94. Looks like it's time for some foundation plants so its off to Home Depot. Don't laugh, I've found some good deals there. So what do we have here? Ah,
(11)
Azalea's. All red. My house is cameo so they should look nice. (12)Bluebell Of Scotland should look quite nice in the from of the Azalea's so, I'll take three please. The one thing that I wasn't thinking about then, but DO NOW is, What would the mature size of the plant be? I had them to close to the house. Oh, did I mention that the bluebells were gone in just a few short years? Well, not gone, gone. Just hidden under the Azalea's. It soon became apparent that they needed to be moved, both the Azalea's & the bluebells. It seems that I always do everything twice. It's a good thing I love this stuff.


I'm now looking into the soil mixture needed to keep the plants up to par. If I had only thought of that first. But then I would have only planted them once.   

1995 Its been quite a while since I've gotten any new plants as money has been a bit tight. But that was then and this is then. (you see, I'm creating this page in 2004). Anyway, let's go shopping. It was back to Home depot and today wasn't the day for plants. I did manage to find 2 Sedums though. 

(13)Autumn joy & (14)Golden moss

 

A ZONE 6 GARDEN PATH PAGE 2