Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

There comes a time in every gardener's life when they've reached the point at which they will do anything to get their garden whipped into shape.  I reached that point last weekend.  The heinous weed situation in the pool gardens drove me to near madness.

I resorted to using RoundUp.  I am not an advocate for such things, but folks, things are bad.  It's a desperate time.  I have crabgrass growing in every crack of every paver.  And the weeds were so thick in many of the gardens that it looked like the previous owner installed a random granite edging in the lawn for giggles.

I spent a few days working my way around the edge of the pool gardens, picking out a weed every 6 inches or so, growing amongst the lovely bright green groundcover sedum.  I had to find small bare spots to stand in so as to not smash the sedum. You know you are desperate when you are fully aware that there is a large black snake curled up underneath a rock, and you decide to stand on that rock anyway so that you can reach the last weed.

My parents came over this weekend and helped Eric and I knock out quite a few garden chores.  We hand- and chainsaw-pruned trees.  We mulched.  We weeded.  And my mom carefully pulled rock after rock out of the edging, removed old crabgrass, and placed the rocks back with only the prettiest rocks on top.  Dad climbed into the waterfall, and used the shopvac to clear out at least a year's worth of debris.

Amidst the cleanup, I found time to scurry off with my parents and grab some more plants.  Home Depot had selected baskets for $4.88, so I got three.  One got planted in a pot, one shedded its hanger and now sits on top of another pot, and the other adorns my new shepherd's hook in the front, opposite a bird feeder.

I also purchased a very large, healthy looking Pinky Winky hydrangea at Lowe's, and three Atlanta Full House daylilies from Wine Country Gardens (WCG).  I am already the proud owner of one of these daylilies.  It was my first daylily purchase there nearly 12 years ago.  I dug up that daylily from my first house and it has been with me to every house since.  The flower is lemon yellow with a chartreuse throat, and nearly the size of my hand with fingers outspread.  Stunning.  It's one of the daylilies in the WCG fields that you can see from a distance and know you need to own.

The knockout roses are in full bloom and living up to their name.  I have the cotton candy pink variety as well as the original dark pink.  There are also some carpet roses and some Jackson & Perkins yellow and pink shrub roses.

Yesterday, I realized the sedum groundcover around the pool garden may be a bloomer. Most sedums bloom, but as I process this, I realize the entire surrounding may very well turn into a sea of color.  This could be one of the most brilliant seasonal displays I've ever seen, if this particular variety of sedum puts on a good show.  Stay tuned.

New Beginnings

I've taken nearly a 10 month long hiatus from the blog.  The first reason was obvious... last summer's scorching temperatures left me with nothing but dust and dead plants.  Even the grass blew away, literally.

The second reason was our move.  While Eric and I had discussed it in the summer, we didn't know we'd be jumping ship so soon.  I found our new piece of paradise while I was checking real estate listings one evening.  This little beauty has 6.25 acres -- approximately 5 of them are open field, and the rest is wooded.  We have room to spread out and I can have shade and full sun gardens.  A gardener's dream.

The previous owner was a landscaper by trade.  He created a wonderful framework of trees and shrubs, and hardscape, for me to begin with. The gardens were somewhat neglected, but I'm finding it enjoyable to bring them back to life.  It feels like a secret garden that I've discovered and am in the process of restoring.  Okay, it's not nearly to that ruin, but it sounds romantic.

I have done a considerable amount of work already, and have a lot of plans for what's to come. I would have taken some before pictures but I couldn't find my camera.  And then when I found it, the batteries were dead.  I'm all up and running now with fresh batteries.

In honor of being the proud owner of a new garden, I have relaunched my blog with a new name.  I hope you will join me in this adventure in "Taming Rugged Acres".

I found these great planters at Ikea.  To give you an idea of scale, I placed my little model in front.

I brought these planters from our old house entry, and I'm using them in virtually the same location.  I thought I'd get rid of these, but after popping in these great New Guinea Impatiens, I see how lovely they look.  I also realized they are almost the same color as the stone foundation and porch.

The beds are all outlined in a lovely stone edging.  The hostas you see here, I added last weekend.  There was not much in this bed except for a couple of shrubs and some Sum & Substance hostas in the corner.

The other side of te porch.  Lemon Lime mini hostas and Drinking Gourd blue hostas, along with a classic -- boxwood.

This stacked rock surrounds a small parking area we have off the driveway.  Even it is lovely, planted with a tree (not sure what kind), a lilac, and some dogwood trees.  I am turning this into my perennial garden and the idea is that it takes on sort of an English flavor, being packed and diverse.

The lilac... my assumption is this is "Miss Kim".

Yellow baptisia that I planted.

All of the gardens on the south and west sides of the house are planted full of this groundcover sedum. It is really quite beautiful.  I love the shade of green.  Great choice for the sides that get deer tracking through, and are in the most sun.

The front porch.  I love formal and symmetrical arrangements.  Simple and elegant.

These are the hostas he left behind.  Again, giving you an idea of scale with Tyler in the foreground.  I am pretty sure these are Sum & Substance.  I bought one and it looks identical.

The rose and daylily garden.

My crane has a new home!  Check out the backdrop.  Borrowed views are a very important design principle.  Our gardens would not look so great without those hills in the background. 

The shrubs surround the pool area.

WEEDS!  The rose and daylily garden looked just like this, as did several others, but I painstakingly cleared them one weed at a time.  Can't use roundup because these beds are filled with tender japanese maples.  This bed has daylilies in it so I definitely want to try and keep them.

I have always wanted a stone stairwell and now I have one.

Those sticks you see toward the middle of the photo is the start of an orchard.  Apples for sure, and I'm starting to think there are peaches in there.

One of my stand-by ideas, taking a hanging basket and popping it into a planter.  Looks full and lush right out of the gate.