Garden Project
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The only place I've seen espaliered trees is at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The ones against a light colored wall were sort of interesting but I wasn't a fan of the ones that are built on open structures or wires.
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You must have the same
soilclay we have here. It’s absolutely terrible to dig through, and it sticks to everything. Super rich in nutrients, provided you can break through it to plant! -
Gorgeous!
I think I’d skip the Yetis….
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
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Mrs. Miller already vetoed the Yeti so…
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That looks great. Want to see pictures when it is done.
I want a yeti!!!
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@wtg said in Garden Project:
My friend and I walk by one of these on a pretty regular basis. It's between two houses rather than a focal point in the back yard, and it's semi-hidden in some shrubs. Total whimsy but it works really well. They have one of these 7 ft tall silhouettes
Well they added some more whimsy. I think the neon palm tree is overkill. The Yeti by itself is much more effective. But here's the current look:
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@Steve-Miller your garden is really great!
As for the Yeti… a friend of mine had a neighbor who set up a Yeti so that its rear end was pointing exactly at my friend’s house. He said it was all he saw coming and going and it really bugged him. He planted some things hoping they would grow up and eventually block the view, but it was limited since he could of course only add plantings on his own property. Well, somehow the neighbor figured out what those plantings were for, because he planted a few things that did block the butt-view for my friend, who was very grateful! He and his neighbor are now friends.
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Garden is pretty much done - now just waiting for the grass to fill in. There are lots of things I want to add/move/change but I’m pleased overall.
Left rear corner is the area that is most complete. The rose was a gift and has to go somewhere but probably not there.
That area is set up for hobby stuff -herbs, potting, etc. I had a faucet installed so I can hand water. I used a plant stand and a plastic flowerpot to hide the hose and faucet.
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Closer view showing the garden sprite. It’s a Frank Lloyd Wright design we got when we visited Fallingwater. The originals were designed for Midway Gardens in Chicago, since demolished. There are three versions and I’m thinking about incorporating the other two as well. Only problem is that they’ll have to come in for the winter - freezing destroyed the one I had previously.
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Right side. This is where most of the work took place and where most of the rocks are. It’s also what I see from my usual place at the dining room table.
Tree still leans -still undecided. Benches are new. Bamboo did not like being transplanted and is probably dead.
Purple flowers under pine tree are “balloon flowers”. They’re supposed to be perennial down to -10F or something and if they survive the winter I can see using a lot of them.
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Here’s the part I’m least happy with - center back. The idea was to keep things low to preserve the view of the pond but it looks bare. Needs bushes. I had hoped for rhododendrons but they really don’t like being in full sun. I already have too many hydrangeas. Rose of Sharon might work but the look doesn’t feel right. Roses don’t seem right either. We’ll have to see.
I ordered this arbor and once I install it in front of the gate I’ll work from there to the left.
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Where's the arbor going? Will it frame the gate that is back there?
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Yes. Frames the gate. I have two small iron lanterns that I’ll hang on the posts and light up with connections to the landscape lighting.
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Will put in my "no" vote for Rose of Sharon. On the plus side, they are nice because they're a colorful late season bloomer. But I don't find their shape to be appealing, they don't get good fall color, and they drop their damn seed pods all over the place and you end up with a job to pull all the babies out.
Have you seen any fothergillas? An unassuming but very sweet looking shrub that is early to leaf out, it gets white bottlebrush flowers in spring and can have great fall color. The branches are quite fine and the leaves aren't terribly large. In landscape architecture terms, it has a "fine" to "medium-fine" texture/appearance rather than "coarse" (which is what a lot of hydrangeas are - thick stems, lots of big leaves). I think it might fit in well in your Japanese-inspired style.
https://www.thespruce.com/mt-airy-dwarf-fothergilla-shrubs-2132715
It's one of my top 10 favorite shrubs. It's only failing is that rabbits love to eat it. Sam will have work to do.
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@Steve-Miller said in Garden Project:
Yes. Frames the gate. I have two small iron lanterns that I’ll hang on the posts and light up with connections to the landscape lighting.
That's great. It will give you a tallish focal point in that area without obstructing the view.
By the way, I really like Vita's products. I think I posted the trellis I ordered a month or two ago. And I have some of their raised beds. Really nice people at the company. They forgot to pack the mounting posts for my trellis and they expedited getting me the missing parts. Costco carries some of their items, too, and at a very steep discount. Home Depot can be competitive on Vita pricing, too. That's where I got my trellis. It was like $50 cheaper than buying directly from Vita.
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The dwarf fothergilla cultivar I'd look for is 'Mount Airy'. It's very available at local nurseries.
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That fothergilla looks promising for the fall color alone! Striking!
