Gardening ideas...

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Hi all,

I'm finally almost done with the clearing part of getting my yard ready -- worked for a good 6 hours yesterday, got a bagfull of poison ivy and a whole lotta weeds. Not finished, but the end is in sight (Moapi is well and truly dead and all the t's are crossed and i's dotted in the front yard -- looking good) and I'm starting to think in terms of fall planting for next year.

I always like White Flower Farm for ideas, even if I buy elsewhere. I also have a great local nursery that has good advice, will be asking them as well. But would love any and all input from serious/ knowledgeable gardeners.

Problem #1:

We had a little (maybe 5' tall and 3' diameter) pine that didn't survive being pummeled by falling branches during the ice storm last winter. We dug out the corpse this weekend -- there are some roots left but got most of it out, the area is pretty plantable as-is.

In terms of the layout of the garden in front, there is a hole -- something belongs there, of similar prominence if not that big. We've talked to a few people who know about these things who said that it never should have been there in the first place, wrong planting for that area. So don't want to replace it with another tree of the same type.

I also want more flowers/ color, the current perennial plantings are kind of shrub-happy. (I've been putting in colorful annuals which help.)

The area is under a big old tree, about 10 feet from the trunk. The leaves on the tree don't start until quite high up, and that area gets a lot of sun -- there are irises planted around the base of the tree on the south side and they do great (as far as I can tell, they usually require full sun).

Some things I'm thinking of:

- Lavender (my one previous plant purchase from White Flower Farm, grew by leaps and bounds, could make a nice big mound within a few years I think). Although as far as I can tell, it's not something to plant in the fall?

- This:

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/images/381378a2.jpg

(Collection that includes 12 lilies and 6 ferns.) The square footage and sun exposure both seem right, would love to have a later bloomer (most blooms now are spring/ early summer, this is August/ September), and I think the white would look good there.

- A birdbath with flowers (to be determined) planted around the base.

Problem #2:

The backyard is very woodsy/ shady. Right now it has vast swaths of vinca and ivy, with spring bulbs sprinkled around, peonies (? weird, but they do OK), and some spring daylilies. It is very vulnerable to weeds, with lots of gaps in the vinca/ ivy groundcover. Some weeds are fine (virginia bluebells), some are not (poison ivy, ragweed, burrs, garlic mustard). As in, some "weeds" I want and will encourage to naturalize, others I don't. The back yard was delightful for a few weeks in early spring with all the bulbs, but is pretty boring the rest of the time. What I am especially interested in is planting things that will take over bare/ sparse spots and crowd out the weeds, and that won't require much care.

Ideas:

- Ferns.

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/images/82072.jpg

- Trillums.

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/images/39245a.jpg

(I love that in that picture they are against the same vinca/ ivy groundcover I have.)

- Lungwort

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/images/37097a.jpg

(Another spring bloomer, but the foliage is interesting.)

- Toad lily.

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/images/39239a.jpg

I like that these have summer/ fall bloom and tend to spread.

What do you guys think?

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By the way I can't afford to implement most of these ideas in a significant way yet, but would still like to get an idea of where I'm going, prioritize (buy a few of the most important ones -- probably something for the front yard at least), know what to keep an eye out for, etc.

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Soz, I'd love to help you out.

And by "help," I mean sitting on your porch drinking beer and shooting you in the ass with a paintball gun while you plant flowers.

Hey, if I have a dark red/maroon room with white trim(ceiling+window trim), what color curtains should I get? Maroon? I don't think I'd dig white, especially since my living room set is going to be black.

Serious responses only please. I don't appreciate clowning. Thank you.

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Big pretty flowers with dark red and white and lots of other pretty colors.

What?

I dunno, maybe a sage-ish green? Then pull all three colors (dark red, white, black, green) together with other stuff.

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Since oaks tend to grab nutrients, I'd go with the bird bath. If you change your mind, bird baths usually have very shallow, convenient roots.

Consider using some of your oak leaves from the front yard as mulch to prevent weeds in the back yard.

Rule of thumb: Native wild flowers flourish in shady conditions. Remember 400 years ago a squirrel could travel from the Atlantic beaches to the banks of the Mississippi without setting foot on ground.

Your docks and ragweed and wild mustard all came over with the European farmers in bags of grain. You'll have a few more years of imported weeds, but eventually ecology will out.

I know your budget is geared more toward summer perennials rather than spring bulbs, but Breck's is having a sale, $25 off any order of $50 or more.

http://brecks.com/default.asp?sid=700135&eid=&bhcd2=1125341539

Several years ago they were very disorganized during a bankruptcy and alienated a lot of customers. Now they are trying to atone.

Personally I think that every spring bulb means one less winter sniffle, but this is probably not scientifically accurate.

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It's an elm, actually... does that make a difference?

Lots of plants around it, all doing well.

Thanks for the spring bulb tip!

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Green?

I feel that would clash.

But thanks for the suggestion Soz. You're such a peach, I wouldn't even use frozen paintballs.

Back to flowers.

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I'm all confused on quite where the big tree is .. close to the street? close to the house? plop in the middle of the front yard? Is there a sidewalk in front of your yard? a planting strip between the sidewalk and the street?

Why do I ask all this? Why does the chicken cross..

Well, I am wondering what the background is when you are looking at the tree and the area you want to plant in. I'm interested in things like color contrast, and the form and texture of the plants in relation to everything else. Would you like to screen any view out, when looking from your front window? But you still want to see children playing and be able to see when coming out of the driveway....

-

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Elm?

That makes a big difference.

"Big, old tree" probably means that it is not a blight resistant elm and Dutch elm disease may strike at any moment.

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/plantsci/trees/pp324w.htm

Pity, because elms are beautiful trees--but doomed is doomed.

Once upon a time I plighted my affection under a big, old elm tree--but that is another story.

Given that the main landscaping feature of your front yard is probably temporary, I'd go with a bird bath--plastic.

What does your county agricultural agent say about Dutch Elm disease in your part of Ohio?

Elm leaves will rot faster than oak leaves and are not nearly as acidic. Have you thought of composting? In the back yard of course.

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Eek.

I'll investigate.

Plenty of them around here though. Not exclusively, by any means, but lots of them here and there, looking healthy.

(My old neighborhood in Minneapolis was devastated by Dutch Elm disease.)

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What color are your peonies? Could you move them (or maybe some of them) from the back yard to the front. They'd probbaly do a little better with some more sun. (Why do I know this stuff????)

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I'll be back.....

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Could be an Elm that is not the native american variety - I think the asian elms are resistent. likely, the thing would be dead already if it were going to get blighted.

I agree with Osso that it would be useful to know more detail about the set up of the garden. But, I will throw out some ideas anyway.

Problem #1:

Lilies can be not-quite-as-pretty-as-I-was-expecting when they get eaten by red beetles or grow leggy and flop. They are better placed behind other tall plants that hide their form (I think), but let the flowers be seen. Most ferns would suffer in that much light, but japanese painted ferns (quite a variety of them) could work.

Consider a flowering shrub (several if you have the room). I am adoring the itea (VA Sweetspire) and clethera (Summersweet) which are being planted around town. They are native and the former blooms (white and scented) mid-summer, the later blooms (white or pink, scented) late summer. The form of the shrubs are delicate and attractive. Also consider a dogwood shrub. There are red-twig, cream-twig, and maybe another reddish hued twig varieties which all have pale variegated leaves (the leaves are light green with creamy-white edges). The flowers aren't much to speak of.

For large plants, try japanese anemone (will bloom late summer - pink flowers) or maybe a baptisia (false indigo). Hmmm... sun-loving plants aren't really my focus.

Problem #2:

wild flowers take a while to establish and are short-lived. They are stunningly beautiful, but they need to be augmented. While I adore trillium, they aren't easy to establish. That said, I have some in my city yard which are spreading. Bunchberry is another good native ground cover which takes a little effort to establish, but it's worth it (they are teeny dogwoods just 2 inches tall).

The pulmonaria (lungwort) is a great plant which comes in many versions - some have all silver leaves, most are spotted, some are solid green. The flowers range from violet to peachy-pink. Good plants.

Toad lily might be a bit formal for your woodland garden, but, maybe not. They also come with variations in flower and leaf. Consider variegated solomon seal (polygonatum), meadow rue (thalictrum), mayapple.

Ferns and hostas would be good back there too.

for shrubs, if you want them (for filling in spaces), consider leucothoe (dark green, white green, or green-white-red leaves which are evergreen), rhodo-azaleas, hollies (inkberry is a nice soft holly), itea and clethera might work in dappled areas.

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I got more info...... I think the lilies could work if you're willing to stake them as needed. But, I still think a larger shrubby type thing would be better there (for screening and balance.

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I think you're probably right. I definitely am susceptible to beautifully photographed garden catalogue scenes.

Osso has suggested a big vigorous hydrangea of another color there, I'm liking that idea as of now. We're also discussing hibiscus, I love 'em but probably too unkempt/ not solid enough for that spot.

Fantastic suggestions for the back yard, *just* what I was hoping for, thanks. Smooches!

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Ooh, I like bunchberry!

http://depts.washington.edu/wrccrf/gallery/bunchberry.jpg

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Whew, E.G. just confirmed that it's a Siberian elm...

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Good health and long life to you and to the Siberian elm.

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It's a cutie pie, that bunch berry. Each flower turns into a cluster of red berries. Hard to establish. Mine is NOT happy.

Glad to have helped.

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Hey Soz, as an idea... check with some of your local nurseries and see if Lantana will survive your winters. It's available in a lot of colors and flowers for the bulk of the summer and into fall around me. There are several types so you can find it as a ground cover or flowering bush.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/lantana/lantana.html

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