Adina's Garden--a DK Garden Group Project

[F, Calla & Luca]

Since OFL (our fearless leader) has if not asked, at least implied, she could use our help we must rise to the occasion. I must remember though that it's Adina's Garden and not mine. At least the 2,000-3,000 miles and a knee problem may help there. But we all have lots of ideas I'm sure. We also need to remember that with Natalie, Rosco,  and Clark as well as work, Adina is busy so the garden ideas need to be practical, low maintenance and hopefully not exorbitant. This should be fun and may be the beginning of a second career for some : ) Also, remember Adina is in the Pacific northwest, actually a terrific area in which to garden. Any backyard ideas need to be baby and doodle friendly and baby and doodle proof! An idea in the bud.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Previuosly (sounds like 24):May 12 onward
Adina:
Though I'd vent here. Just a few mins ago I had to knock on my window to tell a grown man and his 2 daughters to NOT pick my roses. Yes they are among neglected weeds...BUT still on MY property. Sheesh! And then when he noticed my knocking he made a face and left the broken stem of the rose hanging there. Rudeness!
On another note..when I find time I want to show photos of my non-garden and get suggestions. \

Me:
People never cease to amaze! I once chased an evil lady who was renting next door from my forsythias of all things. I always am happy to give whole plants away but don't take my things without permission. Of course these folks had a yappy little dog who nipped a neighbor. We would love to offer any help or suggestions on your garden tat we can. Gardening is great therapy too.

Adina:
I scanned your article on 'Volunteers' and that is ALL I have. That and several owners ago there was a flower enthusiast who lived here and I a few flowers pop up now and then that must have been her doing. But I don't care for them and wouldn't know how and I'm sad they are neglected. Somewhere out there there is a militant Flower Kisses board talking about horrible, neglectful plant owners like me.

Adina:
Oh and we live on a corner so EVERYONE cuts this corner by walking through our front yard. Really annoying--it is as if they forget soemeone lives here so they treat it as though nobody does. We plan to remedy this with some arbor vitae (sp?) soon.

Maryann, Roo and Tigger:
How about something a little more colorful and attractive like a partial white wood (vinyl really that takes no maintenance) with roses and perenials that take little maintenance. Or even a shrub rose hedge - roses have come a long way and love love love your area of the country. Shrub roses are tough, gorgeous and nearly maintene free. And some of them have nice long thorns for grabby neighbors.

Linda and "Toby":
How about a sign that says, "You picka my roses, I breaka your neck."

Nina, Phil and Harlow:
Corner fence kits are a quick and easy solution.
http://www.garden.com/item/corner-fence/G20082/
And as Maryann says you can plant perennials or a shrub rose.

Me:
I like the idea of planting the corner. You could even use temporary cheap fencing like for veg. gardens to give your tough guys, i.e. shrub roses a chance to get established and then you won't need fencing anymore. Metal and wood fencing take maintenance--ugh. Also , rugosa roses withstand anything but do need to be kept back.I love them. They are fast growing and aside from pruning carefree. http://www.oldheirloomroses.com/Rugosa.htm David Austen roses are good and others too numerous to mention. Someone, Adina, should have made this a discussion.

Ann (Giesige) Kendig:
I say some doggy land minds strategically placed in the corner of the yard may help temporally Adina....

Maryann, Roo and Tigger:
Boy Adina we all seem to have great ideas - don't you wish we lived close so we could do it for you?

Maryann , Roo and Tigger
This was supposed to be a part of the previous comment, but something happened.
The shrub rose Cherry Parfait is a rugged rose available at most large nurseries or can be ordered by them. It is white with deep rose red edges and repeats all summer.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I like the idea of a "fence" of evergreens in the corner but I would not choose arborvitae. they tend to get too tall, leggy and may bend with snow. Do you get snow much Adina? I think lower varieties of boxwood would be ideal backed up by roses or other shrubs or perennials.
Arborvitae in need of help:

Boxwoods, Green Velvet I think:

[Michele Barton]

Adina, I suggest that you contact Washington State Extension Service...I think that every state has an extension service that gives helpful advice for gardening in your particular area. We used multiflora rose and autumn olive quite effectively when we lived in Maryland, both are thorny and pretty, but I don't know if they'd do well where you live. Whatever you choose, keep in mind how far it spreads. You don't want to have to be constantly pruning on the sidewalk side, that's a real pain in the you-know-what!
OOPS! I made a mistake here and am editing the above comment. You should contact your COUNTY extension service, not state. Sorry. Thank you DH for catching my error!

[F, Calla & Luca]

We have a county extension service but trust me, we Garden Group members know more than they do, IMNSHO. Home Depot is a good source for inexpensive plants that have been popular for a while. You have to carefully check to see that they are recently delivered and therefore in good condition but you can't beat the prices.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, it is unbelievable how rude many people are these days. We don't have a problem with neighbors because we don't have many where we are. There were some children who rented the house down the hill from us and liked to walk through our property and play in the trees. However, when I told them there was poison oak on the hillside, they stopped that quickly. Then the dogs announce any body who comes onto the top of the property. However, that doesn't help you.
Are you thinking of planting the corner or are you going to do some major planting along the sides also. We had a hedge of boxwood (I think Japanese) at one time for a wedding in our backyard, but they did not grow very tall and did not make a good border. There are so many things that work better for a border, and then you can plant the things you do not want disturbed inside the border. We have spring boquet below our house now and it makes a nice border (and has pretty flowers in winter). I grew up in Eastern Washington and have many fond memories of the lilac bushes behind our house. It (the hedge) was full of birds in the spring and I loved the flowers. Because you have some cold weather, the things that would do well in Washington, are not the same as here. Go to your local nursery (preferably native plants) and have them make suggestions. It is a great summer activity for you and your husband and your daughter will love it as she grows older. Our problem here is that everything grows so well that we are again overgrown and need to do a major trimming this summer.

[Adina P]

I don't know whether to ROFLMAO or to say 'Cool!' or to say 'OH MY!'  But my dream garden is miles and miles of fresh, thick, grass with maybe a rose bush by the house and NOTHING else but a few trees :)
I'm having some computer difficulties so it's a great ordeal to upload pics but when I find the parts/figure it out I'll post pics of my neglected flora.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good. You can say all of the above and we await pictures. The miles and miles id problematic but we'll do what we can with optical illusion.My"field" looks bigger than it is because it narrows in the distance. But we probably won't let you get away with just "a rose". What fun is that?

[Adina P]

If only you were all helping by actually coming to my yard and digging and planting while I made everyone lemonade and snacks! I'd prefer that to actually getting my fingers dirty doing something I don't understand :-O

In any case...it WILL BE boring Arbor Vitae (sp?). Sorry. It needs to form as close to block wall without it actually being a block wall or a fence. No way around this issue.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They're fast growing, too.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Believe me Adina the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I have things sitting on my driveway that need planting. And I don't think there is too much you can't understand if you put your mind to it and I believe you would like/love it once you got started. Is the arbor vitae for screening visually or for keeping people and animals from cutting across the corner? Because for keeping "crtitters"' out you can't beat THORNS.Things like barberry or rugosas are very good for that.

[Adina P]

Keeping my critters in, keeping other critters out, blocking the window in front of it and creating a wall for when we turn the window into a doorway out of our dining room into a porch-like place. So it needs to be 5 feet tall as thick on top as on the bottom.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I wouldn't rely on any hedge like arbor vitae to reliably keep your critters in and others out. Mine have made pathways through some yews to run through like a maze. Unless you have a fence behind, through or in front of it they will probably be able to penetrate it unless it's thorny. Visual screening is easier. Do you know your hardiness zone? Here's some info but I'm not certain I can locate you exactly and the zones are pretty convuluted out there.
http://www.growit.com/bin/USDAZoneMaps.exe?MyState=wa