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.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I like the idea of barberry. Very pretty and good for keeping the critters at bay.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

If you find a living plant that can keep critters either in or out, outside of a fairy tale, please let us all know what it is.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Sounds like you want a soccer field! Grass can be very high maintenance, but it does look nice, especially with some well chosen trees.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Tall fescue, and perhaps the oxymoronic dwarf tall fescue, are great grasses for reasonable maintenance, good looks and toughness. For the dwarf variety you might have to go online.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh, so you are looking for something that will keep Clark home and busy? Grass may be beautiful, but it requires a lot of care and grooming. We have taken out all our grass after the back-yard wedding of Charlie's sister and have all native plants and a few other plants that don't require much care. But they grow so quickly. And you will be needing an outdoor playground area for your daughter. What about a run for the dogs? Think it all out, and start one area at a time. It really is enjoyable. And everyone can be involved.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Your local nursery should have knowledgeable people. If Home Depot or anywhere carries "Proven WInners" they are very reliable plants, tested for your area.

I am not a hedge person. Hedges are usually reliably green, but they require constant clipping and provide little to no bloom. There are a few exceptions like raphioliptus (Indian Hawthorne) which do bloom beautifully in the spring and look good "au natural" for quite a long time (years really). I would choose closely spaced plants that require only a twice a year "its gardening day" effort. I maintained my yard myself for 25 years of PTA,soccer, girl scouts, boyscouts, school board and children. My yard was always okay to good depending on the season. Now it is more a labor of love. During those busy years I chose mainly plants that 1. I liked 2. were low low low maintenance, and 3. all had the same water, sun, and feeding needs for each area. Then plant closely to choke out weeds, and mulch heavily once a year in the spring to conserve water and defeat weeds. Begin with one small area. Watch it for at least a year. Then you know what works, what you don't like, what is too much work or dies and so on. Either a low water native plant type of landscaping or a cottage garden which is by nature a little random and not overly maintained, are both easier types of landscaping to maintain than a formal garden - think neat and in rows and squares etc. All are lovely though.

[F, Calla & Luca]

All true. I'm a close planter, cottage type myself and ground cover and mulch cannot be overdone. But there are varieties of plants that yield hedges of the "right" height that need little or no pruning. gardening can be like carpentry, measure twice, plant once i.e. it pays to spend time on research. with the web there is a wealth of information.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Arborvitae is the shrub in the cypress family. Arbor vitae is the brain condition. The cultivar "Emerald" only grows to about twelve feet. It still is boring. Keep thinking especially if that is what you are going to see when you eat or sit on your dining patio. It doesn't take more work to plant interesting. Soon you will need to plant carrots and strawberries for Natalie. So start practicing. Wish I could come help, but as Parker says the spirit is willing, but my body uses day labor for the hard work of digging and tuning over soil that needs to be done occasionally.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Interesting. I didn't remember an arbor vitae brain condition so I looked it up. It actually is a fanciful name for the cerebellum because it has a branching structure. Arbor vitae means living tree.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_vitae_%28anatomy%29
What can't we learn about and discuss on DK?

[Adina P]

Sooo...a few property owners ago, a major gardener lived here. Things pop up every year that I didn't notice before.
Here's one plant on the outside of our fence...can anyone tell me what it is?

Also...once Tulips die out for the year, what do you DO with the plant? I know they come back year after year, but what about the leaves that just are withered?

[F, Calla & Luca]

It is a lovely clematis, probably Jackmanii if it's more purple than it looks to me here. We have a discussion on them. Thank goodness it is hard to kill them. You need to leave the tulip leaves until they are quite dead . They nourish the bulb. If you have ground covers, my favorite is pachysandra for this purpose, the leaves disappear into it and there's no need to do anything. Soon ashes to ashes, dust to dust and leaves naturally to compost.

[Adina P]

Ooh I will look at the discussions.  Apparently this is my kind of plant since it didn't need me to live so far!