Got Your Ducks in a Row?

Or, as the case may be, Goslings... :-)

As I was driving towards the home of friends, I noticed Papa and Mama queuing across the above field towards the road. I hurriedly turned around to take a photo. By the time I'd positioned my car along the road, Papa and Mama had changed their mind about the direction they were heading, regrouped, and began their return trek across the field.

All this is to say, when you make up your mind to do a special project, don't let anything dissuade you. But DO get your "ducks in a row!" ;-)

The Project!

Last Winter, friends and I were visiting about their spacious side yard. I must mention that this young couple purchased their home a few years ago and immediately began making Major Improvements! Those we notice as we drive by have been wonderful. However, I felt they were in need of a little landscaping -- and so did they. Not only are they a young couple with two little children, ages 5 and nearly 3, who have limited time for outdoor projects, they admitted to knowing nothing about gardening.

WOW!

Up steps "Shady Gardener" (who loves gardening in the sun, too)! Before they knew it... I'd drawn up plans!

These three photos represent what I originally presented as a possible three-year plan. "Of course," I said, "we can condense this into a two- or one-year plan..."

Little did I know it, but J and S were Quite Ready for action!
:-) (My kind of people!)

So, I presented them with the plans one evening after school (she teaches 4th grade and he is the technology director, both in our local school system) in early April. We mapped out the plot with garden hose. He (J) killed the grass, and after a couple of weeks, we unloaded and spread a big pickup load of nice, composted dirt on part of the garden bed. (Some of the grass hadn't died, and needed a little more persuasion.) He then tilled the entire garden bed Wednesday evening.

One's perspective can be deceiving, so I've included three photos to better show the size of the garden.








I'd made plant recommendations as well as an on-line nursery. The order was made with four plants (2 grasses - Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' and Miscanthis purpurascens - a butterfly bush "Adonis Blue," and Nepeta - Catmint - 'Walker's Low'). The nursery included a free 'Prairie Fire' daylily with the order. Of course, I'd ordered a little from the same company and received a free daylily of my own - which I donated to the cause.

I dub the entire yesterday, Thursday, May 21, as Terrific Thursday! J picked up 20 forty-pound bags of compost/manure, tilled at least half into the rest of the garden bed... and the rest is now "history!" We planted the entire bed!! At one time, we made a quick foray into town to look at a couple of different bushes (one of which will eventually be planted at the SW corner of the house) and purchase three or four more plants.

This is the adjusted plan. Many of my own plants were easily divided, so I was able to add quite a few from my gardens. (WE know the cost of plants, and that could easily have deterred the completion of the project... or at least forced it into a three-year plan!)

What did we plant? Hold on to your hats!

Grasses: 'Karl Foerster' and 'Miscanthes Purpurscens' (1 each)

Iris: Siberian Iris 'Caesar's Brother' (1)
Bearded Iris - White - cultivar unknown (1)

Nepata, Catmint, 'Walker's Low' (1)

Buddleia, Butterfly Bush, 'Adonis Blue' (1)

Sedum: 'Autumn Joy,' 'Purple Emperor,'Matrona,' and 'Neon Lights' (1 each)

Achillea, Yarrow(1) - yellow blossoms, variety unknown

Liatris spicata (6 plants), also known as Blazing Star or Gayfeather

Phlox, 'David' (1 clump) and unknown variety with lavender blossoms (1)

Coreopsis, 'Moonbeam' threadleaf (2), and bright yellow, newly purchased variety (1). I forgot to note the name.

Gaillardia (1) a newly purchased variety. I forgot to note its name.

Hemerocalis, Daylily, 'Prairie Fire' (2), 'Fragrant Treasure' (1), and an unknown mid-season yellow variety(1).

Penstemon, 'Husker Red' (1 clump)

Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Milkweed (1)

Rudbekia, Black-eyed Susan (2 clumps)

Monarda, 'Jacob Cline' (1)

Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower (2 clumps)

Chelone Obliqua, 'Turtle head' (1 clump)

Peony, 'Sarah Bernhardt' (1)

Firetail Amplexicaulis Persicaria (1)

Five-year-old E planted Shasta Daisy seeds, so she owns a section of the garden.


JJ helped to plant Mommy's hydrangea they purchased for Mother's Day!

Can you guess what I've begun for the children?
Look out J!
Now you'll have to make the wire hangers!

Definitely not a shady subject,
Definitely a Sunny Garden with a Sunny Disposition!

:-)