Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Did You Ask to See New Items in My Garden?

A Wish List?

A Hope-It-Happens list?


Dave (The Home Garden) has asked us to post about five new things we anticipate for our gardens this year. Abraham Lincoln once said, "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." In the spirit of that comment, I may be making plans, but it's all about "one day at a time." :-)

My project list for 2010 contains mostly hard scape projects. Such things as:

#1 - a short (not lengthy) white, lateral fence behind the raised beds (between our yard and that of our neighbors) where the chain link fence used to be... alongside the "water-disposal trench" that was created last year,

Can You Visualize it at all? As you scroll down, you'll get an idea of what I'd like.

photo on the left was taken May 2007
photo on the right was taken July 2008












Last Summer, the metal fence posts and fences were removed, and last Fall, the chain link was removed.

(A Google search brought up the photo of a plantation fence, shown below, from a custom gates and metal arts site) This second photo shows the water-flow ditch between our properties.












#2 - my five (wonderful) white panels placed on sunken 4x4 posts giving the appearance of a fence, with a free-standing gate (seen below) and a trellis or two - all in front of the raised beds,

(This project-in-process photo was taken early last Spring 2009)











Click on the photos below to see the "free-standing gate"









This above photos show a before and after view of the front yard where two very tall shade trees resided, surrounded by pachysandra.

Photo on left taken: April 22, 2008 - trees in place, at left
Photo on right taken: July 26, 2009 - trees gone, remaining bed at right

#3 - a small water feature in the front yard surrounded by a little island bed.








The pachysandra is still here, surrounding the seedlings begun last year of Gail's Tennessee Cone Flowers!

Photo on left taken Sept. 1, 2009
Photo on right taken May 2009 (bed at left front)


#4 - a small pergola with a small deck outside the sliding doors in our walk-out basement,


(Can you envision something here? Photo was taken last Spring during construction.)


#5 - the backyard wooden box, divided into two separate boxes, and placed at the east end of the raised bed areas for veggies, and

(Yes, the box is ugly. It will be "easy" for someone to cut it apart between the two lateral boards.)
(Yes there are a couple of other things to be moved here...
I'd like to sink the flower-holder stand into the ground in a garden, and the target into the garage!)


If I were to add a #6, it would be a combination playhouse/garden shed. The little building would sit where the "box" (above) is currently located.

But that's just a little waiting-until-everything-else-is-done happy thought!


:-)
Nothing shady here but the shade!

24 comments:

Dave@TheHomeGarden said...

Wow you have some good one's cooked up for this year! I'd really like to see that pergola project. It's amazing how much a nice pergola can dress up the outside of a home. It even expands the living space more into the outdoors!

Shady Gardener said...

Absolutely, Dave! (You made it over here in record time!) ha. ;-) Btw, how in the world are you managing to create so many interesting posts... daily?? Whew!

kate smudges said...

I am impressed with all the projects you are envisioning for this year. They will all make a difference to how your garden & house look. I can definitely see how a white fence would look great where the chain link fence used to be. A pergola will look amazing. Maybe I should start thinking of what needs to be done this year (I always get pre-occupied with seeds and plants and forget about the hardscape stuff).

Have a great weekend!

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Kate, I HOPE some of these things are accomplished this year... I've waited for awhile for some of them! (Doing the seeds and plants and stuff!) ;-) I'm glad you like the idea of the white fence!

We're getting snow & sleet tonight... I need to look at the forecast. How are things your way??

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love the white fence idea! And the pergola sounds great too.
It's fun dreaming up these projects now, hope you get them all checked off.

Shady Gardener said...

Catherine, I hope so too! ;-)

sweetbay said...

Garden plans are fun, aren't they? :) I love the views of your summer garden, so lovely.

Sweet Home and Garden Carolina said...

Great plans, Shady. I hope you are able to achieve at least some of them.

Shady Gardener said...

sweet bay, Thank you for your visit and your compliments. :-)

Hi Carolyn gail. I hope so, too! :-) Enjoy your weekend!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Shady ! I love seeing projects emerging from the winter doldrums .. heaven knows I am bothering landscapers even now (I think they are afraid of me becuase of my ENTHUSIASM ?? LOL)
I really like the fencing it will look wonderful .. sharing ideas seem to gather momentum and we all getting rolling along here .. thanks !
Joy : )

Gail said...

Shady, I am so itching to get building and creating like you and the Mr have! Can't wait to see the fence! Your garden's before and after photos are a treat! I do hope you are keeping warm~ gail

ShySongbird said...

Oh my! You are going to be busy, I find it hard to summon up the motivation at this time of year but you certainly are planning ahead, I hope you get at least some of it done in the coming months!

I have just enjoyed your Echinacea post and, particularly, your 'Monday's Child' post, really delightful and such lovely photos. I am a Tuesday's child, not sure if I'm full of grace though! My Mother used to say I was but of course she was biased :)

Val said...

What am ambitious undertaking. I might try one of those things but don't have the energy for so many. Love your garden as I am a shade gardener also in North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains zone 6. I will be watching your site closely as you have so many great ideas. Thanks for inspiring me.
Val

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Big yard = big plans! I'm excited to see the end results. :))

Shady Gardener said...

Joy, Bottle your enthusiasm and send it over... I may need it sometime during the summer! ha. :-)

Shysongbird, Your mother's right. :-) Thanks for your visit and sweet comments. Have a great weekend!

Hi Val, a big part of garden-blogging is being inspired by others. I'm glad I could provide YOU with some inspiration. :-) I look forward to the completion of at least a couple of the projects this year! Enjoy your weekend.

Hi Kate, Isn't this one of the best parts of a long Winter? (Time to make lots of plans?) :-) Thanks for your encouragement, Kate!

tina said...

You are going to be busy working in all of these projects. I can really envision them with the progression photos. That was a big help. I say if you get the first five done before fall go ahead and reward yourself with a playhouse/shed. Set that goal and go all out:) Good luck!

Shady Gardener said...

Hi tina! Of all the things on this list, the water feature is the only one I can accomplish by myself, but it's the "lowest" on my personal priority list. All that is to say, if the others get finished I will be Very Happy and willing to wait until next year for the others. ;-) Hope you're having a great day.

Melody said...

You have lots to do, but that is the fun of gardening. BTW, concerning the traget in #5 - you can't have the whole yard, you have to share:) (That sucks doesn't it)

Shirley said...

Hi again Shady, ah… like Dave, I too look forward to your pergola. Gosh, five things… would need to give some thought to that. As you know already, building a wildlife pond would be on my list.

Wishing you a good week :-D

Ellen Spector Platt said...

I'm so jealous of your real trees and space. My containers suddenly feel so puny.

Rose said...

Sounds like a busy summer for you, Shady! The pergola sounds like a great idea and something I'd like to add to our house as well. I have lots of plans for this summer, too, but I'll be happy if I get just a few of them done:)

Shady Gardener said...

Melody, Thank you for visiting today. No... I don't mind sharing the garden spaces! Especially when it comes to this list of projects. ;-) I cannnot do any of these by myself!

Hi Shirl, I only want a SMALL pergola. Just enough to add a little architectural interest to the back of the house. (And the deck will not be much more than a little pad outside the doors.) I've had the lumber purchased for a long time, so hopefully This is the Year of the Project! ;-)

Oh, Ellen. You're not Really jealous, but I know what you mean. I am slightly intimidated when I gaze at some of the gardens these other bloggers have! But, truly, you are SUCH big-city assets! You are filling a much-needed role and provide such insight into gardening possibilities where you are! :-) Thanks for your visit - have a super day!

Rose, That's the way it always goes... lots of project ideas and hopefully some of them are accomplished. I've been "patient" with regard to the hardscape ideas for some time. I can do many other things in the meantime, but I'm really HOPEFUL that some of these items (at least) will be addressed this Summer. :-)

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Your projects all sound great. I really can envision a water feature in the front bed, with little birds splashing in it. Summer seems so far away, but you're smart to start planning now.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi MMD, Isn't that one of the best parts of Winter? Planning? (Hope my plans work out!) :-)