Last year I told you about a problem here at Sunsplash Gardens...my borders weren't pretty anymore.
They used to be very full and colorful, but the garden phlox* and the tiger lilies were so invasive that I ended up removing many of them.
*Newer phlox hybrids are not so invasive, nor are they subject to powdery mildew.
Follow along in this post as I chronicle what was, what is, and what is to be.
West (left) and north (top) side of the border garden in 2010 - looking good then (albeit a blurry photo for which I apologize) - but you get the idea of the look to this area.
East side of the border garden in 2010 in this photo and the next two
Wow, did that ever look pretty! Thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have pulled the invasives out...oh well, it's done now...
Close up of the west side (2010)
East side in 2011
Same area, later in the summer of 2011 - please excuse the work buckets being in the photo!
Fast forward to early summer of 2012. You can see a number of bare spots here on the east side of the border - that's largely due to removal of phlox. I can also see that I over-thinned the Porcupine grass but I felt confident it would come back, and indeed it has.
Here is the north border bed: red twig dogwood, hollyhocks, echinacea, and rudbeckia predominate.
I envisioned an (almost)
all white garden here for 2013. (This was taken in the summer of 2012 as well.)
Change was beginning in summer 2012: I expanded the borders. In addition, when I found bags of mulch on sale at $1 (normally $3.99), I bought some and applied it. I planned on moving some plants and adding others. (This is the east side in July 2012).
North side in July 2012
Lots to remove, lots to add, to make this an all white garden
KEEP READING, I do now have a moon garden in this area. :-)
Last fall I dug and divided this huge clump of Siberian iris and "ditch" lilies in the center of the west border.
The east border was beginning to fill in (August 2012).
August 2012
August 2012
Late August 2012, after I added a few plants - I'm pleased with the appearance of this area. 2 other sides of the border garden were still needing help, though.
The almost all-white garden, late August 2012 (north border) - more plants needed! I envisioned quite a few annuals such as white larkspur, penta, and cleome, and alyssum. Shasta daisies look to figure prominently here as well.
The west side of the border garden, late August 2012. Lots has been removed, and a few things added. More to come. I envisioned Queen of the Prairie and Culver's root toward the back, along with morning glories and cypress vine; toward the middle, larkspur, shasta daisies, geraniums, cosmos, and coreopsis; and in front, alyssum and vinca.
West border, September 19, 2012, after I added mums, pansies, ornamental cabbage, and pumpkins for fall color
Subsequently, my ever-changing border gardens...
West border, June 2013
AND NOW... July 18, 2013...
The Moon garden as a part of the north border
Even a Moon garden can use a pop of color here and there!
Above and below, two more shots of my Moon garden
The phlox is 'David' and the daisies 'Becky.'
Much color in the east border bed
Front on view of the east border
The west border bed, still a work in progress; but then, isn't a garden always a work in progress?
The Moon garden as a part of the north border
Above and below, two more shots of my Moon garden
The phlox is 'David' and the daisies 'Becky.'
Much color in the east border bed
Front on view of the east border
