One of the big projects for the weekend was to get the flowerbeds in front of the garden finally finished. These are the flowerbeds that I set up and put cardboard down last year but...
...this is what they looked like after not being able to get to them before Winter set in. The fruit trees took up time and then the garden and, well, they fell into a state of disrepair, as you can see above.
It took a good hour per bed but I got the soil all turned, the timbers back in place, the steel rebar put in to lock them in place, loaded them up with fresh soil, leveled it all out and they were ready...
...for flowers! For now, we have planted marigolds, Mexican heather, pincushion flowers, and salvia.
I had to do the same thing on the other side of the gate, here it is after getting the timbers all fixed and the soil added. I planted the same flowers in this one.
I put the marigolds next to the gate entrance so we'll see happy colors right there. Plus they can be rotated in and out with other annuals more easily.
We're going to have a knockout rose in the middle of each bed too. You can see it in the photo above. I didn't plant them this weekend because I need a bit more soil to put around them after I dig the holes (they are larger than the smaller flowers we bought). We didn't locate them at either end of the flowerbeds because I don't want thorns by the gate as I go in and out, and at the other end I will pass by on the mower and don't need them there either. So we figured one in the middle of each would be pretty.
You can see how much space we have with the two beds. I'm going to fill in some empty spots with lemongrass and rosemary, so that we'll have a bit more herbs at our disposal.
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| Corner flowerbed |
And as a bonus, I also fixed up this bed again. You may remember when we fixed it up last year. Alas, the freeze killed everything in there except a little piece of the lavender, which is coming back now (YAY!) and of course the large Texas Lilac (Vitex) next to the stairs. So I pulled timbers out, stacked them back together, straightened up the birdbath (still need to clean the inside), pruned the Vitex, and then planted some marigolds around the perimeter.
We also decided to stick in a couple of mint plants. Spearmint and Peppermint. Yes, we know they are invasive, but we're OK with this bed being taken over by mint. It will look pretty and lush, we'll still have the pops of color with the marigolds and as a nice bonus, fresh mint right by the stairs to the porch.
I also worked in the garden, more on that tomorrow!
TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Our building had sporadic Internet last night so I was unable to finish the post on the garden. I got the pictures loaded but then we only had intermittent connections. So I guess that update is coming Wednesday!
Thanks for the comments and the birthday wishes. Yep, yesterday was my birthday but I seem to post about it every year, thought I'd take a year off of doing that, ha. But thanks for the birthday wishes!
Check back tomorrow!
Great Job. That is going to look so very pretty once it all fills in with them colorful flowers.
ReplyDeleteI have had landscape border beds before and what my hubby done was drill holes every so often down the timbers and then pounded rebar down in the holes and into the ground which held all the timbers in place plus it helped them from warping cause they where all secured together with the rebar.
By the way; Happy Birthday to you
Your Birthday is a special day..
One that's just for you
A time for doing everything
You specially like to do..
And on this day that belongs to you,
The wish this greeting brings
Is for the joy you so deserve
And all life's nicest things!
Hope you have a wonderful and enjoyable day.
Once you think you have the bird bath clean; cover with black trash bag.
DeleteCleaning bird bath with bleach and water: https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-a-bird-bath-386985
Cement bird baths: http://thegardeningcook.com/how-to-clean-a-cement-bird-bath/
using vinegar; http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com/2014/07/31/follow-these-tips-on-how-to-clean-your-birdbath/
I thought about that with the timbers but I don't have the tools *yet, ha, but I think we have them locked in pretty good. I figured a way to do it that should last.
DeleteThank you for the wishes!!! Lovely, just lovely!
And thank you for the birdbath info, that helps!!!!
DeleteEverything looks so wonderful! You did such a great job on the beds, I'm envious! I have so many plans and watching how other bloggers are already knee-deep in dirt is getting me antsy lol...I love the rose bush. One day I want to have a rose garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you much! I'd like to put a rose garden in someday. But for now, we'll have to live vicariously with these, ha. Thanks again!!
Deletewow! i need you here! these will be so pretty when they fill in!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed! Thank you kindly!!! And I'd GLADLY help if I could but hey, your gardens are pretty amazing.
DeleteThat looks so good! I love "new" flowerbeds!
ReplyDeleteThey do look pretty when new, ha. Thanks!
DeleteIt is all coming together nicely. I like the rebar idea, but knowing me, that would be a tripping place. How long is the rebar? I am just wondering if you found someone to cut it to length.
ReplyDeleteThis is just something I did that may not help you or apply to what you have in mind. Every year I would buy another bag of soil and use it to top off two flower beds. They seemed a little emptyish because I could not afford a lot of soil at first and for some reason, I seemed to have a little less soil in the spring than in the fall before.
The rebar, I should do a post on it. They are precut, sold in bundles of a dozen, at Home Depot. Very inexpensive. I think these were about 2 feet long and our soil was soft enough that I could push them in with the heel of my boot. They had shorter and longer lengths. I originally found them in the cement/concrete supply section but then they moved them out to the garden area.
DeleteLove the idea of the soil each season. I was thinking of that for the garden beds too. They do get less just as the rain settles, them etc. Good idea to just add it each year at the beginning of the season. Thanks!
What progress. You are going to be smiling this summer after all the hard work. Make sure and dump the bleach before the birds get to it. The cardboard (or lasagna garden) really works well. Glad to know the lavender came back. The ones I planted last summer don't look like they are going to make it.
ReplyDeleteOh how we hope!!! I said bleach but not sure if that's what we'll use. It's concrete so I wasn't sure what was best. The cardboard worked great. And yep, the lavender, we lost one but the other had a small bit that survived and now it's growing. Yay!! Hang in there, you never know!!!
DeleteI am so impressed with all your work. Gotta love mint, even if it is invasive. I love sitting around it when the wind blows hard. The smell is intoxicating!
ReplyDeleteThank you for that! I had never really thought about planting mint to where it can just take over but when I got to thinking about this corner bed, it was perfect, it won't spread to other beds and will just be contained there. We hope it looks nice filled in (and a few marigolds peeking out here and there). And I never thought about the smell, that will be nice from the porch.
DeleteIt looks wonderful and the Marigolds are great companion plants. I have spearmint in a pot under the outside tap. This way it get naturally watered when ever the tap is used and the added bonus is whenever you use the tap, you get a waft of beautiful smell. The plant is too big for the pot as it overflows onto the path but the bonus there is the smell you get when you walk on it.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a plant under the tap there is always water dripping around there. I'll have to remember that. And nice to walk on it and get some smell too. Nice!!! Thanks!!!
DeleteWow that looks great. You spaced them flowers out well too gives them room to fill in. Should be pretty in a couple months. Monica
ReplyDeleteIt's hard not to crowd them when they are so small but I checked future size and hope I planned it out well. And I'll happily fill in with other flowers and plants. Thanks!!!
DeleteIt is looking great. Job well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, hoping it's all worth it in the end!!!
DeleteYou sure did a lot of work! The knockout rose in the center of each flowerbed is a great idea; along with your annuals, you’ll have blooms almost all the time. The flowerbed by the house is looking really pretty also - the mint in there will be nice and green and fragrant - and convenient to snip off a leaf for your iced tea on the porch.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very Happy Birthday!!
Thank you for the well wishes!!! Yeah, we had the knockout roses already, two of them, and like I said, didn't want to put them close to the ends because it could be a problem when walking into the garden or mowing around the ends.
DeleteOh, and ice tea with mint, we can't WAIT!!!!
I'm just wondering if it's safe for the birds to bleach that? Obviously you will rinse it, but own't the smell linger? I wonder if vinegar wouldn't work...
ReplyDeleteThat you for this. I am doing some research on it. I have edited the post to remove that reference (so as to not encourage that) I want to make sure to do it the best way. Thank you!!!!
DeleteHappy belated birthday! Those beds look wonderful - I've always loved beds framed with timbers.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this!!! This is our first time using the timbers. They work really well and give us clean lines. I'm going to use them along the front of the house. In fact, need to go buy some more. Thanks!!!
DeleteA belated happy birthday! And the flower beds look great. Well worth the effort. When all the flowers grow and fill them up it will be glorious.
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you for that sweet lady!!!! I can't wait to see them grow and fill in (and then I can see how much room I have for other stuff, ha.)
DeleteYour flower beds look so nice and tidy. Happy belated birthday! I hope it was a great day!
ReplyDeleteHEY Tonya!!!! Where have you been? Missed you! Thanks for the bday wishes!!! Come back soon!!!
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