This year I found my personal gardening guru, Monty Don. The UK has had him for inspiration for decades, but I am a new acolyte. Since March I’ve watched [Big Dreams, Small Spaces, and the weekly Gardener’s World] him and followed his advice on my weekend gardening days.
So here’s what’s happening in my gardens. Yesterday I expanded the brick path by the gazebo into a full-fledged patio. I have also decided to treat my Hostas better… so they’re being moved-eventually—to a shadier spot.
Our long, narrow yard will double in size soon... as our bonus house is now ready for landscaping. Hello double-wide cottage garden. Several plants/cuttings from our main garden will go to build this new space…but there is still lots to purchase. Here’s the plan sketch for bonus cottage garden.
(sorry, couldn't find my most recent sketch)
- Steps Hedge: Heavenly bamboo to form a screen (8-10 ft), or boxleaf honeysuckle (beautiful color and screening)
- Giant grass (yet to be named) for texture and winter screening (3-5 feet)
- Herb bed: herbs - bergamot, rosemary, chives, thyme, basil, peppermint in pots (3 feet)
- Perennial bed: giant red sedum, lambs ears, hollyhock, day lillies, false sunflower, echinacea, and possibly false indigo (4-6 feet)
- More perennials: hollyhocks!(2 ft)
- Under-tree shade bed: hostas, and (existing) english ivy (4-8 feet)
- Outside fence, full shade planting: Autumn fern, Christmas fern, aucuba japonica (15 feet)
- Fence hedge: Euonymous, or aucuba japonica, or perhaps a juniper (10-14 feet)
- Alonge fence: climbing - passion flower, clematis, climbing rose (12 feet
- Along Fence perennials: lambs ears, sedum,
- Ground cover: mondo grass (maybe) or varigated liriope (all over)
- Raised bed: tomato, shallots, indigo,
