New "sunken" tropical garden
The biggest change in our gardens in the last 3 years is shown here.
We had an above ground pool with surrounding wooden fence for nearly
18 years. Once our sons grew up and flew the coop, we found the pool
was under-used and high maintenance and way past it's normal life span.
We removed the pool and installed a "hidden/sunken" garden!!
October 2006
This page is under construction from here on!!
Please ignore our dust and come back in a few days.
March 16, 2009
March 15
Dwarf Crested Iris is a native of Kentucky and Southern Indiana forests.
These diminutive plants are only 4 to 6 inches tall with blooms of 1 1/4 inch.
This patch started with just 1 plant 4 years ago and has spread to a 3 foot diameter
group.
These are planted under a Bradford pear tree so they get
full sun in the early spring but shade during the hot summer. April 21
A red gazing ball lends some color to the pink Spirea
June 5
These dwarf Burning Bush lend some color to the red gazing ball!!
When our burning bushes look like this we know that old man winter is knocking on
our door.
November 5
Evening primrose is a hardy, reliable splash of yellow
along the path in our early summer garden. It can be slightly invasive but it's
shallow roots are easily contained by burying a ring of plastic flower-bed edging
around it. Requires some watering during dry spells but otherwise is nearly
maintenance and pest free.
June 5
Corn Poppy- papaver rhoeas is one of my favorite flowers in the wild flower bed
June 5
Another pretty surprise in the wildflower bed.
June 5
June 5
Rita fusses about the "tangled mess" but if you've got room for even a small bed-
wildflowers are a joy to behold. There are new and different blooms almost every day
all season long. After they've gone to seed in the fall just cut down the tops
and wait for them to re-appear next year!
We added a small bed of mixed gladiolis last summer and it was a hit.
They sprawled all over the lawn when they bloomed so we used them to add a touch
of color and "coolness" to our back porch on a hot summer afternoon. They start blooming
on the lower part of the stalk and continue right up to the top bud lasting a week
or so even after they've been cut.
July 20
July 30
Hibiscus- disco belle is a favorite year after year!
July 30
This plant blooms mightily for a 3 to 4 week span in late summer.
The dinner plate size blooms last only one day and have no fragrance but
WOW- they will catch your eye from a hundred feet away.
Japanese beautyberry- Callicapra Japonica.
We were attempting to espaliea this one to a simple "re-bar" trellis. I recently
discovered it normally dies back to the ground during our winters so I'm not
sure how it's going to work here. (Wish I'd done my homework before
planting this one!) Note, the foliage you
see in the background is foxglove and not the leaves of a beautyberry.
November 7
The pretty purple berrys add a little color to a fall garden.
These lasted only about 3 weeks or so but we enjoyed them on those indian summer
days of late fall.
Winterberry- Ilex verticillata is a great addition to the late fall garden.
The pretty red berries are wonderful in table decorations too. It's a native plant that
is found from Nova Scotia to Florida and Michigan to Missouri. Trouble free and low
maintenance.
Note: you need one male plant somewhere in your garden
in order for the "ladies" to produce these beautiful & long lasting berries.
November 17
Just two of the many deer that stroll, trample and munch their way through
our gardens - seen here through a rain spattered window
on a late February morning.
We made it almost all the way to Halloween before Jack Frost bit our tender
annuals. Note the Purple hyacinth beans on the arch trellis are drooping.
The red gazing ball and deck rails have a frosty coating.
Now it's time to harvest some of the bean seeds to save for next year's crop.
October 29
So long for now- we hope to see you again- in the garden or on the trail!
Dan & Rita enjoying our other favorite pastime -hiking! This view is from the top of
Kentucky's Pine Mountain state park - home of the chained rock-
which is next door to the
Historic Cumberland Gap National park.
Thanks for stopping by. We hope you enjoyed your visit to our tiny piece
of Kentucky!
Come back, anytime!
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