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Showing posts with the label island bed

Sesleria Greenlee Moor Grass Planted (And Transplanted) In Island Bed - October 2024

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Fall is for planting.  At least, that's what I've figured out after eight seasons of gardening our property in (now) Zone 6a/5b.  The lure of the nursery in Spring is so strong, but things do better when they go in later in the season.  At least...that's been true the past few years.  Fall Planting 2023 was WILD.  This year, it is slower, but still happening.  There have been two conifer trees in the front yard - Oregon Green Austrian Pine and the Skylands Spruce. Today, I'm showing how I've added three Greenlee Moor Grasses to the island bed.  Two of them are new; bought at the end-of-the-season sale at The Growing Place.  One of them, I transplanted from last year's spot (by the Saratoga Ginkgo) .   Below is a look at the small quart-sized container of the two that I picked up this season: I mentioned this in the post from last Fall - when I dug in the first three - that Greenlee Moor Grasses are on (my guy!) Roy Diblik's "Appropriate Plant List"

Skylands Oriental Spruce - Planted in Island Bed - Front Yard - October 2024

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Fall Planting 2024 continues with a second front-yard conifer tree: the Skylands Oriental Spruce. Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’.  This is the second, small conifer tree that I put in our front yard in the past week - with the first one being the Oregon Green Austrian Pine .   At the end of September, I wrote about the Skylands Spruce and detailed the golden needles - among other features .  I've been thinking about a Skylands Spruce in our yard for years and now...thanks to Nat's Mom...we have a small one.   I extended (back towards the house) the island bed that features the Northern Glow Korean Maple and the Spring Grove Ginkgo.  Now, there's a Skylands Spruce.   I had a lot of luck with Fall Planting (#FallPlanting) conifers last year, so *fingers crossed* that trend continues with these two new conifers this Fall. Below are a few photos showing the tree and the island bed: Below is a look at the island bed from the sidewalk - the Skylands Spruce is in the back...on the l

October Daphne Sedum - Beginning to Bloom - September 2024

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Back in late April, I bought a single 1# nursery container of a stonecrop/sedum at the Morton Arboretum Arbor Day Plant Sale that reminded me of eucalyptus.  I bought it on a whim and didn't have a plan for it.  When I cut and created the new Island bed in the front yard, I ended up tucking it into the backside of that bed - behind the Spring Grove Ginkgo.  I don't seem to have posted about it.  And, to be fair...I mostly forgot about it.   But, the rabbits didn't forget about it.  They've been gnawing at it all Summer.  But, it keeps growing back.   The name of the plant - October Daphne - would imply that it puts on a show in October.  But...perhaps due to the rabbit damage, that show has ALREADY begun - in early/mid-September.  See below for a photo showing the pink blooms on some of the tips: Here, below, is a look at the sign from the sale that describes the sedum (or stonecrop) - Sedum sieboldii 'October Daphne' - as a 'low spreading species'.   Gr

Late Summer Growth on Northern Glow Korean Maple Tree - Front Yard - September 2024

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Back on July First, I posted the details of a new (to me) Northern Glow Korean Maple tree that I planted in our front yard in a newly created island bed.  I tucked it in next to our third Spring Grove dwarf Ginkgo tree.  Planting a new tree in the middle of the summer Summer is always a risk - with the heat and drought conditions that usually occur around here in Zone 6a/5b.   But, I learned last year that some shade cloth (50%) is a pretty good path towards helping young, dwarf trees get established during the heat of July and August.  So, that's what I did:  I put up a shade cloth covering both the Ginkgo and the Northern Glow Korean Maple .  With the cloth down at the end of August, I've begun to provide supplemental water to both of these small trees.  And, what I'm seeing on the Maple is a surprise (to me):  new, late-Summer foliage growth.  There are a handful of new buds that have emerged on some of the tips of the tree and some new leaves are beginning to unfurl.  S

Korean Maple, Sping Grove Ginkgo Island Bed Update - Late August 2024

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Earlier this season, I planted a dwarf Spring Grove Ginkgo tree , a Korean Maple ( Northern Glow Maple ) and a clump of Inferno Coleus in a new island bed in the middle of our front yard.  I used shade cloth to protect all of these from the hot Summer sun, but with the calendar turning to late-August (and Nat saying that it was looking a little 'Sanford & Son'), I recently took the shade cloth down.  And, here, below is how everything is faring this Summer.  The photo shows the Ginkgo, Maple and Coleus all doing well.  I say 'well' because they're not dying.   The top of the Maple saw some damage, but I'm pretty sure that's due to the shade cloth.  The Ginkgo is putting on tiny, curled leaves.  And the coleus is thriving.   Here's what this spot looked like BEFORE I created this new island bed .   My plan for [Fall 2024] is to connect this bed to the driveway and sidewalk and cover it in mulch.  Guess I need to start saving cardboard.  

Island Bed Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' Growth - Late July 2024

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The groundcover that I've fallen for in the past few seasons has been Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip'.  I've planted it in a few spots in the front and back.  But, the first planting was in Fall 2022 when I put a couple of plugs from the big box Fall closeout sale in the island bed between our front stairs and driveway.    This post from August of 2023 shows both the as-planted size and what they looked like nine months later - in August of 2023 .  I had three plants then.  Last Fall, I added a few more - the ones along the driveway seem to have made it, but the two tucked in behind the Karl Foerster grasses died back this Spring .   To date, I haven't divided these, but rather have just let them spread out and naturalize the area.   Here, below is what it looks like today - with the carpet bugleweed growing out into a dense weed-suppressing mat.  I've started to call this "living mulch". Here are a few close-up photos below showing the groundcover and the gro

Inferno Coleus Planted in Island Bed - July 2024

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#8 on my 2024 to-do list was to plant more annuals - including coleus - as bedding plants.   I posted a link to a garden tour video earlier this year where I fell in love with Inferno Coleus and talked about how that felt like an entry-point for me.    While I probably should have BOUGHT MORE, I ended up with three.  Decent start, right?  Below, is a look at the three Inferno Coleus planted in full sun - in my new Island Bed in the front yard.   These three are planted in between the Korean Maple (Northern Glow) and the Spring Grove (dwarf) Ginkgo tree in our front yard .   My immediate reaction is that three is NOT enough.  But, I'll watch these grow this season and then come up with a plan for 2025. As it relates to the 2024 to-do list, I think these three Inferno Coleus check that box.

Dwarf Spring Grove Ginkgo Tree Planted In Front Yard - July 2024

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In 2023, I bought a pair of dwaft ( Witch's Broom) Ginkgo trees named Spring Grove Gingkos and planted them on either side of our back stoop .  They're handsome dwarf trees that have done well.  They wilt in the hot sun a little bit, but have put on good growth in their two growing seasons .  So...when I came across another one earlier this Summer, I grabbed it. I wasn't sure where it would go, but when I decided to cut out and create the new front yard Island Bed and plant the Northern Glow Korean Maple , I figured this small Spring Grove Ginkgo would make a handsome companion.     I put it in the opposite corner of the bed and like the Korean Maple, I also covered this with some shade cloth to give it a little bit of protection from the summer sun.  This one is multi-trunked (2 stems).  You can see the as-planted state below: Here (below) is a capture of the plant tags: This is the second island bed plant and will (hopefully) serve as the anchor to the (eventual) larger