There are five ponds in the garden, and for the first time in years I had to replace one of the pumps this spring. Several pumps have been working without a care for ten years, or at least as long as I can recall. I haven’t a clue what happened. One day it worked, the…
Month: May 2011
How many plants can be jammed into a garden?
Readers occasionally write asking for wider views of the garden rather than only close ups of flowers, and recently I’ve featured several of these. I often find that when I take photographs of more broad areas that the camera flattens the view so that there is too little contrast, with one plant hardly distinguishable from another. This…
Low care roses
I’m not a rose lover. I don’t cut flowers to bring indoors, and don’t aspire to grow perfectly formed or scented flowers. When I plant a rose it’s because it’s a sturdy and attractive shrub that blooms for a long period with a minimum of bother. Rose enthusiasts might turn their noses up at low…
Hostas
Hosta seedlings pop up in the garden frequently, but rarely in the places where you’d like them. They often grow in the gaps between stones in the paths, or an inch from the edge so that they must be dug and transplanted, or discarded. I don’t mind if hostas grow over the paths, but it…
The middle third
The rear garden is roughly divided into thirds, with three small ponds in the top third and thick, jungle-like planting so that one pond cannot be seen from another that is less than ten feet away. Stone paths meander through and two small patios provide vantage points to rest and enjoy the water features. The…
Squish, squish
Whenever I’m home or working in the garden, I wear a beat up, worn out pair of sandals that probably should have been tossed out long ago. They’re so often covered in mud that I see no reason for a new pair, so I’ll wear them until they disintegrate. My wife cringes whenever I wear…
A clematis for every need
The deck that is attached to the back of the house is four and a half feet above the ground on the downhill side, and for years I searched for the right plant to hide the area beneath it. I envisioned a vine that would grow quickly to cover the lattice and railing, and hoped…
The other dogwoods
Speeding down a winding road in the hills of northern Fauquier county a few days ago I saw a few native dogwoods blooming along the highway. The dogwoods in my garden are usually a week later than others in the neighborhood, and mine finished blooming two weeks ago, so I was delighted to see a…
Stand back!
….. and watch it grow. The bulk of the spring’s garden chores were accomplished one March weekend when I was feeling particularly spry, and though every muscle in my body ached on Monday, it was good to be finished. In a large garden there are always weeds and small tasks to keep the gardener occupied,…
Down to business
Today we’ll get right down to business without any chitchat, no woe-is-me tales or memories from long ago. There are, of course, more blooms in the garden in early May than can be covered in one day, but if the foolishness is kept to a minimum then we’ll be able to get to the meat…
Please don’t sit on the furniture
A few days ago I included a photo of one of the patios where a green leafed dissectum Japanese maple is perched over two lichen-covered wooden chairs. Let this serve as a warning, if you should ever visit the garden, DO NOT sit on the furniture. This set once included a bench, which maybe ten…
Rain, rain, go away
This is getting a little ridiculous! I can hardly walk in the lower end of the back garden. The lawn is saturated, the planting beds are a swamp. and those are the areas that are usually dry. The depression that runs along the lower southern border stays damp through the year from the constant trickle…
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 