Gardening, anyone?

[Formerly YB-2]

Anyone else like to garden?
I've been primarily into azaleas and rhodos along with ornamental trees like dogwood, Japanese maples, magnolias and Carolina Silver Bell. But, expanded my front beds over the last couple of years and put in roses (Knockout & bare-root hybrids - only been in the ground for ~3wks), Asian & day lilies, iris, black-eyed Susans, etc. Adding & moving Hostas, lillies of the valley, but mostly just enjoying and watering now in the heat of the summer. More planting & relocating this fall.
Two friends are also gardeners, but they are primarily into veggies in raised beds. But, being in the middle of the veggie/fruit growing region of the "Garden State", that doesn't hold much interest for me. Easy enough to drive 10min to one of many veggie stands.
Bright noon-day sun has washed out my cell-phone camera on all but the rose. Lillies are much more colorful then they appear.

[Antonmb]

Beautiful Glenn. I’m not into gardening but my wife is, and I’m very much into enjoying the fruits of her labor. She’s the master gardener, I dig holes and put up arbors where instructed. Here’s a sampling.

IMG_2584.jpgIMG_2583.jpgIMG_2580.jpgIMG_2577.jpgIMG_2575.jpgIMG_2558.jpgnIMG_2523.jpgIMG_2625.jpg

[Formerly YB-2]

Thanks, Tony.
Very nice. Wish I could work that deal with my spouse. But, she is content to have cut flowers whenever she can (roses & lace-top hydrangea at the moment). I hire casual labor when its time to mulch or rake leaves.

[mchydro]

Beautiful gardens, gentlemen!

[dkorbal]

Avid gardener here Glenn. Yours and Tony’s landscaping looks great.

Here are a few pics of my latest work. I like intermixing hardscape into my gardening. Finally got around to building a small wall around my blue spruce. Since it’s difficult growing anything under pines I will next year put more pots. Everything is on a 12 zone watering system which saves hours of watering time. Eventually I want to hook up a automatic fertilizer system to my watering system. I reconstructed the patio area at the end of last year and planted this spring. I’m currently away this week but when I get home I’ll post pics of this area.

[Antonmb]

Beautiful - love the vines on the brickwork too.

[Formerly YB-2]

Great look. We do a number of things in pots. Petunias, geraniums, daisies, etc. Hibiscus that wintered over in the sun room have glorious foliage but not a single bud this year.

With out new beds we used a full pallet of random flag stone. Spring mulch was 6yds.
We are currently deciding between pavers and a wood deck for our back. We put a new 8x8 treated wood surround and reset the old pavers last fall, but not satisfied with that. Probably going with pavers. The 5 pieces of 8"x8"x12' edge were just under $500, total last fall. Out of curiosity I priced them again a couple of weeks ago. Was told, "if we can get them will be over $300, each". Not a good time to need wood.

[dkorbal]

I’m right there with you on the mulch. Between the new bed and not mulching last year I put down over 7 yds. The house faces east so 20 plus pots, hanging baskets, and hanging bags in the front are new guinea impatiens. Each year we do a color theme, this year was orange one our favorite.

In the back we have a cement walkout patio that leads to a paver patio. I’ve thought about using pavers or a trex deck to cover the cement but that will probably be within the next year or two. The more lumber goes up the more economically the other choices become.

Last year around the back patio is where I did the relandscaping. I had a 12’ high trellis that I build around 15 years ago that walled off one side of the patio. On this trellis I had a trumpet vine growing. It was beautiful and private providing but if you know anything about trumpet vines they are very invasive. I’m getting older any between maintaining all the areas I didn’t want vines growing and some big wind storms causing damage, I decided to take it completely out. What a job! Two years later and I’m still pulling new trumpet vine shoots out all over the place. I’ve read it could take up to five years for shoots to stop growing. Here is a pic of the way it WAS. A portion of the trellis and vine is in the upper right of the photo.

[Formerly YB-2]

Originally Posted by dkorbal

Each year we do a color theme, this year was orange one our favorite.

I had a trumpet vine growing. It was beautiful and private providing but if you know anything about trumpet vines they are very invasive.

Tony - that's a good thought on the color. I need three azaleas to fill in some spots in the new beds and I'm searching for orange.

Another invasive plant that is proving a challenge to get rid of is wisteria. I took ours out 4 seasons ago and am still having to battle its return. Horrible stuff.

I once ask my local nursery about bamboo, another invasive plant. He said he won't sell bamboo. Said it is so invasive you can hear it grow at night.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

Another invasive plant that is proving a challenge to get rid of is wisteria. I took ours out 4 seasons ago and am still having to battle its return. Horrible stuff.

Funny, we struggled for 25 years to keep wisterias alive. They’d last a couple of years, then die off, never having bloomed. We finally have two that are growing on poles that have had a few blooms for the last few years. Differences in climate I guess.
IMG_2551.jpg