Sunday, September 18, 2011

Big Changes - Before and After x 3

Last post I made some comments about changes coming to the garden. I was needing a day off work to, you know, work.

The last two days have been glorious weather  - cool and breezy which is perfect for some hard labor.

I gave myself some forced deadlines. For example I called the mulch yard and asked for 3 cubic yards of garden mix - (50% soil - 40% mushroom compost - 10% sand) to be delivered to as early as possible Friday morning and dumped at the end of the drive. Knowing the Student would be home by 6:00, pushed me to get this done. Halfway up the drive, you can see some of the material I had already removed from the bed.




















The plan was to remove two perennial beds and prep them for conversion to boxed raised beds. I want to preserve as much as possible in terms of plant materials by repurposing them in the front yard, which, as a friend told me "...is pretty sad for someone who thinks they are a gardener."



















Ouch, but the truth hurts. 

I've always enjoyed the aspect that the garden is in the back and not visible from the street, my very own "Bijou Caché." It is a surprise to pull up to the very unassuming house, walk down the driveway, and turn to see a vigorous garden. But, as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. If I was going to save those plants they'd have to move. And I might as well tart up the front of the house a bit.

I spent the morning ripping out the East bed, here is the before and after.










Then I moved the soil out of the driveway. It may not look like much, but three cubic yards takes some time.  I did in fact finish before she came home from work. I'll show you what we came up with at the end of the post. I was exhausted by the end of the day - 12 hours of removing plants and shoveling soil will do that to you. I'm afraid I wasn't good company at the German restaurant for Oktoberfest. Oh, the beer and Jager Schnitzel were delicious, but by the time I was finished I was almost falling asleep. A few aspirin before bed and hopefully I would not be too sore the next day to continue.

Surprisingly I felt pretty good! Up at 6:00, took dear daughter #2 for some driving practice, a stop at the local greenhouse (their perennials were all on sale for only $2 each!) and I finally could procrastinate no longer. While clearing out the west bed, I did feel bad as there were some plants I couldn't save. Oh well, if you want to make an omelet.. you gotta break some eggs.










All I need now is to build the boxes and fill them, shred all the material I pulled out of the garden. Won't happen today as it is raining a lovely soft gentle rain, perfect for the new plants in front.











































This still needs mulch, and is a little tatty but will be better after wintering over, I'd say it is big improvement. Whew! I need a nap.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Update on the garden. - Plans for expansion

It's almost mid September and I'm already looking ahead to next year. This year I had 2 @ 4'x7' and 2@ 2'x8' Squarefoot garden beds, 3 Growboxes and a few buckets that my wife AKA "The Student" grew.

After visiting a few other gardens,  and getting a year of SFG under my belt I'm already planning to expand. It will require some good old fashioned hard labor, as I'll be moving some perennials to the front and side yards and converting more of the back to boxed raised beds.

Here is a birds eye view of the whole back:



















It isn't very big and my garage to the left is to the east so that back doesn't get sun until late. At this point I'll leave it well enough alone.

So let's see what will be expanded. On the right side, I'll move some iris, coreopsis, lilies, knock out roses, echinacea and russian sage. The clematis I'll leave, and the trumpet vine I'll start what I suspect will be a multi year effort to eradicate. Seven or eight years in and no blossoms. Forget it.



















I have not decided how to divide that space up but I suspect a narrow bed against the fence, a walk way and then another bed.

To the left,




















Again things to move, creeping phlox, iris, sedums,  salvia. I will also be severely pruning back the roses. They may not bloom next year though I doubt I'll kill them. The root structures must be vigorous after all these years.  I also think I can probably squeeze in another bed or two where the bench and bird bath are now.

So what do you you think? Sound like a plan? are you expanding/making changes? I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com
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