Peony supports and a quick walk around the yard

As promised, and I'm sure you are on pins and needles with anticipation, we take a look at some peony supports that work quite well and take a look at a few pictures from the yard today.

The hoops that you see in the garden center are fine of you have isolated plantings. But for a hedge of peonies, the hoops just won’t work well. I got tired of the bushes flopping over when they are heavy with blossom, especially after a good thunderstorm. It never seems to fail, just at the height of the bloom a big storm rolls through and knocks them all down.

This simple support system really performs well, I use wooden stakes and vinyl cover wire mesh – it’s about 2x3 holes in the fence. I pound the stakes in the ground and simply slide the mesh over the up to about 18” from the ground. This allows the plants to grow through it and will hide the supports by the time they bloom.

Also, it is pretty handy to have the plants through the supports. When they dry you can just use your garden trimmer and cut them off under the support. I was lazy last year and left the supports up all winter so that is where we start.

Not sure what happened but this one fell over.

So after cleaning it up it looks like this.

It's not very pretty but it works. By June you won't be able to see the support system at all, and, when it rains the plants will not all collaspe.

So while I was out I took a few more pictures.

The magnolia is looking pretty. I don't know how everyone feels about daffodils popping up throught the lawn but I like it.

Here we are in the back  the bleeding hearts coming up next to lungwort in full flower.

Clearly I need to rake out the beds. And here are some early ferns unfurling.

Helleboris or Lenten rose.

And lastly some hops. Beastly plant but fun to grow.

 
I still have a great deal of work to do to get it cleaned up, but it is growing - looks like most everything survived the winter. The large amount of snow probably helped.
 
Until later....

Vegetable Hoop House

So I am trying something new this year, a hoop house over the vegetable box. The vegetable box is quite small - only 4' x7'. But I thought I could get a jump on the lettuce and green onions.

In previous years we've grown with decent success tomatos, cilantro, basil, and eggplants. Last year the eggplant did not do so well. Not sure why, maybe too crowded?

The purpose of the hoops house is to protect the plants from cold, excessive pounding rain which is common this time of year, and to heat the soil up.

After putting up the hoop house I put in a high-low thermometer. It got up to 110 degrees on a sunny 55 degree day! But it didn't do that well in keeping it warm. Perhaps the hoops are too big?

Construction was very easy, I spent 5 x $.89 for the 1/2" x 10' pcv pipe, I already had the clear plastic, the clamps (big binder clips), the 1/2" emt (electrical) conduit guides, lumber, tape and hinges.

So here are the pictures, it's not fancy, but effectiveness trumps aesthetics.

The lettuce and onions are in - and just in time - the torrential rains of the last days would've made a mess of the delecate plantings. I'll keep you posted.  Next up, peony supports, and not those hoops things that they sell - well OK I do use them for two plants that are isolated but not for the long solid bed.
Until later Dear Reader...

2009 - a new side garden and a color riot!

OK, so I couldn't justify going through 2006-2008 - really more of the same, just bigger. A few plants did fail. After a few years of covering the arch and the shade structure the silver lace just did not come back. I've replaced it with hops - Caution - unless you have a place for them to go, avoid hops they are super aggressive!

The yellow iris that came from the Batavia House with me are petering out - they need some transplanting and centering again - they have wandered into the sedum.

And the Hops grow vigorously up the shade structure.

I haven't shown you much from the shady area against the garage - here are some ferns and hostas.

It's just  very peaceful back there.

We were very fortunate this spring to come into some river rock free for the hauling. I was on that faster than a hobo on a chicken dinner! The west side of the house had always been neglected. I took some time off work and used the rock to define and edge the beds. I also had enough to edge around the magnolia out front. Take a walk with me.

So there is a little tour of the side garden. I really like the way it pulls you into the back garden and your eye travels all the way to the japanese maple.

The roses were spectacular again last year.

The peonies performed well again. As I've mentioned they came with the property even if I didn'y know they were here when I bought the place. I've also worked out the staking methond - both effective and discrete.

On to the lilies! Always liked them and they come in so many forms and colors. Always interesting.

And now the final few before I wrap up 2009.

And so we'll wrap it up now. I am sure there are other pics, I know I am missing the Knockout roses, the lupine, the sedum and a few others. Oh well there is always this year!

If you have any questions of comments, I'd love to hear from you.

More from 2005

Here we are again, and I've found a few more pics from 2005. I need to get up to date to begin 2010.

So here we are:

The peonies were here when I bought the place so I can't take any credit for them. The Rose is either "John Cabot" or "Redcoat".

As you can see from the wider shots the Lambs ear and the Salvia are going great guns. At this point the lambs ears is smaller as is the Salvia - I put in some more Salvia in the summer of 2009, so we'll see it it returns to its former glory.