My Troubles with Landscape Cloth: Part 2

It's been a little over ten years, and while my garden continues to evolve, the bulk of my original design has finally been executed. This year for the first time I faced maintaining the full expansive garden, and dare I admit this, especially to myself, I was having trouble coping with the workload.

Have I bitten off more than I can chew?

The fact that I used typed in the word "workload" is telling. Gardening is work, but it should be also be fun. Relaxing even. This summer gardening has felt too much like drudgery.

Something has to change to bring gardening back into the realm of enjoyable.

I began to consider eliminating a few flowerbeds, even though the thought of that was heartbreaking.
But when I really started to pause and examine what was demanding the most labor, I realized the garden itself wasn't the thing dragging me down. It is the network of pathways in the garden. This summer I swear I have spent more time weeding the paths than I spent weeding the flowerbeds!

Lets step back in time and see what has got me into this mess.

The very back part of the garden as it was when we moved in. 

This view shows only half the full length of the backyard.

When we moved in there were perennial gardens down the sides of the long, narrow lot and a circular herb garden at the back (which was more weeds than herbs).

It was really nice, but when you stood on the porch and looked down the long stretch of grass, the backyard as a whole, looked somewhat like a bowling alley.

Four years ago

To foreshorten the perspective and make the lot feel wider than it was, I designed a partial fence to obscure the view of the herb garden. In the centre of the fence, I created a doorway in the form of an arbor.

Through the new arbor there was a view of a traditional urn and a glimpse of the herb garden beyond. The area surrounding the herb garden became a gravel courtyard with an underlay of landscape cloth. When the instillation was complete, it was amazing how much wider the property looked.

A few years later came four raised beds for vegetables and herbs.

The area around the 4'x 7' raised beds was tight, so grass was not feasible. We installed landscape cloth and this time I wanted a softer covering, so went with natural cedar mulch.

Two years ago

In front and to the the right of the raised beds we created an area where we plan to build a little gazebo in the future. 

Again, we created a little courtyard by laying landscape cloth and covering it with pea gravel.

Very rough garden plan before and after 

Present day in late August.

Cimicifuga 'James Compton' has deep eggplant colored leaves, which my camera does not do justice.

The flower (seen below) smells like honey.

Hydrangea 'Little Lime'

A tall native plant called Ironweed. You can see it just behind the white bench.

Wild Bergamont or Monarda fistulosa

Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Lobelia x speciosa 'Dark Crusader'

Phlox 'David's Lavender' in the afternoon sunshine.

The view from the back looking toward the house.

Rudbeckia

As you can imagine, we began to learn quite a lot about laying landscape cloth along the way. 

Too late, we began to realize its pitfalls....

I hate to do this, but I think I am going to have to send the rest into a Part 3, 

but I promise not to make you wait a full week to read it.

My Garden: Summer into Fall

Snow began to fall last Sunday bringing the 2014 gardening season

 come to an abrupt conclusion for me. 

What a spring, summer and fall it has been in my garden! What is that oh-so-familar quote? Change is the only constant.

Three big trees came down in June and suddenly there was sun where previously there was shade.

The view along the picket fence last summer.

In August the city redid the sidewalk at the front of the house making it wider. I figure that I lost six to twelve inches of garden along the white picket fence. The workers who relaid the concrete sidewalk slabs were respectful of my garden, but the plants still suffered horribly. My late summer display of blooms was not at all up to its usual splendour.

Sadly, I don't think it will ever look this good again!

My picture taking in late summer and fall was spotty at best. 

Here is a sampling of those images. It is a bit of a long post, but I figure you will only read up on the plants that happen to catch your eye.

Phlox paniculata 'Nicky', yellow Rudbeckia, Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy' 

and Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Late August

Phlox paniculata 'Nicky': Nicky's deep plum color makes it a great companion for late summer Rudbeckia and Echinacea. Full sun or light shade. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Phlox paniculata 'David's Lavender': I think this has become one of my favourite varieties of phlox. The flowers are a lovely lavender-mauve. Full sun or light shade (mine is in light shade). Average to moist growing conditions. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune': Height: 60-75 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 45- 60 cm (18-23 inches). Full sun or light shade. Normal, sandy or clay soil are fine. Average, dry or moist growing conditions. Zones: USDA 2-9

White Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium altissimum 'Prairie Jewel': is pretty, but unlike the pink forms of Joe Pye Weed, 'Prairie Jewel' flops on rather weak stems. As you can see here in this picture, 'Prairie Jewel' ended up leaning heavily on the Agastache in front of it. Next year I must remember to support it properly. 'Prairie Jewel' blooms later than the pink varieties I grow and is a welcome addition to my fall garden. Height: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches), Spread: 60- 90 cm (24-36 inches). Full sun. Average to moist growing conditions. Zones: USDA 4-9.

Mid-September

Phlox paniculata 'Creme de Menthe': blooms a little later than many of the other varieties of phlox in my garden. One of its best features are its green leaves with cream colored margins. Full sun or light shade. Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Agastache 'Blue Fortune' in late September.

Agastache now brown and dry at the end of October

Joe Pye Weed, Eupatorium dubium' Little Joe'

September

Dwarf Perennial Sunflower, Helianthus 'Happy Days': I think it is about time I cut this poor plant some slack. Though I like to experiment with new plants, I am always a bit apprehensive when a perennial is unfamiliar. It's a case of once bitten twice shy: I have enough problems already with aggressive plants like lily of the valley and goutweed.  

I was suspicious the moment I removed 'Happy Days' from its nursery pot and saw long white roots wrapping around the root ball. Worried that it might be yet another vigorous spreader, I planted it in one of my raised beds where it could only travel so far. It has been in the garden for 3 years now and seems fairly well behaved. It has not spread wildly, but it does seem to shift its location slightly each year; preferring to move to a fresh spot each spring.

Height: 55-60 cm (22-24 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). My plant is in light shade. Average to moist well-drained soil. Water well until established. It blooms for at least a month when deadheaded. Zones: USDA 4-9

Mid-September

Mid-September

Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow' : This plant is relatively new to my garden. When it came up this spring, I did not recognize the stems or leaves and almost pulled it out as a weed! But the neat plum colored stems made me hesitate and I am glad I held off. 

This is a new selection of Rudbeckia with bi-color blooms. It is a short-lived perennial with a tendency to reseed itself as it did in my garden. It is easy to grow in average or moist, well-drained soil. It is tall, and a bit floppy, so it is good to give it some support. Full sun. Height: 90-120 cm ( 36-48 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches) . USDA Zones 3-10.

Rusty wondering when I am going to stop taking pictures and go inside to get his breakfast.

Mid-September

Anemone hupehensis 'Prince Henry': After a few failed attempts, I think I have finally found a good spot for growing anemones. My plant is just a year old, but is doing well. I have high hopes for lots more flowers next summer. 'Prince Henry' likes rich fairly moist soil and part shade. Height 60-80 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 60-90 cm (20-35 inches) USDA Zones 5-9.

Hollyhock Mallow, Malva sylvestris 'Purple Satin': This was an impulse purchase made this spring. I have always admired the self-seeded Mallows growing wild in the neighbourhood. They flower long after most other plants have succumbed to frost. The Mallows growing in wild patches here are relatively compact, so I was somewhat unprepared for the monstrous size of 'Purple Satin'. This plant reaches 3-4 feet! Even a tomato cage could not keep it upright.

Malva sylvestris 'Purple Satin': is a biennial that likes to reseed itself. Maroon flowers appear in mid-summer and continue well into the fall. Full sun. Height: 150 cm ( 3-4'), Spread 45-60 cm (18-24 inches). Average to moist water needs. USDA Zones: 4-9.

Note: I also grew some Mallow from seed and learned the hard way that Malva sylvestris seedlings hate being moved, so plant it where you want it to grow. 

 September

Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes': Full sun or light shade. Average to moist growing conditions. Height: 60-75 cm (20-30 inches), Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Sorry, this is one of my oldest clumps of phlox and I am not sure of the cultivar.

I have to ask: Does this....

 ...look anything like this? 

I added Rosa 'Palmengarten Frankfurt' this spring, but the blooms don't look anything near as nice as the ones on this fine specimen at the Royal Botanical Garden in Hamilton. Even the shape of the flowers seems slightly off.

Perhaps time will tell.

I also a number of groundcover roses to my raised beds and a Hybrid Musk rose 

I have long admired called 'Belinda'.

Sedum spectabile 'Neon' with another clump of Agastache 'Blue Fortune'

Sedum spectabile 'Neon': This Sedum has light green foliage and magenta-pink flowers.  Full sun. Like all Sedums, it is attractive to butterflies. Height: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches) Spread: 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9

Sedum 'Pure Joy': has a low, rounded mound of blue-green foliage and pale pink flowers. Grow it in poor to average well-drained soil. Full sun. Height: 20-30 cm (10-12 inches) Spread: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches). USDA Zones: 4-9.

Early October

One of the things I love about Sedum is the way to changes color as the weather gets colder. I am not certain if this is Sedum 'Autumn Fire' or Sedum 'Autumn Joy'.

 Lobelia x speciosa 'Dark Crusader' and Lobelia siphilitica 'Alba'

 Last year I added three different varieties of Lobelia. They all bloomed for the first time this summer- not a spectacular display, but it is bound to get better with time.

Great Blue Lobelia or Cardinal Flower, Lobelia siphilitica 

Ironweed, Vernonia gigantea: is a skyscraper of a plant. Fairly new to my garden, there were exactly three stems crowned with purple flowers this summer. Height: 180-210 cm, 

Spread: 90-100 cm Full sun. It prefers moist soil, but my plant has average moisture only. 

Pokeweed, Phytolacca americana: One final tall perennial. This is Pokeweed a plant native to northern and central North America. I have one plant that is about 6' or 7' tall. When they first appear in spring, the young shoots of the plant are edible (often refereed to as "poke sallet"). 

Parts of the mature plant and berries however, are poisonous (so not a great plant choice if you have kids). Pokeweed has outrageously colored magenta stems and berries that hang like grapes. At first the berries are green in color and then magenta. As they mature, they darken to plum and finally become shinny black.

A word of warning: I grow this Pokeweed because I love tall plants and I think the stems and black berries are neat. I am really, really careful not to let the berries fall to the ground. Each little berry has tons of seeds. What is a cool plant could easily become a big problem if you are not really careful.

Fall was lovely here, but it disappeared far too quickly. So many chores remained unfinished! 

Oh well. There is always next year.

Have yourself a wonderful weekend!