Friday, January 14, 2011

Redesigning a border

This is the border that runs up the side of our driveway.  It is especially lovely in the spring when all of the forsythia is in bloom.  Then later the roses, gardenias, nandinas and azalias bloom.  I also have some hydrangeas, butterfly bushes and lambsears in this bed. 

I love it that it has the monkey grass border that winds along the edges.  It is on a hill, and at the top end  the bed is much higher than the bottom.
Because of the erosion, my husband put up a low retaining wall at the top 1/3 of the bed.  It curves nicely from the azalias back to an arbor that holds roses and clematis.

Now, as I am perusing my new garden catalogs, I am looking for something to fall over the edges of the new wall to soften it, and pull all of the colors together.  It is mostly soft pastel pinks, lavenders, purples and grays.  I also have to consider that the cherry trees and crepe myrtles have grown and added more shade to that end of the bed. 

I am thinking of transplanting some hostas from other areas that now receive too much sun because we limbed up some of our wonderful old oaks.  They look better, have stood up better in the last ice storm we had, and bring more light into the house as well as the garden.   So, in those gardens I need to remove some things and add plants that prefer more sun.

As I have said in the past, a garden is everchanging.  And that is what I love about it!
It gives me a chance to share some of the lovely things I have, and exchange them for things that remind me of my friends when I enjoy the new planting in my garden.

Planning is part of the excitement of the coming new season. So many new colors, scents, varieties to choose from.  The catalogs are all dog-earred already.  I will go through them many times before I make my final choices.

Do you have any new areas that you are planning changes for?  I'd love to hear about them.  Share your thoughts.  Maybe I will use some of them! 
Donna

1 comment:

Scott Kelley said...

I am so looking forward to spring. I planted tulips two falls ago and they came up very nice. I hope to see them multiply and fill in this year. We try to add on to the color of the yard every year. It is fun and requires patients to see the results.