A NEW LOOK FOR THE OLD GARDENS
Between the summer heat and aging, it has become difficult to maintain my flower gardens properly. This is what I hope to begin doing the fall...and with some luck, finish!
I have already started with this garden in the back of my condo. I took out all the bee balm because it was old and not very pretty any more. Even the hummers didn't like it much. Next year I will not attempt any farming and leave the tomato and squash growing to others. The phlox will be transplanted elsewhere.
In place of all this, I will plant a single small, conical shaped evergreen and mulch the entire area. Nice and clean!
In this space I will move the azalea and a couple other perennials within the same space. Some of the phlox from the other side will come here. The cone flowers stay. There is a bleeding heart you can't see, but it will have to go. This will also be heavily mulched.
This is my front garden. I mulched it this spring and glad I did. It really helped keep the weeds down. The lobelia in the back keeps falling over...or, as I suspect, an animal comes through at night and knocked it down. I would like to plant it again next year, but put a protective fence around each plant. The hummers need something to replace the bee balm. No big changes here except I will move the phlox around and bring some up from the back. The bicycle, as cute as it is, may have to go to one of the back gardens. Hector stays where he is! I hope to plant ornamental peppers again around the front of Hector. Right next to the marigolds you can see that humongous bleeding heart. I tried to get rid of it at one time, but must have left one root behind. It didn't blossom continuously this year...I don't know why. But it's hardy, so I will leave it. Maybe everything just needs a mega dose of fertilizer. We'll see.
So, that's what my gardens look like now and what I have planned. Any ideas will be considered, but please do not be offended if I don't use your idea. There you have it!
