Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Ivy Is Gone!!!





After much hard labour, the ivy at the side of the garden is GONE! I am on guard for probable attempts at reconquest, but for the moment it is a tabula rasa, nothing but the big trees, mulch, some bulbs, and the results of yesterday's work..

I spent a couple of hours yesterday moving some of the geranium macrorrizha to a curve in front of the three big azaleas, curving it round to the edge of the old brick wall. It will form one side of a mulch and pine needle path across the area. At the end with the two big oaks, I plan to plant bulbs -- I think they will get enough light in winter and spring to bloom well, and I will move some of the Frances Williams and the big blue hostas to cover their leaves while they die down. Frances Williams doesn't seem to like any sun, so I hope she will do well there instead of where she is on the east side, and the big blues need to be divided.

Along the sidewalk I plan to put a curve of daylilies for part of the distance -- it's about 40 feet total, then finish with a border of pachysandra for a neat edge which I hope will deter dogs from doing their daily business there. In the meantime, I am considering getting a half-truck load of leaf mulch from the county to spread it there, because the soil is very poor after the ivy's long occupation.




Are gardens ever finished?

5 comments:

Jan said...

I think if our gardens are ever finished then we've stopped being gardeners! You've been doing a lot of work and getting rid of ivy is always a chore! Being able to be creative is fun, isn't it? Fun to think about what you'll put in the new spot...that's one of the things I most enjoy!

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Hi Rosella! What a big project! That ivy... I have it only in the pots, but find a new growth on the ground from time to time! I think that pachysandra should look very good there. I love that plant!

Pat said...

Hi there, Jan and Tatyana! Haven't been in to Blotaical for weeks, because I have been too busy in the garden. Things are beginning to slow down a bit now, and I hope to have more time to spend on other things although I now have to plan for fall planting of the "new" area. And save my money for the plants I can't provide myself--I have lots of pachysandra, for example, but I don't know if I have enough for this large an area.

And I agree -- it IS fun to be creative! Tatyana, I totally agree about pachysandra -- what's not to like about an evergreen undemanding ground cover that isn't aggressive and doesn't seem to mind heat or cold.

Anonymous said...

What a huge undertaking! But your soil looks so nicely smooth and raked.

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove said...

I hope my garden is never finished!
I would be very unhappy if I could not dream up new paths, or beds or whatever for my garden. And a newe and improved plant is released every year that I just have to try.
The work that you have been doing to get rid of that ivy, the bed looks very nice now!
Please keep up the great work on your blog, I have enjoyed reading it.