Saturday, October 27, 2007

Happy Fall, Y'all...and Happy Green Thumb Sunday, too!

My new project this fall has been taking out appx. 60% of my front lawn and replacing it with a huge bed. It's more of a peninsula than an island, as it backs up to my walk path. A big challenge I am facing is that it's 25% shade and 75% sun. Towards the back (where the big Pin Oak stands, it's almost dense shade. In the front, lots of sun. I planted a Pond Cypress there. I went out looking for something small and multi trunked and came back with this puppy. I loved the wispy leaves and the way they moved in the wind. I also loved the 50% off sale! :) I will plant the circular area around the Cypress with loads of daffodils. Hope to get them in the ground tomorrow. See all the Liriope around the perimeter of the bed. There's a story there... I heard rain was coming in the next day so I decided to plant them up in the moonlight (at 11 p.m.!). As I was planting the last one, my legs begun stinging and burning. I was covered in fire ants. I have a gazillion bites on my right leg. Ugh!!!

Antique wheelbarrow filled with Autumn Ferns. They are so pretty.


I bought this Bear's Breech during a splurge in the Spring. It got so huge, it consumed my screened porch. Finally, I moved it off the porch into a shady area and promptly forgot about it. I went 'shopping' for plants in my back yard for my new front bed and found this surviving Bear's Breech in the middle of a bed of Mexican Petunia. Anything that tries that hard to live deserves a chance. It's now in the shady part of the bed.


A close up of the newest tree in our plant family. Isn't she the cutest thing??




I wish a plant gnome would show up tonight and put these puppies in the ground...


Bags of cedar mulch sit quietly in the background waiting to put the whole bed...
to bed! I think I can...I think I can....
I went to Shades of Green Nursery this afternoon looking to become inspired and decided that a wonderful fountain tucked in the bushes behind the Pin Oak would become a perfect addition. I started introducing the idea to my hubby slowly and, by golly, I think he's gonna buy the idea! I also bought a wonderful Mexican Bush Sage to out in front of the Lantana. I just love that place!








27 comments:

Carol Michel said...

You're living my dream with that big new planting bed. Love your new tree, it is very cute.

Luckily here in Indiana -so far- we don't have fire ants. I'm happy about that and sorry you got all stung up.

When that planting gnome is done with your bulbs, send him I'm up my way, I could use some help, too.

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Aiyana said...

Sounds like you've been really gardening up a storm, no pun intended. The tree is a pretty shade of green--will it stay that color, or is it changing in fall?
Happy GTS,
Aiyana

Mary said...

It all looks wonderful and will be gorgeous once it's all completed. I hope you'll show us more photos at that time. Those daffodils are going to be beautiful when they bloom. Great job!

Anonymous said...

Lovely birth of a garden. My garden is put to bed for the season.

Mark said...

I bet that area is going to look great come the spring, looks like your planting gnome is going to be busy.

Laurie and Chris said...

Wow you have been very busy. IT looks great. Happy GTS!

Annie in Austin said...

Hi Chris - it's good to see that the cooler weather gave you a burst of energy! You've made a huge change in that front garden already, and will have all those lovely daffodils to look forward to in just a few months.

I had to look up Pond Cypress - figured it was something like the Bald and Monterrey Cypress trees found around here... each a little different but all beautiful! One of my neighbors has a bald cypress in the front which turns reddish gold before the leaves drop in fall - hope you get nice color on yours, too.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

MrBrownThumb said...

Welcome back!

Congrats on the "remodel" and sorry to hear about the ants too.

I'm going to go be my own gnome and plant some bulbs now that you reminded me. :)

Anonymous said...

You've been busy. That cypress is going to look great there. Happy GTS!

Anonymous said...

Wow, You've been really busy in the garden.
Keep up the good work.
Enjoy.

Gardenmomma Chris said...

Carol, I will dream right alongside you! It's a lot of work, but will ultimately so much more interesting and healthy than a big old patch of grass, huh? Oh, the gnome didn't come so I can't send him! And when I tossed out those bulbs, I'm going to need a TON more, if it's going to look wonderful.

Hi Aiyana, the Pond Cypress will and is already changing to a gorgeous coppery color. I have some Autumn Fern changing the same color. Just love it!

Thanks, Mary. I hope the Spring photos will be great. It will be a reward for lots of hard work AND ant bites! ;)

Putting a garden to bed always seems kinda sad, Barbara, but a necessary thing to do.

Hey Mark, the planting gnome (know as Moi unfortumately) is going to be REAL busy getting all those bulbs in. I haven't planted bulbs in years!

Happy GTS you, Laurie! I just love your icon. It's just perfect for Fall.

It's good to see you, Annie! It's looking like that's exactly what my Cypress will do. I can't wait to see the Daffodils in the Spring. I'm so 'instant gratification' that I want to see them tomorrow!

Mr. BT, it's alway great reading your posts and ideas. I learn so much from you. Show me your bulbs in the Spring and I'll do the same.

Anne, I move in spirts. When it gets cool and pretty, I get moving! Thanks!

Hi Chigiy, good to see you! Thanks for the encouragement. You do the same.

Julie said...

Hi. Thanks for visiting! Your home is beautiful...so nice to "start fresh"...very exciting! My sister lives in Frisco...are you near there??? Her house kinda looks similar in style. Have fun with your bulbs!!!
Julie

Joyismygoal said...

yes she is cute

Jessica said...

Ouch! Fire ants. I am glad we don't have those in New Hampshire!

I also have wild dreams of ripping up the grass in front of my house and plant a bed. Maybe this month...I do have over 250 bulbs coming my way in the next week...

Gardenmomma Chris said...

Hi Julie, thanks for stopping by. Frisco is adjacent to West McKinney. We kind of all blend together! Unfortunately, the houses look somewhat all alike. :(
When you come visit your sister, try to visit downtown McKinney. Wonderful old architecture and great little shops and places to eat. It's a fun "girls day out".

Thanks, Joy, if I do say so myself! ;)


Hi Jessica, Oh what amazing color you must have right now. We have a little, but not like in the northeast. 250 bulbs would have been better for my bed. 75 hasn't even scratched the surface!

Anonymous said...

Very nice area to plant. Can't wait to see it all in bloom. Fireants... Not my favorite creature in the world.

Sorry about the math - but after an average of 300 spam comments a day, i had to do something - the math problem has worked.

kate said...

That is a wonderful new flowerbed. I love your new tree and the story of the Bear's Breeches. It obviously wants to live at your place.

Come spring, the bulbs will look great and you'll be happy that you planted them.

Anonymous said...

I followed the link you left when you commented on my post about staph infections, and I have enjoyed seeing your new garden. What a lot of work you have been doing, but it will be so worth it when everything is flowering. Don't you just hate to see the growing season end? Everything here has been hit by a freeze, and I can't wait till spring!

Ann M. said...

Sounds like it will be very beautiful when you get it the way you want it. I also really love the picture of the wheelbarrow.

Thanks for visiting my site, and happy GTS!

Whyite said...

I love your tree. I am planning on getting some daffodil bulbs this weekend and plant them in a bed I am wanting to make around my porch.

Gardenmomma Chris said...

Hey guppyman, no problem about the math...I was just kidding, sort of! My plant is to have a happy, okay, drop dead wonderful Spring garden full of daffodils in the Spring. Should this work out, I will post a pic!

Thanks, Kate, it does have potential. I'll just keep plugging away at it.

I'm so glad you came by, Maggie and please drop in again. Putting the garden to bed for the season is bittersweet. It's so temperate here that the downtime is really very short.

Thanks, Anne, I like that wheelbarrow, too. When we moved last year, my hubby said, "Let's just leave that old thing here!". He couldn't be talking about my wheelbarrow.

Hey Curtis! Daffodils are one of my favorite things about Spring.
Be sure to take photos of your new bed for us.

Rebecca150 said...

Ohhhh that is gonna be one nice bed! I may have to invite myself over in the springtime when all those daffs start popping!

I finally got another post up on my blog. This one was about the plant swap I went to on the 20th of October in Fort Worth. I also want to organize a plant swap for the Denton area in spring. That would make a swap in Fort Worth and a swap in Denton for the spring! It would be wonderful if you could make it!

Lemme know if you want more info in the spring:-)

Connie said...

I really like your rusty old wheelbarrow...charming. Your new garden bed will be great...nice work!

Anita said...

Dear Chris,

Thank you so much for your nice words on my stocking, ladder as well as on the pottery balls. No, I never saw such balls in a shop... If you are really interestng, please let me know - I am selling them (as well as my needlework projects). ;-))

Best wishes, Anita

Gardenmomma Chris said...

Hi Rebecca, how are you, my gardening friend? I definitely want to come to the Denton swap, just let me know where and when...and how to do it??! I'm going to do a Passalong Party here in the Spring, but on a much smaller scale than the other swaps. I'll let you know when.

Connie, thanks, I like it, too. Too think my husband wanted to throw it away. What WAS he thinking???

Anita, I am serious about your pottery balls! They are to die for! I'll email you.

Ottawa Gardener said...

I love the bear breech! I must resist the temptation to buy new plant. Hopefully it won't work for my garden zone. Resist. Resist.

Eric.J.Schumacher said...

Chris,

If you ever need tips on fighting pests like fire ants or weeds, check out Spectracide's website and their Solution Center. It has great tips on targeting these pests. Let me know what you think.

-Eric
eschumacher@3atlanta.com