The Gardening Thread

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Landscaping project started this morning. Crew of four, bobcat with a bucket on the front. All plants and lawn in the back and side yards will be taken out. New landscaping, planters, water feature, flagstone pathways, lighting, sprinkler system and plantings will be part of the project. David Austin roses arrive in two weeks, this won't be a veggie garden more like a flower and plant garden. Contractor says all but the plantings will be completed in 7 working days.

So many good David Austin roses however they are water hogs here - c. TX - in full sun. Some varieties do better than others. I'm partial to the Molineaux. Lady of Shalott is another great one, it's a lovely orange color. Heritage is a classic, so is Abe Darby.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Yes, hired a landscape architect, used most of her design as the basic plan, then made a few of our own modifications.

Landscape architects are generally very vanilla when it comes to plant selection. My suggestion is to take the draft out to local nurseries, try and get some differing ideas from some knowledgeable plant people.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Will do, I'll give updates. It's a very small backyard, here's what the backyard looked like when we bought the house in June 2021

Yall ripped out the arborvitaes?? They look like good anchors to build off. What's the thought there, more turf grass?

 

[Go aeiou]

Landscape architects are generally very vanilla when it comes to plant selection. My suggestion is to take the draft out to local nurseries, try and get some differing ideas from some knowledgeable plant people.

I think the problem in TN is most LA work(almost all) is for commercial plantings, and most of those are generic.
Most homeowners are impressed by "fast growing" plants. I was shocked when our daughter and son-in-law hired a nursery to design and plant their home. Looked like it came from Lowes.

 

[GoDucks349]

Yall ripped out the arborvitaes?? They look like good anchors to build off. What's the thought there, more turf grass?

Hate arborvitiaes actually took 9 of them out. They are a real problem if a fire occurs.

 

[GoDucks349]

So many good David Austin roses however they are water hogs here - c. TX - in full sun. Some varieties do better than others. I'm partial to the Molineaux. Lady of Shalott is another great one, it's a lovely orange color. Heritage is a classic, so is Abe Darby.

I'm not too worried about the water requirements, sun and location are important here. Plus I'm having a drip system put in to take care of the watering.

 

[GoDucks349]

Landscape architects are generally very vanilla when it comes to plant selection. My suggestion is to take the draft out to local nurseries, try and get some differing ideas from some knowledgeable plant people.

Yea, the landscape architect was a bit over the top on the recommended plantings. We've modified it by about 40%.

FYI: 6 years ago we had 1.5 acres half of that was strictly plants, I'll attach a couple pics. But just when it came to roses we had over 60. I'm getting old and we needed to scale back a lot. I'm 74 now and just don't have the energy or desire to spend my time in the garden all day, I have lots of other things I like to do.

 

[GoDucks349]

So many good David Austin roses however they are water hogs here - c. TX - in full sun. Some varieties do better than others. I'm partial to the Molineaux. Lady of Shalott is another great one, it's a lovely orange color. Heritage is a classic, so is Abe Darby.

I'm not too worried about the water requirements, sun and location are important here. Plus I'm having a drip system put in to take care of the watering.

 

[GoDucks349]

mostly dwarf plants? a nice area to landscape.

Need to get some "vertical" in such a small place. We love the house, it's just some serious down sizing. Six years ago we had a very nice custom home on an acre and a half with 120 feet of river front on a wild and scenic river. Half the property was natural forest with some trees around 200 ft tall. Then half the property was all plants, no grass. It was beautiful, but it just took to much work for a couple old geezers. So we've been down sizing.

 

[Go aeiou]

Yea, the landscape architect was a bit over the top on the recommended plantings. We've modified it by about 40%.

FYI: 6 years ago we had 1.5 acres half of that was strictly plants, I'll attach a couple pics. But just when it came to roses we had over 60. I'm getting old and we needed to scale back a lot. I'm 74 now and just don't have the energy or desire to spend my time in the garden all day, I have lots of other things I like to do.

I'm only 70, and I am concerned about getting everything done In the next two months on 1/3 acre. I look at my back yard, and wish it was about half as big. Energy, desire, health, other interest, etc.

 

[Go aeiou]

Need to get some "vertical" in such a small place. We love the house, it's just some serious down sizing. Six years ago we had a very nice custom home on an acre and a half with 120 feet of river front on a wild and scenic river. Half the property was natural forest with some trees around 200 ft tall. Then half the property was all plants, no grass. It was beautiful, but it just took to much work for a couple old geezers. So we've been down sizing.

In Nashville the Nursery I primarily use gets a constant supply dwarf conifers from Iseli Nursery in OR. They are great to plant and watch grow 1-4 inches per year. Also Japanese Maples from the NW.

 

[GoDucks349]

In Nashville the Nursery I primarily use gets a constant supply dwarf conifers from Iseli Nursery in OR. They are great to plant and watch grow 1-4 inches per year. Also Japanese Maples from the NW.

I looked up Iseli Nursery, looks like a very nice nursery (wholesale only). They are about a 2 hour drive from Eugene. We have plans to put a Japanese Maple in the front yard. Love them!!

 

[GoDucks349]

I'm only 70, and I am concerned about getting everything done In the next two months on 1/3 acre. I look at my back yard, and wish it was about half as big. Energy, desire, health, other interest, etc.

At my old place I use to hire 8 hours of labor a week year round. That's in addition to all the hours my wife and I spent in the yard. It got to be just too much.

I had a good laugh a couple weeks ago, we were talking with a guy my wife use to work with (he'd been to our old house a few times) and now he has a new neighbor (the couple that bought our old house) he told them he knew the house they sold and they said the reason they sold it was the yard was too much work.

 

[GVF]

Yea, the landscape architect was a bit over the top on the recommended plantings. We've modified it by about 40%.

FYI: 6 years ago we had 1.5 acres half of that was strictly plants, I'll attach a couple pics. But just when it came to roses we had over 60. I'm getting old and we needed to scale back a lot. I'm 74 now and just don't have the energy or desire to spend my time in the garden all day, I have lots of other things I like to do.

Those are insane gardens. Love the look. I'm envious.

 

[GoDucks349]

Those are insane gardens. Love the look. I'm envious.

That's just a small part of the yard at the old place. Here's a few flower pics from the old place.

 

[GoDucks349]

Yard update day 2

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I think the problem in TN is most LA work(almost all) is for commercial plantings, and most of those are generic.
Most homeowners are impressed by "fast growing" plants. I was shocked when our daughter and son-in-law hired a nursery to design and plant their home. Looked like it came from Lowes.

Yeah, I've seen some designs from nurseries. The lower end ones are more spitballing ideas w retail employees and selling what's in stock. Then I've seen the other side of a landscape design from a nursery in a rich part of town (20k+ per build, minimum). The rich side sells because they subcontract to architects and landscape crews. You might see 10 different plant selections. All pomp, no substance.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

That's just a small part of the yard at the old place. Here's a few flower pics from the old place.

That tree is smokin!!

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

I looked up Iseli Nursery, looks like a very nice nursery (wholesale only). They are about a 2 hour drive from Eugene. We have plans to put a Japanese Maple in the front yard. Love them!!

Lots of good nurseries in PNW. You should have no problem finding select JM cultivars. Not sure where you are exactly but Cistus is up there and one of the best specialty nurseries in the US. I believe they are in Portland.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Need to get some "vertical" in such a small place. We love the house, it's just some serious down sizing. Six years ago we had a very nice custom home on an acre and a half with 120 feet of river front on a wild and scenic river. Half the property was natural forest with some trees around 200 ft tall. Then half the property was all plants, no grass. It was beautiful, but it just took to much work for a couple old geezers. So we've been down sizing.

Sky pencil holly, Podocarpus Maki, juniperus scop. Skyrocket or Blue Arrow, juniperus virginiana Taylor, juniperus Hentzii, ilex vom. Will Fleming or Scarlets Peak.

Not sure what you meant by vertical but those are some good columnar cvs. Newer Rose of Sharon varieties tend to be columnar as well as the European Royal Purp Smoke Tree. Columnar ginkgo can be found too.

 

[Volunteer_Kirby]

Yea, the landscape architect was a bit over the top on the recommended plantings. We've modified it by about 40%.

FYI: 6 years ago we had 1.5 acres half of that was strictly plants, I'll attach a couple pics. But just when it came to roses we had over 60. I'm getting old and we needed to scale back a lot. I'm 74 now and just don't have the energy or desire to spend my time in the garden all day, I have lots of other things I like to do.

Lots of work went into that, great job!

I am young but find low maintenance is best. If it can't survive drought, it can't stay. I make a few exceptions w some specialty salvias for the hummers. Just can't keep up w watering like some other folks, plus I like the idea of plants sticking around longer than me!

 

[GoDucks349]

That tree is smokin!!

I was wondering if I'd get a comment on that tree. It's a "Devils Walking Stick" (Arolia spinosa). The trunk and all branches have thorns about 3/8" long, it produces a beautiful flower, then the flowers transform into a ring of berries. The birds go nuts for them, I'd see 10-15 birds in the tree at a time to get to the berries. I don't recommend this tree as it sends out runners and loves to spread it's thorny shoots. Note: I didn't plant that yard.

 

[GoDucks349]

Sky pencil holly, Podocarpus Maki, juniperus scop. Skyrocket or Blue Arrow, juniperus virginiana Taylor, juniperus Hentzii, ilex vom. Will Fleming or Scarlets Peak.

Not sure what you meant by vertical but those are some good columnar cvs. Newer Rose of Sharon varieties tend to be columnar as well as the European Royal Purp Smoke Tree. Columnar ginkgo can be found too.

The yard is such a small space I want to have some taller plants to lend height to the visual of the yard. I've got some Sky pencil on the east side of the house. Have a Rose of Sharon in the front yard and will probably replace it with a Japanese Maple. I do like Smoke Trees but they may be too wide for the area. Thanks for the ideas I'll look them up.

 

[GoDucks349]

Lots of good nurseries in PNW. You should have no problem finding select JM cultivars. Not sure where you are exactly but Cistus is up there and one of the best specialty nurseries in the US. I believe they are in Portland.

I'm in Eugene and yes Cistus is in the PDX area. And yes lots of good nurseries in the area between Portland and Eugene.

 

[Go aeiou]

Lots of work went into that, great job!

I am young but find low maintenance is best. If it can't survive drought, it can't stay. I make a few exceptions w some specialty salvias for the hummers. Just can't keep up w watering like some other folks, plus I like the idea of plants sticking around longer than me!

LOL, I suspect that when we sell or die the new owners will chose to cut down those 14 weird trees with the weird limbs and leaves(Japanese Maples). The will also spray glyphosate or stronger vegetation killer on the 60' x 15' hosta, fern, heuchera and dwarf conifer bed. Finally they will cut down the 100+ year old oak tree. They will be very proud of their crisp clean new green lawn, and the lack of leaves in the fall.
Gardeners are a small minority.