Updates and Repairs

Picked up some plants today in an attempt to repair some long overdue areas within the garden.

First, I needed to replace some of the Variegated Liriope (Liriope muscari 'Variegata') that had been planted near the two large rocks at the south end of the Dragon's Spine near the gazebo.

I had originally planted three here, but over time one died. I replaced the dead plant, although the leaf color is a bit darker than the two plants that were already there.

I am worried about the plant in the middle. It seems to have thinned out and is no longer blooming. Perhaps I should replace that one as well?

Next, I needed to rework the area between the gazebo and the fence. I have always planted Hosta here, but over the years the plants were continuously eaten by some creature that likes the roots. I have finally decided to give up on Hosta here and so I purchased six Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) to plant along this edge. First, I cleaned up the site and took out some of the soil so that it was no longer up against the fence bottom.

The ferns, which are a mounding fern, should do well here, its very shady. They will spread slowly over time. I am hoping that eventually the entire trench will be filled in.

Eventually, I will be able to split these plants as they grow, making it possible to spread them to other parts of the garden.

I also planted a Dwarf Korean Azalea (Azalea yedoense 'Poukhanense Compacta') along the front walkway into the garden, an area that has only had Hosta in the past..

I wanted to find a way to break up the long edge of stone along the driveway and simultaneously cover the corner of the garage foundation.

Its a bit risky. The Azalea will eventually grow to about 4-5 feet in width and height over time, roughly the size of the Korean Boxwood that is on the opposite side of the walkway along the house. I am also hoping that the Azalea will add some interest in the early spring when it blooms.

It will take a few years for it to reach maturity. One concern is snow accumulation along the driveway in the winter.  I will need to be careful to not shovel or blow snow into this location. I don't want to damage or crush the shrub.