Holding the Line

After a rainless early June, we ended the moth with plenty of rain during the last week. As a result, the plants are now happy and the lilies blooming on mass. The back edge of the Dragon's Spine never looked better!

 

 

Perceiving the Sound of the World

Last year I attempted to replant the area around Guanyin. For years a large Mugo Pine sat here, but it was devastated by insects and became to unwieldy, so I removed it.

I had planted a "Godzilla" Giant Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium 'Godzilla') here, but moved that as well. The Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla "Jack Frost'), Charlotte (Veronica Longifolia 'Charlotte'), and Astilbe remain in place. They are doing well and filled in the area well. 

 

I am a little worried the the Heartleaf Brunnera will get too large for the front area and have to be moved to the rear. In the meantime, I like the look. I may even add a fern back to the far right side.

 

Guanyin and Buddha can now admire each other in the respective beautiful surroundings.

Stepping in Style

I decided to add some moss to the small steps leading to Buddha at the far end of the garden. I did a similar thing back in 2018 when I added moss to the central steps. I liked the way it looked and it proved easy to maintain with some basic weeding and trimming a couple times a year.

Once again, I used moss from the back woodlot - local moss seems to work much better than purchased moss from elsewhere.

The trick will be to ensure that it doesn't spread to much into the rock bed of the main "imaginary stream bed." I want to keep the moss just around the steps.

 

Buddha will be happy that the steps will be more pleasing to his eyes.

Spirea

I added a Mini Sunglo Spirea (Spiraea x bumalda 'Mini Sunglo') to the Zen garden bed after transplanting it from another location near the vegetable garden. 

I liked its size and think it might work well in this location. I have not had much luck getting anything to take root here long term. Last year I planted a Heuchera "Autumn Leaves' Coral Bell. It looked great, but everytime I plant a Coral bell here it never takes. 

I am hoping this Spirea may prove more resilient. In the meantime, its adds some nice variety to the garden.

Strolling Along

After spending the early spring cleaning up a mountain of leaves from the fall, the stroll garden is finally taking shape. For some reason there is a vortex in this corner of the fence and garage wall that accumulates every leaf in the entire neighborhood. However, once cleaned out all of the plants had a chance to sprout without obstacle.

The greatest change is the introduction last fall of the Clumping Bamboo (Fargesia rufa) to the bed along the garage wall. It's still a bit sparse, but it should fill in nicely by the fall. It does a great job of hiding the foundation wall.

I am a bit concerned that the bamboo and the Super Blue Liriope (Liriope mascara 'Super Blue') will spread into each other over time. The bamboo spreads slowly just at the surface. The Liriope sends shoots under ground and needs more attention as it spreads. Eventually the bamboo will take over the bed. So, I either have to find a way to place a physical barrier between the two, or remove the Liriope. I don't want to remove the Liriope, it makes for an excellent border. I have a year or two to decide. In the meantime, it all looks great.

I also spent some time cleaning up the small moss islands and transplanting some new moss from the woodlot to fill in any damaged or dead areas in the moss beds.

I also allowed some of the ferns that naturally took root in  the beds to stay. I did move them about so that they were in better locations, but for the most part they appeared on their own and at no cost.

 

I'm still dreaming about adding large stepping stones to the pathway, but will have to wait to get an estimate - I have no free access to stone and lifting and moving large flagstone is not something I will be able to do on my own. In the meantime, I can dream.

The Dragon's Spine Close Up

The plants and shrubs in the Dragon's Spine area are doing well. The only exception has been some of the Hosta have been destroyed by rabbits. We have a major rabbit problem this year and many of the Hosta everywhere on the property have been devoured. This was never an issue in the past, at least not from rabbits. Otherwise, the plantings are doing well.

 

I transplanted this Japanese Forest Grass last fall. This was a large plant, so this new area has worked out well since there is plenty of room for it to grow evenly in all directions.

The bamboo had also been cut back last year, and now it looks almost back to normal. However, I have a plan to change this area a bit where the lantern is located. In the meantime, it sits alone.

Elsewhere in the backyard, the view is looking nice. This area, technically not part of the Zen garden, is now reflecting a mature landscape that seamlessly blends in with the rest of the garden.

 

Room with a View

This year there was little to do, besides cleaning up debris from last fall and laying new mulch. As I awoke every morning I would look out from the second floor window and see the Dragon's Spine area start to bloom and after waiting patiently throughout May, the plants finally appeared and filled in the bed.

I love this view and look forward to future years when some of the larger plants continue to fill in the bed with a natural "fence."

Spring Cleanup

After spending the last few weeks locked up during the Covid-19 pandemic, I finally had a chance to get outside and clean up the garden. The garden at this early stage always looks so desolate. 

In the future, perhaps I will add some more evergreen plants so that the garden doesn't look so empty and sad during the winter months. Remarkable, the Clumping Bamboo (Fargesia rufa) behind me did well over the winter months.

Color Abounds

The colors of fall have arrived in the garden. The two maples are starting to look beautiful.

The dwarf Maple in the Zen garden always turns a wonderful orange.

  

  

The dwarf Maple in the Dragon's Spine always turns a super red, which highlights its unusual shape.

 

My favorite is the "sick" little Maple in the Moon Window. From near death a few years ago, he is the prize plant every fall.

About four days later, the plants all hit their peak, the colors were spectacular.

 

Wonder Wall

In an attempt to cover up the exposed cinder block foundation along the garage wall in the stroll garden, I am going to transplant some bamboo from the area located along the see-through fence on the other side of the garden in the backyard.

After taking some cuttings, this is what remained of the mini-grove.

My plan consists of thinning out the exiting bamboo which was getting really thick, and then taking those cuttings and placing them along the garage wall.

 

I'm hoping in time they will fill in this area and help hide the unsightly foundation.

We will have to see what the spring brings.