The Light of My Life

Now that the gazebo update was complete, I wanted to add some finishing touches.

Putting in electricity is a long way off (just can't afford it). nevertheless, I could pursue a cheaper alternative - battery bowered fairy-lights. I was able to find a product on line that was water proof, battery operated with a remote, and 40' in length - perfect for a 10 x 10 gazebo. After picking up some plastic clips at the hardware store, I easily installed the lights. 

 

They look great. they do not give off enough light to illuminate the entire area, but they are just neat to have on at night.

I also came across a Japanese style lantern while walking through a Marshal's Department Store. 

Its made of wood and has a solar powered light made of fairy-lights. It was on sale, but the Japanese asthetic is what hooked me. After picking up a chain and hook from the hardware store, I was able to easily hang it in the gazebo.

 

Post Plants

Before finishing the gazebo, I wanted to plant some shade friendly plantings near the footings in an attempt to hide the post footings.

Once the weed fabric was laid over the pre-dug holes, I then purchased the plants I planned to use. Each post would get two Japanese Painted Ferns (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum') and one Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack frost').

 

I also purchased a Soft Touch Japanese Holly (Ilex crenate 'Soft Touch') to place directly in front of the post at the forward center part of the gazebo. I wanted to provide some interest with plans and hide that post footing that was the first thing seen when entering the patio area. 

On either side I decide to plant two dwarf lilies that had been planted on either side of the Dwarf Korean Fir located on the north side bed of the garden. They were no longer "dwarf" and were crowding out the Fir. So, I transplanted them to either side of the Holly. 

The Holly will not get too large, no more than 2-3' tall and wide. The lilies look beat up after the transplant, but next years should look better.

The Ferns and Brunnera look good and in time should grow enough to hide the posts.

However, I realized planting these here was a mistake - they would be obscured by the mosquito netting that would go up. Better if I left no plants here. I'm now thinking of pulling them and using them elsewhere.

In the meantime, the rest of the pea stone was laid, fire table returned, outdoor carpet replaced, and furniture washed and returned to its proper place. 

 

I then installed the mosquito netting, and with that the building and maintenance of the patio was done.

Gazebo Rebuild

Last year I had to take down the old gazebo because it was old and dangerous. Through the summer of 2018 there was no gazebo at all, mostly due to my lack of time to build the new one, and my ignorance on how to proceed. Over the winter I watched lots of videos and finally decided how to get started. I would dig post holes, add cement footings and attach the new gazebo.

Keep in mind, building the gazebo started May 17. I didn't finish everything related to the gazebo and patio area until July 4. Rather than make numerous postings, I decided to limi th number of gazebo relate posts.

Needless to say, it wasn't that simple. The Gazebo, a Palmero 300 Gazebo, is 10 x 10 and the same footprint as the previous gazebo. This was the best Gazebo I could find with a solid roof that could sustain winter snow and not get excessively hot. Most gazebos with aluminum roofs get hot, this one has polycarbonate roof panels that are strong and allow diffused light to pass through, but no UV. It can take a snow load of 20 lbs/ft squared. For little snows, I will be o.k., bigger ones will mean I get out the snow rake - just part of life in the Northeast. What I won't have to do is take down, rebuild, or replace a cloth canopy. Life should be a bit easier. 

Note: this was a challenge to build - it requires two people, but I somehow managed by myself with some creative use of my Little Giant ladder (super sturdy).

 

Once I had the basic frame up, I had to dig post holes. This should have been easy enough. With some help from Pythagorus I made sure the posts were properly squared - I also used the post/frame to make sure the holes were properly aligned. Once I broke through the gravel bed, there was nothing but sand underneath. However, I was surprised by how much dirt was generated by the holes.

 

The one problem I faced was with a single post hole - back left near the fence. For some reason I kept hitting lots of chunks of cement, and they kept getting bigger the deeper I went. Must have been a smashed up old patio or dry well. It took a very long time to get it all out before I could put in the cement post.

I then poured the cement and waited a week before I continued with attaching the gazebo posts.

 

Next step was to attach the roof panels. This turned out to be remarkably easy. Did it alone with no problem. Panels are strong but super light.

I then had to find a use for all that dirt. Years ago when I laid this patio with crushed gravel, I sloped it away from the house. However, at the back right corner the slope was overly dramatic (at that time I ran out of crushed stone, so it was never very level. So, I removed all the pea stone for the entire 12 x 21 area (no easy task), dug up the crushed gravel to get back to dirt in the right quadrant, then moved the dirt in and tamped it down, replaced the gravel and tamped it down repeatedly (no machine, all by hand).

 

I then dug holes in order to place some plantings around the posts (later I regretted this move because I forgot I was adding mosquito netting).

I then placed super duty industrial strength weed fabric before replacing the peat stone - should last a long time.

A Grass by Any Other Name...

This year I am only having to replace or add a few plants. The garden is for the most part self sustaining. 

Three plans did not make it through the winter: a long term Beatlemania Mophead Sedge Grass (carex caryophyllea ‘Beatlemania’) was taken over by moss (this was one of the original plants in the garden from 2009); a small Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Just Dandy'; and the Heuchera "Autumn Leaves' Coral Bell I planted last year.

I replaced the Cora Bell with another, but this one had a unique orange color (bottom right of photo). Right above it is a variegated grass plant I used to replace the Hophead Sedge Grass. 

Finally, replacing the 'Just Dandy', I planed an Everlite Variegated Sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Everlite').

Hoping the grasses get enough sunlight - will have to wait and see.

Chips Ahoy!

Decided to rework the garage side bed along the Stroll Garden. Actually, I only removed one plant, some Japanese Forest Grass that I had temporarily placed near the gate. It was getting crowded out by the Hosta and the Lilies. It's now in a bucket waiting for a new home. Unfortunately, I am running out of places to put plants.

I also thinned out the Super Blue Liriope (Liriope mascara 'Super Blue') along the edge. I will use the cuttings elsewhere in the Stroll Garden. It was getting thick and starting to spread into the bed away from the edge. Looks like this thinning may end up being an annual event. In the long term, not sure what to do with all these annual cuttings - perhaps donate them to friends.

The major change in the bed was to use large pine bark chips as mulch instead of regular mulch. In the past the brown mulch always looked nice until the first rain. There is no gutter, so an enormous amount of rain can fall from the garage roof, and a heavy rain can be like a flood. Most of the mulch tends to wash away or into the pea stone. The Liriope on the edge helped, but there was always an exposed trench after a big rain. 

Using the large pine chips should help solve that problem. It still helps with weeds, but really shouldn't move. Also, I may get a few years out of this before it needs to be replaced, unlike the mulch which was an annual project and expense. The pine bark also looks nice.

Early Blooms

The two Azelas in the Dragon's Spine seemed to survive the winter and attacks by deer. Both bloomed in late May with bright flowers, first the pink flowers in the back, followed shortly after by the white.

The Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans, 'Burgundy Glow') in front of Buddha also bloomed with with bright purple flowers by early June, making for some nice early color in the garden.

Trimming the Tree

I had not trimmed the dwarf Japanese Maple that resides in the Dragon Spine area all summer. It was in need of some care, so I spent about 3 hrs. this morning working on removing leaves and branches. I wanted to thin it out and let some light get through to the trunk.

Here is what the tree looked like before I began trimming:

 

 

Here is what the tree looked like when I was finished:

 

The Fence Reborn

It has taken me much longer than I anticipated, but the fence upgrade is near completion.

Al the staining is complete and the new bamboo is finally in place. The panels sections where I had to replace posts also looks like new.

The 3/4 inch bamboo looks much better than the original split bamboo. I did not coat or stain it, opting instead to let it age naturally. In time it might gray somewhat. 

Overall, it looks good. Even Buddha approves.

I still need to work on the entrance gate between the house and garage before I can say it is all finished. Hopefully, it will all be done before the end of summer.

Construction Complete

I finally finished rebuilding the fence today. Its taken me some time to raise up the lower rail of each section to prepare for the new bamboo panels. I also power washed the fence to remove mold and dirt. In the process, I discovered that some of the rails and posts had become rotten. 

Taking this last section of the fence apart and rebuilding it was no fun.

To help ensure that I don't have this rot problem again, I purchased two post protectors - a metal cover with a rubberized protective seal inside, about 1 foot long. It covers the portion of the fence where water, earth, and oxygen would come into direct contact with the posts. 

Don't know if they will work, only time will tell.

Now that all the rotted rails and posts have been replaced, I can move on to the next stage: re-staining. Oh joy.