Mind the Gap

After cleaning up the Dragon's Spine bed, and getting the water feature up and running, I noticed a few gaps in the bed directly behind the water feature.

2025

The problem stems from the failure of the bamboo which occupies then See-Through fence line to return this spring as expected. Much of the bamboo was lost over the winter, and the beds on both sides of the See-Through fence are thin, but not completely dead. What remains is coming back, but there are far few new shoots to make up for the thick bed that had been there before. 

2024

At best I can wait a couple years to see more bamboo return. 

However, the problem now is that the bamboo used to act as a great backdrop to the water feature, now, not so much. So I decided to plant a Ghost Painted Fern (Athyrium x 'Ghost') just behind the water spout and large rock as a way of creating a backdrop. 

If the bamboo returns in the future, I can always move the fern. In the meantime it may help fill the void.

Dragon Update

The Dragon Spine bed only needed a few adjustments this year. I did have to take steps to stop rabbits from eating some of the plants, especially the Stone Crop Sedum and Hosta (I did this by using wire baskets that can be removed on days in which the garden is open to the public).

The two Hosta 'Blue Angel' returned this year, but much larger than I had anticipated. In fact they had become so large that they looked out of place in the bed, much larger and taller than any of the other plants. So, I decided to remove them, and plant them elsewhere on the property. 

I bought a Halcyon Hosta (Hosta x tardiana 'Halcyon') to replace one of the Blue Angels, but rearranging the location of several others helped fill in the voids that were left behind.

Most of the Cora Bells that I had planted were is such a poor state that I decided to remove them - I have no luck with Cora Bells. They just never return as well as when they first go in. After years of trying to make them work, I have given up. Too bad, the variety and colors are great, but they are not a good financial investment.

I also added two 'Goatee' Goat's beard (Aruncus), one each at the ends of the bed -- near the Tsukubia water feature:

The other between the two shrubs near the Woodland Gate (not visible in the picture below):

Brilliance

After completing a lot of the repairs and restorations following a rough start to spring, I can now start to work on some of the more simple plans I had for the garden this season. I've been filling some of the gaps within the stroll garden.

Between the Spirea and the Dogwood there was a significant gap that I filled with a 'Firefly Fuchsia' Yarrow (Achillea hybrid). 

This plant likes full sun, which it will get in this location, and it should produce some deep fuchsia pink flowers

I also wanted to fill in the area just behind Mrs. Krabappel near the fence. Given that the tree now shades this area, I opted for a Brilliance Autumn Fern Dryopteris crythrosora 'Billiance.' 

The color variation from this fern should add some differentiation and interest to this fence line.

Buddha Makes a Friend

Buddha looks perfect with the bugleweed in full purple bloom. 

So much so that Mr. Chippy decided to take advantage of the beauty to befriend Buddha. 

When I see such things is makes me glad that I built the garden.

Bargain Bonsai

We have had so much rain this May it has been almost impossible to do any gardening. Today the rain was so heavy that there was no working even with a raincoat on. Undeterred, I chose to work on transforming some damaged plants from the past into fake bonsai. To do so, I moved all my tools, dirt, and containers under the gazebo where I could stay out of the rain. It also allowed me to sit when needed and clip away.

In total, I created four new fake bonsai (note these are considered fake because I have not cutback the roots or modified the soil medium):

Autumn Moon Maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Autumn Moon')

This Maple was bought back in 2022, and was damaged over the winter from a critter munching at its bark. Since then I have over wintered it in a secure raised bed and transplanted it each year into a new container. This year it recovered well and is now in a more appropriate, but temporary, ceramic pot. I intend to keep him small as time goes on.

Rheingold Arborvitae

Three two plants were created from remnants of two different plants that did not do well over several past winters. Last year I put them in containers and clipped away, but this year they have finally taken on some more unusual shapes. This time around I added some bonsai wire to try and shape them permanently. It will be interesting to see how well they do. Note: these are still planted in soil and I will remove them and over winter them again in an outdoor raised bed, the same as last year. Because I am not clipping back the entire root ball, and using basic soil instead of bonsai medium, I do not consider them official "bonsai."

Little Heath Pieris (Pieris japonica 'Little Heath')

Purchased in 2022, this plant resided near the East gate Cypress but failed to receive enough sunlight before I accidentally stepped on it and almost killed it. It has resided in a container ever since and more recently over wintered in a raised bed. last year I added some bonsai wire to see if I could shape it. This year its looking better, so a new larger bonsai pot was purchased to give it a new home for the season.

All of these plants looks pretty good and because I keep the root ball large and overwinter them outdoors, they will hopefully survive a bit longer. I find when I try to maintain indoor bonsai over winter I tend to kill them from neglect. perhaps this process will continue to work. On the other hand, I am sure I will step on future plants as well.

Bamboozled

For the second year in a row I am struggling with the Clumping Bamboo (Fargesia rufa) bed along the stroll garden. Each year the number of new shoots diminishes and the bed is failing to replace existing bamboo or bamboo that had to be cut back due to harsh winters. This last winter was particularly harsh with almost all of the bamboo throughout the garden having to be cut back.

I am not confident that the bamboo in the stroll garden will return to its once full and lush state.

Summer 2020 - lush and full

The bamboo used to do a good job of hiding the cinderblock foundation. That is no longer the case. So, it was time for its removal and replacement. 

Removing the bamboo was a difficult task given the length of the bed and the degree to which the bamboo roots are intertwined throughout the bed. A small hand saw was therefore necessary to remove all of the plantings.

I want to conceal the cinderblock foundation, but the bed is an odd curved shape - wide at the ends and narrow in the center due to the curve. As a result, I have to consider a replacement that can fit and grow into the narrowest portion of the bed. I decided upon Reblooming Mountain Hydrangea. This shrub is a dwarf Hydrangea that will only grow 2-3' wide/tall. 

The triangular areas at then ends accommodates additional plantings, including a Magical Garnet - Hydrangea (Macrophylla 'Kolmgarip') in the corner near the gate. Last year, I planted a Variegated Dwarf Cardinal Shrub (Weigela florida "variegated Nana'), in this same spot only to see its root ball eaten over the winter by a critter.

It will be separated by a  Sun King Japanese Spikenard (Araliia cordata 'Sun King') from the other Hydrangea, and an additional Sun king will mark the opposite end of the Hydrangea bed. 

I then added two Dwarf Weigela ('Verweig') shurbs at both ends of the stroll garden bed, one near the gate and the other near the Kasuga-dōrō style lamp at the entrance of the stroll garden. 

Together, these shrubs will help anchor the end points of the stroll garden bed. 

I also planted a  Frostkiss Penny's Pink Helleborus (Lenten Rose) at the base of the lantern.

An Astilbe Chinensis 'Purple Candles' Chinese Astilbe was also added just behind the large Bowling Ball Arborvitae to help fill in the space at the end of the bed (not pictured).

Overall, I am happy with the change and new look. I will have to keep an eye on the hydrangea growth over time.

Great Wall of Grass

For the second year in a row the Variegated Japanese Forest Grass along the fence line in the stroll garden came under assault from rabbits. They like to eat the grass shoots when they first emerge and are apparently yummy.

I knew this would be an issue, but I was so busy with other projects this spring I ignored the problem. The fact is that I was too lazy to create a system to stop this last fall.

So, with some left-over piping from an old DIY vegetable garden bed frame system, I created a series of three long "boxes" that I covered with anti-critter mesh by using small plastic zip ties.

These can be easily lifted off for maintenance or when I want the grasses to be exposed for public viewing days. 

They can also be stored in the garage attic without having to disassemble them, making them useful for future application.

I also purchased new replacement grasses and intend too install them soon to help fill in the gaps or completely replace the overly damaged plants.

With this system in place I may solve the problem for future years.

Seuss on the Loose

Unfortunately, the Coral Bark Japanese Maple I planted near the gazebo back in 2022 didn't survive the winter without serious damage to its main trunk. 

2023

As a result, it has lost some of its tree like qualities.

Combined with its poor growth last year, most likely due to insufficient sunlight, the tree had to be removed. I transplanted it to a large container and am trying to see if I can rehabilitate it over time by placing the container/tree in a more sun filled location.

In the meantime, I needed to locate a replacement. Originally, the purpose of planting a tall straight plant in this location was to break up the view of the large metal column of the gazebo. However, shortly after planting the tree I also had to move the garden bell to the same location. The small bed became a bit crowded.

I searched for an alternative plant to fill the space that would not overcrowd the location. By chance I came across a Cypress Golden Mop PomPom at a Lowes. It was relatively affordable, not too tall, but not too short, and should be easy to maintain.

It adds a lot of interest to the location with a very "Dr. Seuss" sort of appearance.

It also takes one's eyes away from the metal post, and doesn't interfere with the bell post.

Hopefully it will adjust to the light with early morning and afternoon exposure. Only time will tell.

New Spread for the Shed

I've finally finished with the landscaping along the pathway in the Dragon's Spine and the bed along the side of the newly renovated garden shed.

After removing a large 12+ year old boxwood that had grown too large, I decided to plant a Pink Azalea (Azalea 'Blaauw's Pink') along the fence line. 

I also planted a Bartzella Itoh Peony (Peonia (Intersectonal hybrid) x 'Bartzella' adjacent to the Azalea. 

These two plants should fill in the large space left open from then now absent boxwood. 

The Pink Azalea proved very vibrant in the early spring. The overall garden is dominated by 50 shades of green, so having such a bright color was a marked difference. The Peony hasn't flowered yet, but I am hoping it produces a nice large yellow flower. 

On either side of the back vegetable garden gate I had to replace two grasses that had resided in this location for 10+ years. One never returned, and the other was looking sad - two more victims of a rough dry winter. I replaced them with two matching grasses that will help frame the gate. 

The height of each should help block the view of the "nursery" behind the shed (formally called the Junk Yard).

Along the shed I planted a variety of "left over" plants last fall. Some Cora Bells, two Boxwoods, a Forest Grass, and a very small Purple Gem Rhododendron (just left of the rain chain pit), all of which survived the winter. 

This spring I added a Spirea (Spirea J. "Little Princess") next to the boxwood centered under the faux window.

Additionally, I planted some red Stonecrop ("Voodoo' Sedum spurium) to the bed. I am hoping to fill in the odd triangular space created by the new walkway with a bed of this red sedum.

I also decided to add a small mini-fence made of some left over bamboo and black twine from other projects. I found that I was constantly stepping into the space, so the little fence should help keep me on the path.

I also reworked the front of the shed a bit, by using just one of the Deutschland False Spirea (Astilbe x arendsii 'Deutschland') that had originally been planted (the second one had to be removed when the rain chain basin was installed. The remaining Astilbe was centered under the window, while the Threadleaf Coriopsis was moved to the spot just before the shed door.

That should complete the transformation of the beds at this end of the garden. 

Now its time to wait and see how things grow and mature.

Rejuvenation

After many years of residing in the small island within the stroll garden, the My Monet Dwarf Weigela (Weigela florida 'Verweig') had suffered too much stress and needed replacing.

A combination of declining growth and rabbit attacks, it was too far gone to survive. The soil in this location was also mostly sand and needed some amending.

After replacing it with a new full sized plant I was surprised by the difference - I probably should have replaced it a few years back, but I was wedded to the idea that it was one of the more longterm plantings in the garden from 2014.

Now it looks terrific. With some regular fertilizer and care, this new plant should thrive for a while. 

To make sure it does, I am keeping it surrounded with some DIY fencing

When the plant is better established and the garden is open to the public, I can remove the fencing for better viewing.