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Deuce Cities Henhouse

Thinking About : The Garden

Astilbe
I’ve never grown Astible in the garden. Its flowers are so feathery and the foliage is reminiscent of ferns. It comes in array of colors and sizes and prefers the shade. I think it could look really stunning mixed in with the hostas on the shady side of the backyard garden.

This spring will mark the beginning of my sixth gardening season. All of the plants in the garden are mature now, and the garden and flower beds have really filled in. I can’t even tell you how much I love to watch the perennials grow and change every year – fer real, I’m kinda obsessed.

I was just starting to see peonies, sedum, and bleeding hearts push their way through the surface of the soil when as expected, March decided to totally diss the midwest. On sunday night it snowed and got really cold, it’s supposed to snow again tonight. Sometimes it’s really hard to live in such a wintery climate.

Trying to keep it poz-e (aka positive) though, so I’ve been doing a little garden dreaming and planning. I’ve spent a lot of time pouring over old garden posts highly anticipating what has to be right around the corner. The garden is mature now, most of the plants are very large and have filled in nicely. Some of them may even have to be split up this year or rearranged based on their size. This is where I can begin to play with layouts, heights, colors and start to fine tune, edit, and arrange the plants where they are happiest and look the prettiest. I’ve got my eye on a few perennials and bulbs that I am really hoping to add to the garden this summer. So here’ what I’m thinking:

Allium
Allium is a bulb and comes from the onion family most similarly related to chives or garlic. There are many many varieties of Allium varying in height, flower size, and color. I love the big purple poms sitting atop the straight narrow stems. These guys love partial sun and well drained soil, and I’m thinking these might have a chance out on the boulevard garden. The only downside is that they bloom in the spring and early summer – I need more late summer blooms on the boulevard – suggestion welcome.
Golden Japanese Forest Grass
Every time I see this ornamental grass I like it more and more. I really began noticing it last summer when I would take walks through a Japanese garden near our house. It loves shade and I think it could add a lot of texture and color mixed in with the hostas bed in the backyard, or as a mound on the boulevard too.
6 comments
in gardening, Inspiration
6 comments… add one
  • MegAn March 24, 2015

    I personally really enjoy watching you put the work into your gardens. I have a black thumb and have failed my yard for the eight years I’ve lived here. Killed everything I’ve planted except for one salvia! Looking forward to watching your garden grow and dreaming of thriving plants in my yard.

  • Vanessa March 24, 2015

    The Japanese Forest Grass I have grown and loved. Be prepared for it to fill out slowly but it’s really worth the wait. Astilbe and Alliums are still in my future garden I guess. I might add that when the alliums bloom out baseball bats and hockey sticks need to be confiscated for a few weeks. Boy, would those be tempting to little boys.

  • Sarge in Charge March 25, 2015

    I have serious garden envy since I am limited to house plants for the foreseeable future! I love the idea of Japanese ornamental grasses and agree that the astilbe would be beautiful mixed in with the hosta – my parents had a super super shady yard (so, all hosta all the time) and that was one of the best ways to add some color.

  • Melanie March 25, 2015

    Eek! While outside the other day (before we got this snow – i’m in MPLS too) I was dreaming and scheming about my yard then I started hoping you’d start doing garden talk soon so I could steal some of your ideas and here you are! That astible is making me swoon…

  • Lexy April 1, 2015

    Yes, looking forward to a season of gardening posts here!

    • Scoops April 6, 2015

      Don’t worry! They’re coming!

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