Here is the last of my posts which look back at the garden this year, what did or didn't do well, and what I'd like to change for next year. They start from the Welcome Garden at the front sidewalk, and work their way around to the back of the house. This Adventure Garden is in the center of the backyard and can be viewed from the sunroom, an addition on the back of the house which is one of the things that made me fall for this fixer-upper of an old house...
The majority of this garden was new last year. One of the best things I've done here is to put in a couple of pathways so that the kids can run around in the garden. They love their little hideaway in the back, and they play chase and run circles around the garden too. I really wanted them to feel free to explore the garden, and I highly recommend pathways through a garden for anyone who has little kids!!
The Adventure Garden (year 2)
Mid-June. The top photo is the garden viewed from the back Shade Garden beside the garage, and the bottom photo is the garden viewed from "England". Bergenia, iceland poppies, geraniums, anemone sylvestris, iris germanica and hesperalis matronalis are in bloom here.
Early July. My favourite time of year for this garden! Iceland poppies are continuing to bloom, plus nepeta (catmint), painted daisy, peonies, blue salvia, shasta daisies, sea thrift and more. It looks a litlte bare at the back of this garden because I took down some spruce trees last year and planted some very small shrub roses and a lilac bush - which should start to make more of an impact next year.
Mid-July. Dry stream bed in progress. Daisies, nepeta and salvia still blooming; dianthus and peachleaf bellflower also blooming now. Lamb's ears about to bloom.
Early August. Annuals such as snapdragons, lavatera, borage, verbena bonariensis and nicotiana sylvestris, which I planted to fill space at the back while the perennials are still small, are really taking off now. I'm not sure I'll have room for them all next year but I'm not sure which ones to get rid of since I like them all so much!!
Late August. Wow. That nicotiana sylvestris is huge! It also smells heavenly.
Early September. In addition to the annuals, rose 'Morden Sunrise', russian sage, liatris, echinacea and sedum matrona also in bloom now.
Late September. The lavatera was cut back since it was starting to look straggly - all other annuals still doing well. Asters and rudbeckia 'Golden Glow' are now blooming in addition to the perennials still blooming from early September.
Early October. It was a great fall this year, wasn't it? Here's the garden just before the deep-freeze hit!
December.
Other parts of the garden:
By early Sept this garden was stunning.
Great retrospective!!
Posted by: The Ms. S. | December 18, 2009 at 07:29 PM