In this series of reflections on my garden's performance in 2009 (which starts here), I've already shown you the worst. The front Entry and front Shade gardens are the two most embarrassing sections of my whole yard... and they're both in the front which makes it even worse! Hey, my garden is a work in progress, what can I say?
While the side garden is not very interesting, I can promise that photos in this series will at least start getting better starting now. But please be kind - remember that this is a large yard that I started renovating only 5 years ago, on a limited budget of both time and money, and the yard was very overgrown and neglected when I moved in.
Let me also preface the photos by saying that nobody used to see this garden except the neighbours. We didn't have a gate here until a couple of years ago, and it used to be that you couldn't see this area from the street. It's also very dry here. Hence, I only planted very low maintenance, tough stuff here and perhaps a few flowers that I liked for cutting. But now, with the gate on our side, and my neighbours having taken down their large front spruce tree and lost their large lilac shrub to a car accident (it's true!) this summer, this area is regularly used and is plainly visible from the street. I'd say it needs a little more impact and attention next year...
The Side Garden (year 4-ish)
Mid-June. Snow-in-summer, iris germanica 'Bounty', and hesperalis matronalis in bloom.
Early July. Shasta daisies add to the mix.
Mid-July. Snow-in-summer, hesperalis matronalis and daisies still blooming; delphiniums, dianthus, and sedums also blooming now. Globe thistle is sporting its spiky flower buds.
Late July. Clematis blooming. This is the first year they've done much and it has definitely helped that I ran some soaker hoses from the rain barrels along the foundation of the house where it is very, very dry. Mullein also in bloom and there's also a pretty red annual poppy that escaped from the butterfly garden. By the way I like the new colour of the window box on the garage, don't you? Can't wait to have flowers in it next year!
Early August. Delphiniums and clematis still blooming; orange asiatic lilies by the rain barrel. I cut back the mullein to prevent it from seeding everywhere, and the globe thistle is in bloom. I particularly like how that trellis on the garage is framed by the arch over the gate. This was the beginning of the attempt to make this area more street-view-worthy.
Early September. Most things winding down except the globe thistle and now some white liatris close to the bottom of the picture.
Early October. Purple asters by the front rain barrel. They do well here - they bloom so late in some parts of my garden that sometimes I don't get flowers at all before frost. However, I think the reflected light and heat from the rain barrel helps them bloom earlier in this spot. Hurray for microclimates!
December.
Other parts of the garden:
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