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urbandogsgarden

urbandogsgarden's Alley Fence garden

Garden Type: Backyard | Sun: Partial Sun | Soil: Clay I'm Organic!

This area has been the most challenging. Someone who owned this house prior to me was a gardener because this area along the fence had been carved out of the lawn with a nicely curved shape. It runs for 50 ft. along the back of the property with a large (100 ft) Chinese Elm tree at the south end and a rectangular raised bed on the north.

Unfortunately, it hadn’t been maintained for at least several years before I purchased the property because it was full of weeds and a few odd daylilies. I spent the entire first year pulling up old landscape fabric and digging out weeds. If I knew then what I know now, I would have added at least 8 inches of good soil to the top. The Elm tree roots are huge, very close to the surface and absorb most of the moisture even with frequent watering. The soil is orange clay and impossible to dig. Even with bags and bags and bags of organic peat, manure, compost and leaves, this area will only support the most hardy of plants.

Ah well, I always like a good challenge.

Photos

Plantings

  • Dill 'Diana' Day 230

    Dill 'Diana'

    Anethum graveolens

    Sown on 05 Apr 09

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Borage Day 243

    Borage

    Borago officinalis

    Sown on 23 Mar 09 (55 days) Produces many small flowers which ope...

    • 3 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Catmint 'Six Hills Giant' Day 268

    Catmint 'Six Hills Giant'

    Nepeta x faassenii

    Purchased on 26 Feb 09

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Monarda ''Gardenview Scarlet' Day 282

    Monarda ''Gardenview Scarlet'

    Monarda didyma

    Purchased on 12 Feb 09 Most beautiful scarlet. Vigorous grower. Rapid ...

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Malva 'Windsor Castle' Day 293

    Malva 'Windsor Castle'

    Malva sylvestris

    Sown on 01 Feb 09 Perennial. Height: 36-48 inches (1-1.2 m). Flo...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Golden Marguerite Day 294

    Golden Marguerite

    Anthemis tinctoria

    Sown on 31 Jan 09 This long-blooming perennial produces bright ye...

    • 3 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Korean Mint Day 299

    Korean Mint

    Agastache rugosa

    Sown on 26 Jan 09 Versatile plants used for everything from cut f...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Korean Mint Day 299

    Korean Mint

    Agastache rugosa

    Sown on 26 Jan 09 Versatile plants used for everything from cut f...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Cup Plant Day 300

    Cup Plant

    Silphium perfoliatum

    Sown on 25 Jan 09 An excellent species to plant for birds and pol...

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Anise Hyssop Day 301

    Anise Hyssop

    Agastache foeniculum

    Sown on 24 Jan 09 This native perennial plant is 2-4' tall, branc...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Hollyhock 'Russian Yellow' Day 315

    Hollyhock 'Russian Yellow'

    Alcea rugosa

    Sown on 10 Jan 09 This species produces very large, pale yellow s...

    • 3 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Malva 'Mauritiana' Day 322

    Malva 'Mauritiana'

    Malva sylvestris subsp. mauritiana

    Sown on 03 Jan 09 6'. Large wrinkled royal purple blooms with da...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments

  • Fern 'Victoriae'

    Fern 'Victoriae'

    Athyrium filix-femina

    Purchased on 04 Jun 08

    • 3 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Lead Plant

    Lead Plant

    Amorpha canescens

    Purchased on 16 Apr 08 Full sun, average to dry soil. Not particular a...

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Veronia 'Common Ironweed'

    Veronia 'Common Ironweed'

    Vernonia fasciculata

    Purchased on 16 Apr 08

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Lemon Balm

    Lemon Balm

    Melissa officinalis

    Sown on 12 Feb 08 Wintersown.

    • 3 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Happy

  • Gaillardia 'Burgundy'

    Gaillardia 'Burgundy'

    Gaillardia x grandiflora

    Sown on 01 Feb 08 Wintersown 2/1/08 and 3/5/08. Germinated on 4/...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Neutral

  • Echinacea purpurea

    Echinacea purpurea

    Echinacea purpurea

    Established on 01 Jun 07 I originally purchased 3 small plants when I we...

    • 0 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Happy

  • Malva 'Zebrina'

    Malva 'Zebrina'

    Malva sylvestris

    Sown on 06 Jan 07 Wintersown. Very poor germination but it didn'...

    • 2 journals
    • 1 faves
    • 1 comments
    • Very Happy

  • Echinacea 'Double Decker'

    Echinacea 'Double Decker'

    Echinacea purpurea

    Purchased on 11 Jun 06

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Happy

  • Monarda 'Wild Bergamot'

    Monarda 'Wild Bergamot'

    Monarda fistulosa

    Purchased on 04 Jun 06 Very mildew prone but the bees love it. It als...

    • 1 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Happy

  • Shasta Daisy

    Shasta Daisy

    Leucanthemum × superbum

    Sown on 02 Feb 06 Wintersown. Having lost all my records from my...

    • 1 journals
    • 1 faves
    • 1 comments
    • Very Happy

  • Honeysuckle 'Blanche Sandman'

    Honeysuckle 'Blanche Sandman'

    Lonicera sempervirens

    Purchased on 24 Sep 05 Maintenance free. No powdery mildew or pest pr...

    • 2 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Very Happy

  • Dainty Daisy 'Pink Jewel'

    Dainty Daisy 'Pink Jewel'

    Erigeron speciosus

    Purchased on 13 May 05

    • 0 journals
    • 0 faves
    • 0 comments
    • Happy

Comments

  • TropicanaRoses

    TropicanaRoses wrote:

    I also like the honeysuckle, if you have any of that, I would love to swap for it. :)

    Posted on 22 Oct 09 (about 1 months ago)

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