I’ve got an idea for a complete transformation in this little tucked-away area. It’s a mess, but there is potential! I just need to come up with a plan. Ahead, I see some relocating, repurposing, and a bit of investing.
Here’s What We’ve Got…
A small, fenced area, divided by a sidewalk, with grass and plantings on either side.
To the left are a couple of small camellias, a hydrangea, and a couple of azaleas. I’ve already moved these in from other areas. One azalea is looking iffy, but the rest seem to be preparing to do their thing come spring!
Right slap dab down the middle is an the unfortunate and unremarkable cement walk. I’m not crazy about it, but I don’t have the resources to get it out at the moment. I’ve chosen to work with it. I’ll make a crosswalk which will divide the garden into four sections. Planning four small gardens will be easier for me anyway. And I’ve already got some pavers I’ll start with. More about that later.
To the right is a tiered garden, a huge camellia, a tree-shrub, and some shady grass area.
The Problems
We have some issues.
Fuse Box and Ugly Pipe
A graceful, flowering bush used to cover the unattractive fuse box and wire works. Now the dried, dead limbs just add insult to injury. We’ll remove it and implement a standing screen of lattice and plant climbing vines to cover. I’ll start with some nasturtiums. They like cooler weather, are beautiful, and you can eat them! Later I’ll add morning glories and moonflowers. I wonder if there’s a winter vine that could help pull up the rear? I will have to investigate, and that really is half the fun!
Air Conditioning – Gotta Love It, Don’t Wanna See It
I’m awfully glad we’ve got a good air conditioner. It’s not at all what I want to look at. And it’s loud. What’s a girl to do? I’m thinking I’ll employ the lattice idea here, as well. I’ll need to find something that puts out heavy vines and thick foliage. Some bushy plants in front of the lattice might also help. I don’t know if that will muffle the sound enough. If it doesn’t, all is not lost. We’ll use this area mostly on either side of summer when it’s not steaming hot out and the AC doesn’t run constantly.
Sump Pump
There’s a sump pump in our basement. As we live in a mountainous area, we get a lot of water after heavy rain, and water’s gotta go somewhere, right? At our house, it goes through a tube in the ground just in front of the air conditioner. At times it flows out like a faucet. I’ve chosen to think of this as a feature. In the corner where the water pools, I’ll make a garden using bog plants and rocks.
Monster Tree Bush
And then there’s the tall tree-bush. Do I cut it down or cut it back? That would mean more sun in the garden, and that’s probably a good thing. I could plant sun-loving plants to take its place. But it’s also nice to have the shady area beneath. And I like looking into it from the windows it shields. I sometimes see busy birds at work and play in the limbs. It also performs the service of a curtain in the spare bathroom. This will be a tough one to call.
The Resources
I’m not starting empty handed.
Pavers
There were some cool, old pavers in the dirt in an area of the back yard that goes mostly unused. We decided that space would be better served with a deck. It provides additional outdoor seating and a nice place for the cats and dogs to sun. Hats off to Matt Marshall, owner of M & M Landscaping, by the way. We couldn’t be happier, and this lovely new deck overlooks the Secret Garden! We really love these guys because they understand our philosophy. They happily scooped the pavers up at my request before construction began. These will be the start of my crosswalk.
Whiskey Barrels
I’ve got three whiskey barrels and a number of big pots. These will house the culinary herb garden and flank the crossroads of the sidewalk path. One already contains a rosemary I salvaged from a dried up garden around the side. Dill and coriander seeds can go in pretty soon. I’ll start basils and parsley indoors to fill in when the dill and coriander begin to wane from the Alabama heat. Oregano and a couple of mints will also be planted in pots just to keep them in line. That can happen soon because both easily withstand Southern winters.
Transplants
I’ve got a number of these tropical-looking, winter-hardy plants in an inconvenient part of the yard. They have seemed hot and unhappy there. I’ll swipe them and install them on the left side amongst the azaleas, hydrangea, and camellias. Why not? I’m never in part of that yard, they will add charm to the Secret Garden, and the vacancy will make a great location for my leafmould. I’m also planning on taking some irises from a couple of spots in the front yard for the boggy planting spot.
The Trash
Compost
I began a tiered garden last year and had moderate success with it. It is currently layered with cardboard in an attempt to slow the weeds from spread. Cardboard is also compostable, but I’ll gather the mostly uncomposted pieces up, along with all the dog toys, and put them elsewhere. It needs more dirt. No worries. I’ve got a compost heap ready to harvest. I’ll transfer it to the tiered garden next weekend.
All plants eventually decompose, and their nutrients can be returned to the earth. But weeds are tricky. If you pull up and put them in compost they’ll just pick right up where they left off. I’m trying a suggestion I read recently. Take the weeds and put them in a bucket of water for two weeks. Then, pour that solution back into the earth.
Home Grown Stakes
I plan to use the top tier for peas and beans. We reluctantly had to trim some pretty large branches from the camelia bush to make room for the deck. I’ll use one and a couple of crepe myrtle trunks from the old house to form a tripod for the peas and beans to climb.
Turmeric and strawberries were planted in the bottom tier last year. I hope they are going to be up to producing this summer. I may sprinkle some beets and carrots in amongst them.
Moving Forward
So there you have it. The rest I’ll have to think up as I go. But I do plan to spend some time out there over the next week. Not working, but contemplating, studying, and sketching. I’ll purchase the things I need to carry out this plan this week and plan to break ground next Saturday morning.
I’ll keep you posted!