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Why I spent all of last summer watering trees......
I spent most of yesterday at work pulling together information about the tree trail, kind of a final report, since the project is **finally** nearing completion. I hope.
Anyway, some statistics about the landscape projects we've done since I started this job amused me:
From 2000 - 2002, we've planted 336 trees on campus, representing 56 species or varieties. In the same time period, we've planted 643 shrubs, representing 24 species or varieties. And these are just the projects I was directly involved in; I've not kept track of plantings on inner campus.
Out of the numbers above, I have personally planted (in smaller renovation projects) about 35 trees, and probably 75 shrubs. Forgot to write down how many species. And, I've planted about 10,000 bulbs since I started here, about 2/3 were crocus, daffodils, and dwarf iris that are naturalized through various landscape beds.
Anyway, some statistics about the landscape projects we've done since I started this job amused me:
From 2000 - 2002, we've planted 336 trees on campus, representing 56 species or varieties. In the same time period, we've planted 643 shrubs, representing 24 species or varieties. And these are just the projects I was directly involved in; I've not kept track of plantings on inner campus.
Out of the numbers above, I have personally planted (in smaller renovation projects) about 35 trees, and probably 75 shrubs. Forgot to write down how many species. And, I've planted about 10,000 bulbs since I started here, about 2/3 were crocus, daffodils, and dwarf iris that are naturalized through various landscape beds.
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I want to get some more holly this year; we decided we want a boy so we can have berries. And since one boy is good for...four?...girls... We figured we might as well. Ranj wants to put a couple more roses in, down on sidewalk-level, and I want some minis or small roses for pots. More herbs of course, although my rosemary will go outside as soon as it's warm enough. I think its little pale-green tendrils show that it's pining for spring as much as I am.
I also want to dig some new flowerbeds, as I think that if I work at it, I could have the grass in the front yard completely eliminated this year. :) Of course, I'm not getting paid to garden. I wonder, do you ever come home and stare at your own vast personal garden and say, "This again?" :)
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"do you ever come home to your own vast personal garden and say, This again?"
Yup. Not so much on the weeding/general maintenance, but very much so in the watering. Especially in July & August--when I've spent all my time either spraying weeds or watering trees, the last thing I want to come home and do is water for 2 hrs. That's why I tend to pick stuff that will grow with a fair amount of neglect.
But I've been burning out a bit in the garden the last two years. The summer By was seeing Barbara, I pretty much abandoned the garden, so I could spend time with him. The year after that, every time I *looked* at the garden, and the weeds and general mess, I got pissed, so I spent a lot less time out there. I got a lot cleaned up last year, but it's not back to where it was before the year of the Barbara. (And yes, rational or not, I do still hold that against her. ) My strategy last summer was to pick areas and clean them up a little at a time. It seemed to work. I do despair of ever getting the iris beds under control, though. By's only mowing the yard 2-3 times a year doesn't help that, either.
My big planting plans for this year are a "classic" combo apple tree (Fuji, Braeburn, Cox's Orange Pippin, & Winoche Early), some sea berries to fill in the holes in the hedge row, and 3 kiwi vines (1 male, 1 Ken's Red, and 1 Anna). Let the edible landscaping begin.
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I am still and always fighting that horrible vine that comes over from the neighbor, plus that jointed low creeping grass thing--I forget what kind it is; we didn't have it back home. And the orchard grass, of course, but that tends to be a lot easier to get rid of.
I think that I'm going to put landscaping fabric down on the beds at sidewalk level, once I get the roses in. I am very enamored of landscaping fabric. The package always recommends the big chippy mulch like pine bark, though. I mean, okay, it is pretty, but I garden barefoot, for goddess' sake. Have you ever walked barefoot on that pine bark mulch? It's terrible. Cypress is much better.
I can't wait till the forsythia blooms so I can prune my roses. I adore pruning, for some reason. :)
Well, I need to get to school so I can do some research to prepare for my smackdown fest tomorrow at the event.
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With the vine from your neighbors place....how do you feel about Roundup? Just zot the bits that show up in your turf. If you're not comfortable with that, take white vinegar, undiluted, and use a spray bottle to mist the plant on a hot sunny day. Not as complete a kill (often leaves the roots until you've hit it several times), but certainly more environmentally friendly. Ought to work on the zoysia grass you're trying to get rid of, too.
RE Landscape Fabric: I think the stuff is eveil. It's ok for the first year or two, but after that, you end up with decomposed mulch and dust forming soil on top, and then weed seeds will germinate on top of the fabric, and root through it. They're harder to get out that way. I'm fighting a lot of this at work.
They tell you to use a big, corase mulch because you get better air circulation and water percolation through it. Also, the finer-textured mulches have a tendency to mat together into a mass that sheds water and can smother your plants.
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I think that I'd like to do some mixture of both herbs and ornamentals out there. I'm just not sure what would make a good mix. I'm probably going to want a couple of basil plants, just so they can grow up to become pesto. [*grin*] I shouldn't get anything *too* high maintenance, though, knowing how busy and absent-minded I can get sometimes.
Given the configuration of my building, the balcony really only gets direct sun from around 11am or so through probably around 3-4pm. It tends to get beastly hot in the summer, though. That will probably also make a difference as to what plants I should select.
Any suggestions as to what types of plant materials I might want to look at?
Balcony garden selections
I dunno...what are you wanting to cook?
Ornamentals--sun tolerant coleus are reliable and widely available. And there's one called 'Black Dragon'. Vinca has a wide color range, good heat and drought tolerance. Um....spike dracenas, any of the 'Wave' series petunias, purslanes (actually edible and ornamental).
Have any colors or textures in mind?
Just for the record, everything I've mentioned here so far is available *cheap* at the JCCC plant sale, the first Friday in May, 10 am - 5 pm. (hint!)
Re: Balcony garden selections
As far as ornamentals go, it'd probably be a bit of a mix. While, ideally, I'd like a few things that would bloom at various points throughout the growing season for visual interest and color, realistically I probably need to think more in terms of interesting foliage for eye candy, given my space limitations.
Re: Balcony garden selections (dissertation)
A Genoevese-type basil for pesto.
Because I'm onery, I'd do something like 'Pretty in Purple' pepper....little tiny hot peppers (purple maturing to red), and showy purple foliage. It's also a smaller plant, 12-15" tall. It's intended as a ornamental variety, but it happens to be a decent tobasco-type pepper. There's also a tasty, mild dwarf chili pepper out called 'Chilly Chili'. Regular green foliage, but a nice show of red peppers for snacking on.
For color and interest on the balcony, you go with annuals. Most bloom all season if you keep them watered. And, this is one of the times you want to retain moisture, so either use a glazed ceramic pot, or go with plastic.
Sun tolerant coleus for foliage.
Yellow and black-leafed sweet potato vines ('Marguerite' and 'Blackie' respectively)--fairly large, drapey vines, very heat and drought tolerant, does want a deep pot.
For vertical interest, add some spike dracenas or New Zealand Flax (both readily available). (Basically, these look like a very vertical clump of grass, some have stripes on the leaves, some are just green.)
'Mr Majestic' marigold, and the 'Janie' series of marigolds are container-sized and reliable.
Any of the 'Wave' series petunias are superb, free-flowering, heat tolerant, spreading. Good for hiding the bottom of the pot. Um....purple, hot pink, lt pink, and a lavender now, I think. 'Purple Wave' is my favorite purple petunia--it doesn't fade in the sun.
Rose moss and purslanes....the hotter it gets, the more they bloom. Pretty wide color range, all warm tones.
There are some nice annual salvias out there, really showy reds and blues, but they tend to be either really good, or they suck, nothing in between.
Oooo, forgot another neat texture thing....Mexican hair grass. It's a short (about 15") clump grass, very fine texture, very pettable.
Dwarf cannas will do okay in pots.
If you want more variety, go to someplace like Earl May, or even Walmart(although I wouldn't buy plants at Walfart anymore, they don't take care of them), and look for the 'Proven Winners' brand--these plants were bred in Europe for container performance. There's a pretty good mix of flower and foliage plants by that brand.
That enough to get you started? (You forgot that this sort of question hits the automatic play button....)