Welcome to The Garden

   Below are some of the beautiful flowers and plants in the yard and garden.  You’ll also find some easy DIY projects, which help transform the garden!  A little bit of information is included about the plants and how they came to be in the garden here in Kentucky.  I hope you enjoy the pictures, which I lovingly take myself.

DIY Burlap Planter Liner

For this super easy project you’ll need a package of 4″ cable ties, scissors, and one yard of burlap for each planter, depending on size.

First, I folded the yard of burlap in half creating a double layer of the burlap.  Then I found the middle of the long edge, matched it to the center of the planter in the front, and placed the burlap in the planter.   I wanted the front to have a little rise of fabric, so I held it there and attached the first cable tie right in the middle of the front.  Working on the front first, I attached cable ties, straightening as necessary.

Then I worked on the back in the same way, except I kept the fabric below the horizontal rod, as you can see in the picture.  I had thought about trimming the ties, but instead just pushed them down toward the bottom of the planter, as you can see.

After attaching the cable ties in the front and back, I manipulated, gathered and folded the ends, until they looked good on the outside and threaded the ties through the layers to hold the burlap firmly in place.

Once the liner is attached with the cable ties all around the top and then filled with the soil, the burlap fits snugly up against the metal columns.  I also line the bottom with disposable diapers, which I think helps keep moisture in the planter.  What an easy project!  The burlap cost about six dollars and the cable ties were two dollars.

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Annabelle Hydrangea

The retaining wall edging our patio, both of which Dave built, is topped by a wall of Annabelle hydrangea.   When we were planning the retaining wall I envisioned a beautiful wall of cascading hydrangea atop it.

Before the wall was even finished, I ordered these Annabelle hydrangea plants from Bluestone Perennials.  They arrived and were not much more than a sprig, but in no time they were good-sized plants.  They even bloomed the first year!

In the next couple of years, the plants had completely filled the area and you couldn’t tell where one plant ended and another started!   The flowers create a wall of privacy for our patio and they are beautiful, too.

I love these flowers!

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Purple Salvia

   This was just such a pretty purple color and the structure was appealing.  I picked this plant up at a garden center and nestled it in the middle of some daylilies and hostas.  The texture of the leaves on this carefree perennial is different and kind of rough.   The butterflies seem to love the flowers.

 

Red Asiatic Lilies

 Aidan and Sophie gave these Asiatic lilies to me for Mother’s Day three years ago.  These are planted on the east side of the house and have done really well there.

   Last year they had doubled, but this year they have grown even more and are loaded with beautiful red blossoms.

Yellow Asiatic Lilies

True lilies grow from plump scaly bulbs and are very hardy perennials.  I planted these in the ground on the southwest corner of the house and do very little to care for them.  They have multiplied and look more beautiful each year.

Dragon Lore

Dragon Lore is a daylily with a beautiful red flower and green throat, which grows 23″ tall and the blooms are 6″ wide.  This one just bloomed here in Kentucky today, 23 June 2014.

 

Pink Double Knock Out Rose In The Garden

This pink Knockout rose was given to me for Mother’s Day about three years ago.  It blooms profusely with at least four to six hours of full sun.   It has the most beautiful pink blossoms for the entire summer.

 

The Garden Monarda – commonly called ‘Bee Balm’

Watch from bud to blossom.