Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[21hens-incharge]

Sigh...so pretty!

My gardening attempts in this crappy soil are very sad indeed.
I have very very few things that thrive.

I was looking at the grade of the kennel. There is quite a slope. It looks like I will have to terrace it at least once.

It will look like a wasteland.....not that it doesn't already.
Growing grass won't happen there. The active dogs won't allow it. Besides.....there is the digging.

Soooooo much work.

When I bought the house it was 4 trees, one gigantic evergreen bush (25 wide by 15 deep and 6 feet tall) then just weeds weeds weeds. I guess there has been progress....maybe.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sigh...so pretty!

My gardening attempts in this crappy soil are very sad indeed.
I have very very few things that thrive.

I was looking at the grade of the kennel. There is quite a slope. It looks like I will have to terrace it at least once.

It will look like a wasteland.....not that it doesn't already.
Growing grass won't happen there. The active dogs won't allow it. Besides.....there is the digging.

Soooooo much work.

When I bought the house it was 4 trees, one gigantic evergreen bush (25 wide by 15 deep and 6 feet tall) then just weeds weeds weeds. I guess there has been progress....maybe.

It took me years to build better soil. We are clay here. I augmented my soil for more than a decade. It was a long time adding manure, compost, and organic matter like grass clippings and leaves. I was in better shape back than, and worked on my gardens for hours each day.

Now I'm older, and I'm finding raised beds and containers simplify everything.

Of course that doesn't help with putting in a dog area. That's a lot of work no matter how it goes.

Sounds like you need drought tolerate plants, and maybe succulents. There's a hardy cactus out there my mother grows. Of course with dogs who wants cactus outside.

 

[21hens-incharge]

So...
When planning a bed do you pick a theme, a color scheme, make drawings of what goes where?

Yes the dog area is going to be a soul killing back breaking ton of work. Actually several tons.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I love that hydrangea. I'm going to plant a couple this year and see how they do. A few are labeled for Zone 3, but I've never seen them around here. We're zone 4b. Really hoping the Incrediball will thrive!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So...
When planning a bed do you pick a theme, a color scheme, make drawings of what goes where?

Yes the dog area is going to be a soul killing back breaking ton of work. Actually several tons.

I pick a shape, than an edging, either rock to keep the mulch in because of my digging chickens, or a cut edge with a short fence to keep the chickens out. Than I start seeing in my head the shapes I want, whether round, pointed or grass like. Than I start thinking about what plants will fit the spot, and do well in that spot. Most of my designs happen in my head, I than make little drawings before I forget it all.

I used to follow the color advice, but these days every color can go together in my opinion. Here's pinks and yellows together. They look good to me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I love that hydrangea. I'm going to plant a couple this year and see how they do. A few are labeled for Zone 3, but I've never seen them around here. We're zone 4b. Really hoping the Incrediball will thrive!

I didn't really water mine either. They thrived on their own. I prefer the Bush varieties over the perennial varieties, but all are pretty.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I pick a shape, than an edging, either rock to keep the mulch in because of my digging chickens, or a cut edge with a short fence to keep the chickens out. Than I start seeing in my head the shapes I want, whether round, pointed or grass like. Than I start thinking about what plants will fit the spot, and do well in that spot. Most of my designs happen in my head, I than make little drawings before I forget it all.

I used to follow the color advice, but these days every color can go together in my opinion. Here's pinks and yellows together. They look good to me.

View attachment 2014065

I think your flower pot is well balanced and quite pretty.

I tend to end up with everything spiked. Big leaves and desert don't go well together.

I have one brave hydrangea struggling to survive hidden from the sun (and sadly from view) by large lilacs and a big zebra grass.

My hubby is from MS so....yeah he wants a taste of the South in the yard...lush big leaved things that for real would die here before the day ends. Maybe I should get a big gator and giant skeeters.....

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I didn't really water mine either. They thrived on their own. I prefer the Bush varieties over the perennial varieties, but all are pretty.

That's nice! I like hardy plants. Well, maybe I need hardy plants They will certainly fair better.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I think your flower pot is well balanced and quite pretty.

I tend to end up with everything spiked. Big leaves and desert don't go well together.

I have one brave hydrangea struggling to survive hidden from the sun (and sadly from view) by large lilacs and a big zebra grass.

My hubby is from MS so....yeah he wants a taste of the South in the yard...lush big leaved things that for real would die here before the day ends. Maybe I should get a big gator and giant skeeters.....

I have a little concrete gator, and there's no shortage of mosquitoes here. I'm living the southern life in Wisconsin.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's nice! I like hardy plants. Well, maybe I need hardy plants They will certainly fair better.

I'm all about easy gardening these days.