Front Bed (9/30/08)
Do you think that every gardener has areas in their garden that might be a bit messy? Earlier in the spring this bed looked pretty good but after a long hot & dry summer it is a big ragged, overgrown & just plain messy in my opinion. I did some cleanup for the fall and it looks neater now.
Front Bed (10/1/08)
I just cut back & thinned out a few of the overgrown burgundy cannas. There are a few stragglers behind the water feature with some Elephant’s Ears that got buried under the jungle. The Nandinas got the same limbed up haircut as the ones in the Woodland Garden. The Solidago ‘Fireworks’ is just starting to bloom because I sheared off the shoots sometime in August. The sheering back actually made the plant bushier & the flowers don’t flop as much. I kind of like the compact size of the plant & blooms. In front of the waterfall is creeping phlox that will bloom a mass of tiny lavender flowers next spring. Come next year it will all fill in again with lush tropical like plants and be green & new again.
Posted by julian on October 3, 2008 at 5:57 am
wow that is some serious trimming!
Thanks Julian, just my normal fall cleanup of this bed.
Posted by Laurie on October 3, 2008 at 6:23 am
It looks great! I love the waterfall.
Thanks Laurie! I love the sound of water in the garden too.
Posted by Darla on October 3, 2008 at 6:26 am
Looks great and yes mam I have plenty of “messy” areas I need to tackle.
Thanks Darla! I hope you get a chance to tackle your messy areas soon.
Posted by Susie on October 3, 2008 at 7:26 am
Much, much better Racquel. Those cannas will take over if you let them. It’s amazing how a few changes will make a bed look almost completely different.
Thanks Susie. They need to be thinned out ever other year or like you said they will take over. It is amazing how very little work can make a bed look entirely different.
Posted by tina on October 3, 2008 at 7:52 am
Clean up is good, but I don’t think that garden looks messy at all. It is lovely and full. The cannas are happy but time for a change. I have many messy beds. We need rain!
Thanks Tina. It didn’t look as bad in the photo as it did in person.
The foliage was getting pretty ratty looking on the Cannas. I just needed to get in there & thin some out or they would take over next year. I hope you get some rain soon. It really helps along with the fall cleanup.
Posted by Cindy on October 3, 2008 at 8:15 am
Wow, what a difference a day makes, and some pruners
You can tell you are readying for fall/winter.
So true Cindy! I love fall cleanup, clearing the messy bits from a long hot summer.
Posted by Marnie on October 3, 2008 at 8:37 am
I know every gardener has messy areas and areas they just are not happy with. I like your fountain.
Marnie
That makes me feel so much better about this area Marnie!
Thanks!
Posted by nancybond on October 3, 2008 at 9:41 am
That really was a good trim, but it looks very nice. I especially like the water feature.
Thanks Nancy. I’m glad you enjoyed the cleanup & the water feature!
Posted by OhioMom on October 3, 2008 at 10:48 am
Nice job, a neighbor gave me two potted canna plants, guess I will put them in with my rooftop veggie garden next year
Thanks Mom! Those will be really nice with your rooftop veggie garden next year! That roof is going to look very lush….:)
Posted by Mother Nature on October 3, 2008 at 10:58 am
By the end of summer, I’m ready to cut everything down and start over.
Donna
Me too, Donna, me too!
Posted by Benjamin on October 3, 2008 at 11:07 am
That’s not messy! I thought you meant having pots and toold everywhere, bags of half empty mulch, or a deck that’s 2 feet off the ground and yet has 100 plastic containers and two dozen cardboard flats tossed underneath. I confess. That’s messy.
Okay you win Benjamin! lol This is my version of messy, I’m a neat freak.
Posted by Kanak on October 3, 2008 at 11:09 am
That looks so neat now. Even a little pruning can do wonders but this is a sea change!
Thanks Kanak. I do prefer a neat & orderly look in the garden.
Posted by Gail on October 3, 2008 at 11:30 am
I have to concur with all the commenters; your after looks great but then so did your before! Do, I have messy areas? YES! Gail
Thanks Gail, my version of messy might be alittle different than others. lol It wasn’t messy so much as overgrown, wild, & tired looking. I guess we all have messy areas in our garden.
Posted by greenwalks on October 3, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Um, I think we have different definitions of messy – I thought your first pic was the “after” photo until I scrolled down further!
Nice job.
That is the impression I’m getting too, lol. I should of said it was wild & overgrown instead of messy. Thanks GW!
Posted by Cinj on October 3, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Geez, your messy areas look neat compared to mine. You did lots of work though, great job. I’ve got some cleaning up of my own to do.
I’m beginning to think Cinj that I might be too neat! lol Thanks!
Posted by Kathleen on October 3, 2008 at 2:55 pm
I have one side of my house (along the garage) that I try not to show anybody!!
At least yours in on the side of the house, this is by my front door, ouch!
Posted by Beckie on October 3, 2008 at 3:21 pm
You are so full of energy! I am amazed at how much you have gotten done already this fall. Good job!!
Thanks Beckie! I am amazed at how much I’ve accomplished this fall too, lol. My garden must motivate me to keep going.
Posted by fairegarden on October 3, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Hi Racquel, I have to laugh at the difference in our outlooks about fall LOL You are making it all so neat and nice, but like some of the others, I thought the first photo was the after shot! Some plants are just messy, and cannas are one of those that don’t go gently into the dark night. How about some grasses to wave by the cute water feature? Movement, you know. ;->
Frances
Hi Frances, I seem to be throwing people off with my idea of messy. lol I do enjoy the Cannas but they don’t go “Gently into the dark night” as you said, they seem to age ungracefully. Grasses would be wonderful blowing around the water feature. Great idea!
Posted by Shibaguyz on October 3, 2008 at 5:04 pm
There is something therapeutic about thinning out and making things “tidy” after a productive bushy summer. Our thinning out is for a different purpose… we had to tidy up our messy bits so we could put in the fall veggies and now the over-winter crop.
That’s how I feel Guyz, it is very therapeutic. Your purpose does have a more practice side to it then mine. I just like the way a tidy garden looks.
Posted by Rose on October 3, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Looks great, Racquel, but I didn’t think it looked messy before:) I’m not going to share my really messy areas!
Thanks Rose! I guess my idea of messy isn’t the same as other people’s, lol. That’s okay Rose, you don’t have to share your messy areas, lol.
Posted by Philip on October 3, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I love cleaning things up this time of year.
Your project was a great success. It looks wonderful. I love the turtles which are hiding out by the fountain!
Do they have names?
The water fountain is a treat for all who walk by
Best regards,
Philip
Me too Phillip, it gives the garden a fresh look. Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed the results of my labor. Those turtles are family treasures from my husband’s grandmother. She had them in her garden near a pond and when she moved into an apartment a few years ago she gave them to me for my garden. I call them Mr & Mrs Turtle, not very original, huh? lol The water fountain is my favorite treasure, a Mother’s Day gift from my boys. I love the sound of water in the garden. Thanks for stopping by today Phillip.
Posted by Cameron on October 3, 2008 at 8:41 pm
You’re on quite the “garden makeover” roll, aren’t you! WOW, lots of great work. I’m late getting here today since I had to trim lavender this morning and clean the house this afternoon, then help my husband close up our pool for the winter. Finally…blog reading!
Yeah, when you get motivated you have to keep it going. Thanks, I’m glad you are enjoying the makeovers. They needed it. Sounds like you had a busy, but productive day.
Posted by joey on October 3, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Again OOT you are making me feel guilty after seeing all your energetic work and tidy clean-up, knowing I have much to do when I return. Perhaps, another sleepless night! Sleep well, knowing you have a completed a huge task
Don’t feel guilty. I am doing these beds in stages. Hopefully you will get your fall tidying done soon. I have been sleeping well lately, all this work makes me physically tired. lol
Posted by Dave on October 3, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Definitely looks nice now. There are always messy bits in any garden. Or at least any garden of mine!
Thanks Dave! I guess we all have areas we aren’t proud of because they get overgrown & out of control.
Posted by cindee on October 3, 2008 at 11:29 pm
You have been working hard!! I love the water feature too(-: I love the creeping phlox and have some of that too. I wish it bloomed all the time(-:
Thanks Cindee. I wish it bloomed longer too. (the creeping phlox) It has evergreen foliage in my garden but it is outstanding in full bloom.
Posted by Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage on October 4, 2008 at 10:14 pm
You share the same wildlife as we have in our gardens. Isn’t the buddleia just great for getting butterfly photos? I love it!
The Buddleia is a wonderful plant for attracting wildlife to any garden Cindy. I couldn’t imagine my garden without it.