Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Rock Garden; Spring & Summer

By SKEETERI enjoy "Before and After" picture's in my Georgia Gardens. I can see the progress from season to season. In these photos, you will see the Rock Garden during Spring then we shall jump to the current time, being Summer. This picture above, shows you the area before the Rock Garden began.
Here is the Rock Garden the day I created it a year ago. *Click HERE to see how the Rock Garden began.

In the above picture, we have Spring of this year. The Month was April.
The same view in Summer. Everything has filled in nicely.
This recycled birdbath was a planter last year with its deep bowl. The bowl was broken when a limb fell on it while the Saint cut down a large oak tree last fall. I left the broken bowl on the ground as some of the plants stayed intact.
I replaced the bowl with another recycled one but it is too shallow for annual plants. It has cracks in it and does not hold water so it cannot be used as a birdbath. I am thinking of making this a little cactus garden but not this year as it is too late in the season.
I had lots of hosta in this garden last year and they did really well. They popped up this spring as healthy plants. Summer however, is another story. With the large oak tree gone, more sunlight hits the garden. Therefore, I had to move the hosta as they were burning up from the sunshine and extreme heat we had this summer. The Elvis Lives Hosta lasted longer then any but as you can see, he has also started to burn. He must be moved out of this garden as well. This will make the 3rd time I have moved poor Elvis. He keeps trying to die on me. Click HERE to see how Elvis began in my garden.
In April, you could see a lot of the Lava Rock in the Garden.
Same view now, reveals little lava rock.
In April, the hosta were still in the Rock Garden.
Once the Hosta were removed, Volunteers of Coleus and Perwinkle that seeded them self from last year, popped up. I added Serena Angelonia and Spider plant seedlings to fill in the holes. The low growing plant to the right is a mystery plant to me. I will talk more about this plant on Thursday... Long view towards the back woods and patio in Spring.
Same view in Summer. Notice the darkness of the woods as they are thicker now then Spring. Also the added canopy to keep the heat and sun off the patio. Self seeding plants now blooming. I do miss the shade from that huge missing oak tree, sigh.
I was happy to see the Ivy survived our cold winter with a Ice and Snow blanket in January. Two Lily's in this garden survived their first winter with me as well.
The Ivy did not perish to the sun this summer as I thought it would do. I added a Tropical Canna from that big sale at McCorkles Nursery back in June. Click HERE and HERE if you missed those fun post's. I was careful to keep this area watered during our drought to keep the new plants happy. In the background, you can see the Wishing Well Garden. Look at that happy Banana Tree! I want to connect these two garden some day with a little wooden bridge. Only time will tell on that idea... I had the garden hose and sprinkler set up about every 3 days in this area. The Canna is happy as she gave me a shoot!

A beautiful Bloom of a Shoot indeed! There are a lot of whimsical items in this garden but they are currently hidden by the tall plants. They show during the winter months when most of the plants are dormant, thus keeping this garden full of interest year round.


With more sun in this area, I am learning what works and what does not work in this garden. I shall pull this or that and add this or that as time goes by. I enjoy my little ROCK GARDEN; SPRING & SUMMER, In the Garden...

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

13 comments:

  1. I love before & after pics too Skeeter. It was fun watching your Rock Garden evolve and fill in. You could try using silicone to fill in the cracks on your birdbath so it will hold water. Or another option is to put a shallow dish in there. I use a plastic planter saucer in one of mine to hold the water. :)

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  2. I love the before and afters too. This is a great garden area you have here, connecting the two gardens is an excellent idea!

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  3. My type of gardener-put a little of this and that in it and see how it does. I think it is looking good except the hostas of course but you can move them to shadier spots. It has filled in amazingly! A nice spot for lots of plants. Your banana tree is indeed looking great.

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  4. I love the rock garden. it is very Zen with the placement of ornaments and plants.

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  5. Morning all... Cooler temps, if you call 93 degrees cooler and less humidity in the Georgia Air today! I love less humidity as I can deal with the heat. Happy days for a gardener...

    Racquel, what a good idea on the dish! I had a painted gourd in the middle at one point. I took it out as it was in a small puddle of water during the rains and I feared it would rot sooner then planned. The Saint did mention putting some left over mortar from our bathroom renovation in the birdbath. I declined as I made stones from them instead. I will come up with something in time...

    Darla, I have mentioned the wooden bridge to the Saint several times but he keeps ignoring me. I would need his building skills for this one. I need to remember to mention this bridge idea in the spring before the temps get too high as that seems to be the swaying point from this project…

    Tina, I love this garden and think it is my favorite lately. Probably due to it being so close to the window view of the sunroom and my computer. I can type and see all types of flutter activity in this area. It is a fun garden to add statues, large rocks, etc to. Although the Saint says I am getting a bit on the side of redneck with adding spots of interest. Hee hee… I am not going to bring in the banana tree this winter. I have yet to have one make it outside over winter but this year, I will do some garden wishes to the gardens lords in hopes it makes it. I love the nanner but not in the house as it takes up too much room and keeping kitty paws off it, is a challenge as well….

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  6. Donna, I am Zen and did not know it. Lucky me with a Zen Garden! This little garden brings me much joy as it calls in the butterfly, bees and hummingbirds...

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  7. It did fill in ver well and looks wonderful. When I saw the commode bowl I had to laugh as I thought of the saint not wanting any gnomes and there sits the bowl with plants in it. I find humor in that!!!! BTW, I find it a good way to recycle in using the bowl.

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  8. Afternoon All.
    Skeeter that is a great looking garden. It has flourished. I love the "objects" that you have lovingly placed in it.
    Jean, lol we called it a "slop-jar". I also liked the idea of using it in the garden. I was thinking of trying to find one for myself.
    Love that Canna. Mine with those leaves has a different color bloom. Go figure. I also love the hosta but it is way too hot here for them to do any good. Boo Hoo.

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  9. Jean, you crack me up! The Saint was not with me when I picked up this purchase. He could not say anything as I got them at the Humane Society Yard sale. Money to help the fur babies is a good thing right? hee hee, that is what I told him. He just shook his head. Oh, and I do sneak a gnome or two in the garden at times to see how long before he notices them. LOL....


    Lola, Yes, we too call them slop jars! I found two at the yard sale and one has a lid. I am big time with that one girl. I know all about Slop Jars as the old house I grew up in was once a boarding house. We had 9 people living in the house at one time and only one bathroom. The lady upstairs, used a Slop Jar. She would carefully walk down stairs each morning and empty it into the bathroom toilet. I was so hoping she would never fall down the stairs while walking down with it... Yikes....

    Everyone have a great evening...

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  10. I enjoy seeing transformations of spaces into gardens. Your rock garden is doing great (even without your hostas) and looks so colorful and healthy.

    Yes, I'll take 90 degrees here with low humidity. Quite pleasant here and we got a good rain over the weekend, too. All is well for now.

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  11. Skeeter, you are so funny. Ours was emptied in the outhouse. No indoor plumbing. lol

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  12. Maybe you could use a gazing ball in the center of the bird bath: Like Tina's Bowling balls.

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  13. Calicomom, I have tought of that and even mentioned it to the Saint. Ha ha, he says NO bowling balls in the garden but I am sure thinking about it. I first need to level this birdbath as it was pushed down on one side with the limb hitting it. Too hot to do that kind of work right now. Probably wait until fall temps hit the air....

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