A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Gardening in the Shade Pics of back side of house, work in progress

I started planting on this end of the house, and then ended up going to the opposite end and doing more planting and adding mulch. I haven't made it to this end with the weed barrier and mulch yet.. hopefully soon. I have a small fortune in mulch already. :wink: I haven't decided if I want it to be overgrown and lush, or sparse and orderly. Once I add pictures of the other end, with the mulch and all, you guys can share your opinions.



This is the right side of the back, facing it.. obviously. I planted 3 Hostas and added a solar light behind each one, and on the very corner, pic below, is a fern of some sort I saved from a very weed infested area under a tree out front.



Picture of the fern I dug up. It looks pretty shaggy right now, but I am hoping it will fill out without all the weeds to compete with.



This is one of my shepherd's hooks. It holds a red and purple Fuchsia and my Hummingbird feeder.

It looks like a very good start, Jennifer. On the lush or orderly, I went for jungle lush. I keep telling people that when it is all overgrown and neglected, it still looks like it is supposed to be like that. Keeping formal shrubs and edges and stuff is a lot of work. So when the growth begins to slap me in the face or grab my hair, I hack it back.

Great start...

With me, it depends on where yoiu look---some i s orderly & some is hap-hazard. I say do what makes you happy...
Lookin' good right now....

Lookin great I am orderly in my vegie garden, but flowers just get planted, I hope for the best and I try and weed every now and then! My work life is structured enough, gotta let go of my OCD sometimes

Here is the far left of the backside of the house. I have 3 Hostas planted around the AC unit and a Crazy Daisy closer to the steps. There are also 2 Black Eye Susan Vines sitting there that need to be planted by my mailbox. Along with another shepherd's hook holding a basket and my wind chimes.



This is the center of the back, there are 3 Hostas and a Boogie Woogie Astilbe... and the trash can. I hated to put the trash can there and ruin the effect, but I don't have many places I can put it, and it is just so convenient there. We'll see if it stays I guess.



Another pic of the shepherd's hook and TC, 'The Cat', supervising. =) I'm thinking of moving the Crazy Daisy from behind the shepherd's hook, and putting a hose reel there... but I have 2 hoses.. so I don't know how that would work. I just hate the look of the hoses, but not sure what else to do.

A little bench I bought at a local greenhouse. Perfect for my Violas. The ones on the left got smashed.. I think one of the cats thought it was a comfy bed.




Another bench I have had for ages.. I just hung an old grapevine wreath on it.. I can't wait to get this area mulched.



A few things we got over the weekend that still need planted.. stuff for my Red White and Blue area finally... and a Martha Washington Regal Geranium, I have close ups of it for later, and a couple perennials we got off the clearance cart at Lowe's, $2 each.

The Martha Washington Geranium.. I thought this was so beautiful, I just couldn't pass it up.



I think I am going to put the little Red White and Blue plants here.



The pin cushions, (I think that's what they are called), we got at Lowe's for $2 each.

Looking really good, Jennifer.

Jenn--put the hoses there--once they are there it will be all good----and convienence counts for something, right ???

Foundation planting is so exciting...it's so great to watch it fill in over the years.

I LOVE that! I may have to put a bug in my DH's ear, after all he is retiring and I have to find things for him to do, right?

why yes, as a matter of fact you sure do---good idea there---

I think you are right! I have no idea where else I would put them.. I wonder if I can find a double hose reel... Right now I just leave the hoses out because I am constantly watering something. I'm hoping once things get established a little more I can cut back on the water unless it gets really dry.

I know! I have always wanted Hostas, but didn't want to bother doing too much permanent at the old mobile home because I knew I would be moving eventually. NOW the fun begins!!

The only bad thing... I want to build a deck, so I know I won't have all that open area along the back of the house forever.. but I am not sure when the deck project will happen, so I am making it pretty for now. I will definitely be digging up my Hostas and other plants once the time comes. =)

Bobbie, just let me know if you want better pics of it.. I can take the violas off of it.. it is really cute, it has little bird houses on the back of it, I don't know if you can tell in the picture.

I need to practice taking pictures. I tend to get too far away from my subject. I need to fill the screen more. =)

Edited: I guess you can see the birdhouses if you click on the picture in the forums and check out the full size version. :wink:

Thanks, I didn't notice the birdhouses until you pointed them out!! It would look so good with the 6 birdhouses I already have in my yard

There you go! A perfect addition to your yard... time to tell DH. :wink:

Very pretty.

hmm nice work, i like that light in the garden which you install on the ground. but all other designs are also looking great. thanks for sharing.