The "5-year" plan

When we moved into our house in 2005, we had agreed that it was a 5 year plan. In five years, the house would be painted and landscaped to our tastes. It would be done...

It's 2011.
The projects are never-ending, we have a dirt mound in our driveway the size of a suburban, It's dark out and we're still working... hit it.

Welcome to our journal about dirt, gardens and beer.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

The New Pond Area In Detail

The new pond area in detail.

let's get down to the nitty gritty...How did we do it?

Materials List:
Campanula 'Glometera Superbra' x 12
Iris 'Silver Edge' x 9
Fern 'Japanese Painted Fern' x5
Coreopsis 'Dream Catcher' x 3
Geranium 'Sanguineum' x 3
Stachys 'Hummelo' x 3
Liriope ' Varigated' x 3
Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Ice' x 5
Brunnera 'Looking Glass' x 3
Hosta 'Great Expectations' x 1
Hosta 'Wide Brim' x 1
Hosta ' Remember Me' x 1
Hosta 'Spilt Milk' x 1
Hosta 'Guacamole' x 1
Hosta 'Bright Lights' x 1
Hosta 'Patiriot' x 1
Hosta 'Sun Power' x 1
Azalea 'Nova Zembla' x 2
Ajuga 'Bronze Beauty' x 12 (so far, but need more)
Lysimachia 'Aurea' x 6 (so far, but need more)
dwarf fothergilla x 1
 Assorted Sedge(s) x 5

STILL NEED: Foamflower (3), Coral Bells (2) and many bulbs for spring color. 
Total number of plants to complete this area: 85 + spring bulbs.


This is how it started.
A girl, a pencil and a plan
                                                                             CHANGE IN PLANS:  Along the way, plans changed.  You'll notice that originally I didn't plan for the dry creek bed.  It wasn't until I started cutting and filling the area with dirt and soil ammendments that I realized that we had to reconfigure things.  Originally, I had also planned for Olga Mezitt Rhodos and Sedum.  That changed as well.  I just couldn't find Olga, and realized that Sedum would not get the necessary light requirements.  The Olga's were swapped out for Nova Zemblas and Brunnera was substituted for Sedum.  To the left is the rough sketch of what my vision was for the pond area.  We also had to change locations of plants during installation as we were battling some hefty tree roots.

PLANT / MATERIALS ACQUISITION:  During the initial planning stages I also took finances into consideration.  We had the menards cards to purchase shrubs and "fillers".  Further, buying perennials from an online nursary saved us a bundle!  This is the first time I used GORGE TOP GARDENS and I must say that I was quite impressed.  The plants arrived healthy and really well cared for.  At the time they also offered $8.95 flat rate [any size order] shipping.  I think It's now $10.95, which is still unbelieveable.  YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT.  www.gorgetopgardens.com/

Check them out if you are doing any big landscaping projects.  You won't have immediate gratification, but all good things come to those who wait. 

Most of my hosta have come from CONTRARY MARY'S.  Mary knows her stuff!  My husband and I went there with a basic idea of what color/size hosta I wanted and Mary had it OR even better, she'd one-up it!  If you are not in the Minooka, IL area...she's online.  www.contrarymarysplants.com/

The dirt and cobblestone came from ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE SUPPLY.  Great People, very friendly.  Same day delivery available.  Again, reasonable prices. www.illinoislandscapesupply.com/

TIMELINE:
 We Started the project April 8th (Easter Sunday) and it has taken roughly 3 weeks to complete. 
This timeline also includes the installation "Grandma's garden", and "Tsinat's garden". 


STAY TUNED...
MORE INFO/PICTURES TO COME AS THINGS MATURE!!

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