flower beds ... yes, FINALLY ... but questions questions questions!! (iris, landscaping, grown)

[no kudzu]

Since you are saying how horrible the front shrubs are you have nothing to lose by wacking them down NOW as in TODAY. The best time would have been this winter but you still have enough time to get some growth that won't be zapped by frost. I have cut down Knock Out roses down to 5 inches and they were 8 years old. Today they are so full of blooms i can't keep up with dead heading. Same with Nandina i thought I didn't like. it came back with a vengeance.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Definitely stands out! Nice work. Easy conversation starter. I want to do this similar thing myself but then I'm reminded how we really only have 5 months of growing season so whats the point. Plus it's such a hassle to maintain it every year. Just have too much going on with the rest of property.

yeah... get perennials. You will appreciate that big time. No need to keep replacing each year. If you don't have wild animals around, plant some bulbs in there like Tulips and stuff. (another reason why I don't do it)

Make it a plan to have perennials bloom in Early Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Cambium, I LOVE following your veggie-garden threads every year -- I hope to start a veggie garden myself in my back yard at some point, but other things (like trying to get my front yard in shape!) keep taking priority. So thanks for "dropping in" over here!

I've never seen a wild animal in my FRONT yard (well, other than squirrels), although I have seen a few in my back yard (just 1 deer in 3 years though -- I could have missed some, of course!). So I may try some tulips. My college has a LOT of them and they are really beautiful in bloom. AND I just read that in my area (zone 5) they are usually planted in September and October ... so I have time!!

I am definitely trying to plan so that I have things blooming at different times, etc. Would love to have color all spring/summer/early fall -- that would be wonderful!! I did buy some plants that don't have flowers but are gorgeous nonetheless -- can't remember the name although I will be back out there in a few hours (it's not even 5 a.m. my time!) so will check.

Originally Posted by Sunnydee

Good progress so far. I like to get my plants in the ground as quickly as possible, so I plant perennials all year long, but I live in Florida. When I lived in Ohio I put my plants in from mid-May until September, but Idk what it's like to garden in your state. I just figured buy the plants, put them in, water frequently, and let them get acclimated before the winter. It worked in Ohio, but you'll have to see what works for your location. It looks like you are pacing yourself and that's good. Keep posting updates and pictures. It's nice to see anew gardener in action.

Alas, our growing season is VERY short compared to yours. I love New England for lots of reasons and the winters have never bothered me, but I do wish we could have colorful gardens LONGER.

Originally Posted by no kudzu

Since you are saying how horrible the front shrubs are you have nothing to lose by wacking them down NOW as in TODAY. The best time would have been this winter but you still have enough time to get some growth that won't be zapped by frost. I have cut down Knock Out roses down to 5 inches and they were 8 years old. Today they are so full of blooms i can't keep up with dead heading. Same with Nandina i thought I didn't like. it came back with a vengeance.

NK, please clarify ... by "wacking them down" you mean just hack away until there's almost nothing left? Is there some part that I have to leave? Remember, TOTAL newbie here!!

[no kudzu]

We use loppers, see page 3 of this very good list of 17 tools every gardener should have
17 Tools Every Gardener Should Own | Real Simple

Down to 5 inches means only the main leader stem. It's magic how the plant will recover. Remember, pruning promotes new growth at the site of the cut. I ,too, have to tell you I know nothing about your area and gardening habits.

Karen, you will find no more generous people than gardeners. We love to share, brag, show off, give away our abundance, and most of all give advice. We are hell bent on bringing others to our passion as we know how much joy there is in gardening.

Find a garden club, call your extension service, put an ad on CraigsList,or ask for a 1 hour consultation with a designer or gardener to just walk around your property to get suggestions. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. God knows we all have but also don't be shy about getting advice from people who know your climate, what works, what doesn't..

I bet if you google Gardening in New Hampshire you will find good basic advice as well.

[ilovemycat]

Ok, this is from last year, when I did my mulch circle around the tree. This picture really wasn't about that- I was proud of my new bed, but the tree is in the background. I also made the other beds you see, but the false indigo (big bush in the background on the left) is my neighbors. You can see how the half moon edger does a beautiful job.

The structure is my outdoor shower- a present to myself when we decided to retire in Maine instead of Cape Cod (where everyone it seems has an outdoor shower, and I fell in love with them).

[Lost Roses]

Very nice! Now what's this about a half-moon edger? Easy to use? I'm not getting any younger.

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by ilovemycat

Ok, this is from last year, when I did my mulch circle around the tree. This picture really wasn't about that- I was proud of my new bed, but the tree is in the background. I also made the other beds you see, but the false indigo (big bush in the background on the left) is my neighbors. You can see how the half moon edger does a beautiful job.

The structure is my outdoor shower- a present to myself when we decided to retire in Maine instead of Cape Cod (where everyone it seems has an outdoor shower, and I fell in love with them).

OOH I LOVE IT! BTW OP I'll second the half moon edger. It works great.

[ilovemycat]

Originally Posted by Lost Roses

Very nice! Now what's this about a half-moon edger? Easy to use? I'm not getting any younger.

Well, you need some balance, because you step on the little lip with one foot, while the half moon shaped cutter goes into the ground. But you are holding onto the handle with both hands, so it is kind of easy. Then it just depends on what you hit when you cut. Of course, roots and rocks are problematic, but you can just bypass them and deal with the m later.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

Thanks so much for the additional replies! I plan to keep updating this thread as I go ...but in the meantime ...

Here's another question. How do you organize all your garden tools? Where do you keep them? I decided to dedicate part of 1 bay of my garage to gardening supplies/tools/etc., but am still in the "planning" process (e.g. drawing diagrams to see how I can fit things most efficiently). Any ideas? Pictures? (Love photos of organized spaces ... good motivators! )

For example, I just bought this GREAT wheelbarrow-like thingie ... have used it a dozen times already and love it!! Rubbermaid Commercial FG370712907 3.25-Cubic Foot Roughneck Lawn Cart Pallet, Platinum: Service Carts: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific I am planning to hang it up by its handles so my drawing has a "wheelbarrow space" where it will go. The electric lawnmower I just bought also collapses down to a very small space -- I am planning a "lawnmower space" for that (my riding mower takes up a bay of the garage ... at least for now, until I get a garden shed!).

(More soon on my own garden ... gotta catch up on grading first!)

[no kudzu]

we have a shed/barn in the backyard and one bay of the 3 car garage for gardening supplies. peg boards and tools have leather ties for hanging, hooks for hats, shelves for sunblock, bug spray,gardening gloves, shelves for deer spray, japanese beetle spray,fertilizers, hand tools, roundup when absolutely necessary, etc.

But the reality is it all ends up in the big basket right at the entrance to either the garage or barn and sometimes it doesn't even make it indoors.
We get hot, tired, thirsty, low blood sugar, have to get inside in a hurry and we just drop it. Hay life happens.

[Lost Roses]

I agree with kudzu, everything ends up in a basket by the door! I have a few of these tub trugs from Gardener' Supply and a couple knockoffs from the big box stores and I couldn't garden without them.

One holds my gardening gloves, hand pruners, and kneeler for my everyday foray into the garden. When I deadhead each day the old blooms go into the trug. Others are used to haul around pea pebbles, mulch, potting soil, and anything that's too heavy in its original bag.

I have a two-car garage but one car so I have plenty of room to keep a garden cart and other accessories. I use a garbage can to store plant supports and also to keep handy the large clippers and pruners. I don't use insecticides or weed killers so a shelf on the garage bench holds only the Bloom Booster. It's not as organized as it sounds but I know where everything is!

Colorful Tubtrug | Garden Tubs | Gardener's Supply