The Mega Garden

Two gardens are now joined as one. Should we have some kind of ceremony for the occasion? Well, that's just silly. But it is nice to look out and see a coherent garden, at least the beginnings of one, rather than a circle and a square plopped in the middle of some field grass. Circle plus square equals MEGA GARDEN. Well, ok, maybe not MEGA but a large-ish garden for sure.

As you drive up the main road you see this view. The sunflowers make me happy.

To recap last week: The rock retaining wall around the fire pit was not completed. 

This week, I finished the rock wall then happily added compost. It helps to add contrast and define areas, besides just being a great amendment for just about any kind of soil.

 Although a couple of ornamental grasses are tucked in, I needed to think about what to plant en masse.

 After much reading and back and forth I decided on Muhlenbergia rigens or deer grass. Why deer grass? It's a West Coast native, it can be evergreen, it tolerates a wide range of conditions and at 3 - 5 feet high/wide, it will fill in nicely without being too large. Many people have told me how attractive it is, something that is important to me. I also want to plant Carex comens 'Green' or 'Frosty Curls' in front as a smaller grass spilling over the rocks. I have one planted so far, so will be on the hunt for several more. I have many in the garden already and really like this grass and as the goal is to have flow and multiples, it's my accent grass of choice.

The look will be many medium-sized warm-weather grasses, mostly evergreen, in one big mass. Another reason I chose the grasses I did is because they are fire resistant, something to consider when planting close to a fire pit.

 

I searched a few nurseries for the deer grass but ultimately found some at Joy Creek Nursery where I work, but not that many. I think that the 10 or so I purchased will likely be adequate to fill in this area over time.

 To get some perspective I had to revisit a few photos from last month. The circle in this one represents where the fire pit would go. The grass in the background had been cut by the sod cutter but not removed.

 What a difference a few weeks of hard labor . ..

Here's a different perspective.

 This is after I finished the wall and added compost.

 Here you can see the deer grass installed. 

 This overview of the two gardens illustrates their separateness.

Here you can see paths laid out and the transition areas starting to fill in. I also sowed my wildflower seeds this week in those and a few other areas. We'll have to check back on their progress, as I have no idea what to expect. It's a big experiment, really. 

 Now for something completely different. The sunflowers are so fun.

David's chicken cube is nearly complete. This week he worked on the fence and gate. It's coming along nicely! Pretty soon we'll be searching for a few hens.

The view the other evening was quite dramatic. Sunflowers all facing southeast.

 A final look back at our new fire pit area and freshly painted deck. The railings are painted and complete, now we need to tackle the floor areas. One step at a time. As for the fire pit, we still have to polish it up with flagstones and a bench, but for now we're happy just as it is. Whew! Slow and steady, that's our mantra.

A quick post this week as we have not been focused on much else as of late. I promise more diversity in the future. For now, thank you for reading and of course, happy gardening!