Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So...
When planning a bed do you pick a theme, a color scheme, make drawings of what goes where?

Yes the dog area is going to be a soul killing back breaking ton of work. Actually several tons.

I pick a shape, than an edging, either rock to keep the mulch in because of my digging chickens, or a cut edge with a short fence to keep the chickens out. Than I start seeing in my head the shapes I want, whether round, pointed or grass like. Than I start thinking about what plants will fit the spot, and do well in that spot. Most of my designs happen in my head, I than make little drawings before I forget it all.

I used to follow the color advice, but these days every color can go together in my opinion. Here's pinks and yellows together. They look good to me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I love that hydrangea. I'm going to plant a couple this year and see how they do. A few are labeled for Zone 3, but I've never seen them around here. We're zone 4b. Really hoping the Incrediball will thrive!

I didn't really water mine either. They thrived on their own. I prefer the Bush varieties over the perennial varieties, but all are pretty.

 

[tripletfeb]

I would love to do rhubarb too. I do my own strawberry rhubarb jam and pies. My mom has a huge rhubarb plant so I usually just take from her. Going strawberry picking then back to her house for jam making has become a nice tradition for us. My 8 year old son helps too. It gets messy but we enjoy it. And have lots of jam to eat for a year after! I haven't bought store bought jam in years.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here our worse weather comes in February and March. I'm not counting winter out yet.

I have forgotten what warm weather feels like. I miss the smell of fresh cut grass, and thunderstorms. Won't be too long and I'll instead be missing the quiet of winter.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Up early and decided to research xeriscape plants for my area. It looks like I have a few already.
I will lift those and improve their drainage. I can split a couple as they have grown enough to do that.
I found a medium sized shrub that is semi evergreen and not a juniper. I found it is available at a nursery about an hour away. I will certainly ask at my local nursery.

I need to stop fighting my icky soil and work with it....at least in the flowerbeds.

https://plantselect.org/plantstories/fernbush-fantastic-fernbush/
A rather interesting plant really. Not as spiked as I usually end up with.

Edited to add this is another interesting little plant.

http://www.thetreefarm.com/poppy-mallow

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can't stand bindweed either. Grows like crazy here too.

I use a green wire fence here to keep chickens out but husband says it's not attractive. We did buy some metal push in fence panels for one bed, but it ends up kinda pricey.



I like controlled gardening too, but it often gets away from me.

 

[Melodychick]

That is a beautiful little garden @oldhenlikesdogs ! My gardens used to have a fairly controlled look, but now they have more of that mad hatter look! So many things seed on their own, and once it gets hot, weeding just doesn’t get priority. As long as there are flowers, butterflies, humming birds and bees though, I’m happy. And since I’m in the middle of nowhere, no one else has to see it!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here one bed that I use the green fencing around to keep the chickens out. My husband says it's ugly. I stay it's functional.

 

[tripletfeb]

I think both gardens look great! I'm kind of a fan of the mad hatter look myself. As long as it's weeded, I let natural flowers take over. I'm a huge fan of pollinators, so I have a small area in back that I want to complete this year. With all native flower species, so the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds will show up. Then my allergies will go crazy! But it will be worth it.

 

[bobbi-j]

We got around a foot of snow here. I wish it had missed us too. I guess it's only February so I can't expect much else.

I don't grow as many flowers as I used to. I don't grow as many vegetables either, but we enjoy fresh produce here. Nothing in the store can compare. Some day we may do some traveling, but I think we will escape for part of the winter, it drags on just a bit too long. I bet Alaska was some gorgeous country.

Alaska is beautiful. We love it up there.

I have become spoiled with home grown veggies. I’m not sure why I do it, but it seems that once every winter I buy a tomato or two from the grocery store. They look so pretty. Then I try to eat them, and they have no flavor!

Same here. Veggies are just more "useful" and I have a harder time getting flowers to grow from seed compared to veggies.

When I do grow flowers I mostly pick specific plants I like, rather than what actually might look nice together. So it tends to get a bit hodgepodge as my eye goes to specific plants, rather than how the planting looks in general.

Sounds like you grow flowers like I do. I do have perennials that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. A local beekeeper has hives just a bit down the road from us.