Something Completely Different

Honk if foundation plantings make you cringe! There’s no doubt about it, it’s difficult to live in the world and not at least have a neighbor with Yertle the Turtle style bubble shrubberies flanking their front door. (I love Dr. Seuss!…) But there’s definitely a trick to creating a foundation planting that doesn’t say “Hello, folks – I’m a foundation planting!” I can’t claim to know any of the tricks (am currently a shrubbicidal maniac at my own house with no permanent plans for the bare places yet) but I suspect it might be important to think of the house as a garden ornament rather than just a great big thing that the garden bumps up against.

The above editorial is by way of introducing a new planting that Fred and Dan are working on today! The Bonicas in the “old” front door bed 6-11-07The bed right in front of the front door porch was in need of rehab.The front door bed  by Fred and Dan 6-11-07 The Bonica roses were fired (although they were about to peak beautifully, peak has always been followed by peaked) and are being replaced by Daphne burkwoodii, Spirea thunbergii ‘Ogon’ and Picea pungens ‘Glauca Procumbens’. The guys were a little worried that I might claim credit … maybe because they used one of my favorite color schemes… (Notice the colors in the pot on the porch – that I planted… hmmmm…) Anyway, what they came up with for that bed is exciting because it shows that creative use of color and texture doesn’t detract from the house – it enhances it!

In other news, I’m practicing patience. I have to stop myself from bouncing up and down in front of all the recentlyThe dahlia/grass bed 6-11-07 planted annuals and tender perennials saying, “Grow! Grow now!” Pretty soon the Nicotiana sylvestris which are still only the size of ritz crackers will be a respectable 5 feet tall. Pretty soon. And the dahlia/grass bed will look abundant one day… All in good time…