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raised beds...

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
by Jiffymouse on January 19, 2004 05:55 PM
ok, i have an area that i want to put a raised bed in. actually, it will be the "front" garden next to my porch. i have $0 but lots and lots of pine trees. is there any reason why i couldn't use some of the larger logs to frame my bed? what i had in mind was using the logs 2 high (still won't be more than 12-14") with a walking path all the way around. it will end up being about 7x18 or so. next question, what to put in it. i already have 2 rose bushes, and i want to put a gardenia or two. i was thinking that the gardenia on the back side (closest to the house) would provide a nice foundation planting for the roses. and maybe a hydrangea in the middle. what do ya'll think?
by Jiffymouse on January 19, 2004 05:56 PM
oh, and what kind of bulbs/lilies would go well in there? would daylilies work? could i plant bulbs under the daylilies, would they bloom through them? waht about daffodils?
by gardengal on January 19, 2004 11:47 PM
That sounds really good Jiffy. Are you thinking of going with a color scheme? Is this a mostly sun or shade spot?

I don't know about bulbs coming up around daylilies, but I do know iris' will come up through most things. They are tough little buggers. That would look really pretty, a mixture of the two in front.

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Women and cats will do as they please. Men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
by Jiffymouse on January 20, 2004 12:21 AM
it is morning sun. gets about 6 hours of good light, mostly sun, then gets the rest of the day indirect light (the sun light comes over the house. only has about 2 hours of hot sun.
by weezie13 on January 20, 2004 12:38 AM
Jiffy,
Have Renee email you some of her pictures
from her front yard, really cute idea!!!!

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by Renee on January 20, 2004 09:43 PM
Hope ya like the pictures Jiffy! I think the logs would be great, and you could even do some log "boxes" around some trees in the yard to tie it all in together. If you do 2 high I would definately drill through both logs and pound rebar through them ( at least 2 foot bars) ( I have 4 foot bars in my front garden) At all the corners so they don't roll off each other and /or bow in the middle because of the weight of the dirt pushing from behind. In vA we have clay and in the spring the water doesn't drain very fast so that's why I used 4 ft rebar because the ground is soooo mucky I was afraid that the front garden ( the walls are 15 inches high) would bow and bend out if I didn't use 4ft bars) They also make these things called timber locks ( home depot or lowes) that are just long screws and are perfect for reinforcing the yard timbers in the centers. I wish I could find my pictures of the garden when I was starting it and in the middle of it. I did a raised garden around my gazebo a few weeks ago, it was only 2 timbers high, but I'm too impatient to plant in the spring so I put some bulbs, azealas, daffodiloes, iris ect around it.,I did an awning this past summer on the barn ( my dad helped me, he works cheap, give him beer and "off he goes") I did the patio ( pain in the *&$@#) in red 1X1 pavers it's 24 ft long and 10ft wide and it looks great too. Some day I'll get those pictures to someone who can post them. My goal is to have half my yard in gardens with walkways and sitting areas and a maze ( I've already done Weezie's trick of the card board and mulch this fall so by next fall I will till that area and plant my maze for spring!) I've planted most of the trees and shrubs I want so they can get to a decent size while I work on the rest . I call it my 10 year goal. Eventually it will be done. Ramble, ramble ramble.... Anyhow, I just love the raised bed an dthe most improtant thing is the soil!!!!!!!!! Don't skimp on the soil. Since we have all clay here, I layered clay, sand, leaves, ash ( from bonfires Not alot though) horsemanure, grass clippings, I just kept layering it all summer the first year and the second year when I finally planted, all my neighbors called it Jurasic Garden! even my marigolds were 2 feet tall and my cannas were almost 10 feet and they are actually the 4-6ft kind. It was funny, I asked my neighbor if her horses were on steroids or radioactive ( that's where I got my manure from) Well, you can tell that I love my garden room and even if you have to wait a year, it's worth the wait for a good soil mix. [Wink]
by Jiffymouse on January 20, 2004 11:38 PM
it is awesome and gives me lots of ideas for my yard. i would like a maze or something in our "field". not sure what, but i am thinking about it. when i get the pics, i will send you some. btw, my email address will be changing soon. friday is my last day. i'll email you the new one!
by weezie13 on January 20, 2004 11:42 PM
Jiffy,
Aren't they neat?? If I can get my husband to
put my pictures back in and show's me how to resize them, I'll send them to you!!!

It is such a cute idea... [flower] [Cool] [flower]
I wish I had a big enough front yard, I'd do it,
but not enough room!!! [tears]

Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by boxmonkey on January 21, 2004 03:05 AM
Have you seen or considered gayfeathers? Weird name but a beautiful flower that attracts lots of butterflies and humming birds, perfect for any relatively sunny area.

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Custom Weathervanes - hand made
by Jiffymouse on January 21, 2004 04:16 PM
boxmonkey, no i havent. i'll have to look into that.
by weezie13 on January 21, 2004 04:27 PM
Jiffy,
The "gayfeather's" or Liatris comes in purple and white...

How to take care of Liatris/Bill's info

They are very nice, straight and sturdy plant.. good amount of sun..
I have some that could use way more sun than they get...very pretty purple....
Weezie

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

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http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/
by tamara on January 22, 2004 04:09 AM
It's weird that liatris say only light shade because I have them in the front of my house and I am facing North east, I shoved everything in the front of my house that called for sun and nothing has failed except for a few rose bushes, (I still think that the neighbours dog had something to do with those). I even planted a variagated dog wood that called for full sun and the dam thing is growing so much that it is going to have to be cut back or moved.

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Tamara's Photos
Thinking Spring, Thinking Spring...Nope, doesn't work.lol
by tamara on January 22, 2004 04:13 AM
I forgot [Confused] , I have raised beds with cedar logs that are only 2ft by 2ft just to keep my herbs seperated and they work wonderfully, I use long spikes to anchor them together, also put a thin layer of plastic under the logs on the ground to prevent them from decaying so quickly. I have little beds all over, makes it a pain though when I mow, I should of placed them a little further apart.

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Tamara's Photos
Thinking Spring, Thinking Spring...Nope, doesn't work.lol

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