Blue skies, wisteria & other things
The wisteria looks glorious this year. I’ve planted euphorbia characias wulfenii at the base- and also liatris spicata. I think the ton-sur-ton effect will be amusing. Elsewhere in the garden I’ve planted a couple of Mousmée hydrangeas. I’m trying to keep the pourpre/mauve theme started by the previous owners going. The purple prince lily bulbs have all come up, which is exciting. Can’t wait to see what a “lily tree” looks like in real life.
My favourite plant corner outside is also promising great things. It’s the wall across from the entrance door:
That’s where all the peonies live; and the purple glads, and agapanthus (large and peter pan varieties), and roses, and trumpet vine, and lilies- the planting is incredibly complex. A real spring/summer show. My challenge is to make the south side just as interesting. It won’t be easy.
My Mazamet 
Very pretty. The groundwork is beginning to pay off and it already has an established look.
I removed a purple wisteria planted against the house when we got here. It was like Day of the Trifids and had gotten everywhere!
But there is a white one down the driveway( same like yours) we discovered a year or two ago – must have self seeded – that has attached itself to the large cacti growing there. It looks magnificent when in bloom.
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The wisteria has doubled in size since last year. Another year and I think it’ll outline the whole ground floor. We’ve replaced the broken steel wires it sits on, so it can spread again in an orderly way 😀
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Beautiful. My only concern with who if anyone is going to weed that driveway (I redid my different gravel driveways with 2 feet of layered gravel and never a weed or blade of grass dared raise a stem.
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Okay- now you have to explain to me what this layered gravel is because I’m the weeder, and as you can see I ignored my responsibilities during the winter.
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Oh, sorry for that oversight: I use the Roman model because it really works very well.
I’ve tried less depth (lazy always comes back to bite me in the ass) but not nearly as effective as about a two foot trench that I’ve found seems to suffice (and far less worry about paving over roots and such); large rocks first (at least fist size), smaller rock (large coin size) and then at least two levels of finer gravel (I don’t much like the coloured and crushed stuff but some people do), topped by very angular crushed rock. It compacts like a dream. doesn’t erode by heavy rainfall, easy to shovel by both hand and plow (not that you have to worry about that), and I’ve even implanted pattered slices of large stumps for a unique driveway/country lane through the woods (varathaned slices the size of patio stones rather than urethaned ..for long lasting wear and tear). Some neighbours tried to keep a strip of lush grass down the middle of their lanes for that posh look but it required a fair bit of maintenance. I’m too damned lazy for that so I went with the Roman method for all my outdoor stone work and gravel projects – slate patios that never shifted from level or needed weeding or held puddles as well a couple of different kinds of gravel pathways through very lush gardens. Did I mention I love this method? Covered in pine needles or dropped petals and the aroma from vehicles crushing them is really quite nice.
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Ton-sur-ton? Trying to make me feel stupid? 😉
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Aren’t you supposed to be gay? 😛
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In theory. I’m not that kind of gay though. I’m useless when it comes to fashion or decorating. Don’t tell, I don’t want my gay card taken away!
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Too late, it’s already under review!
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Uh oh.
Umm.. yaaas queen!
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Just beautiful, PInky. I love that purple/mauve theme as well. Do you have any lilac? The scent would be glorious. I have a small daphne that also provides some lovely smells but my gardenia died. Warrandyte is not kind to anything delicate. Or tasty to the alpacas.
I’m amazed at how quickly your garden has gone into Spring mode.
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We don’t have lilac, but the neighbours have massive ones against the wall that divides our properties. So we get a nice line of colour over the wall (for free!) 😀
Daphne is on my list for the chicken coop area because it’s mostly shaded. If you like gardenias, look into the frost-proof variety. They are, as a whole, much stronger than the regular versions.
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Oh, thanks for the tip on the gardenia. I adore the scent but I hate it when things die. All my camellias and azalias have gone to vegie heaven too. Maybe this next one will be lucky.
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The garden looks lovely, can’t you train the dogs to do the weeding? It would be good for them to have an occupation. I am happy to hear that you are feeling better.
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Thanks! The best is yet to come. Mid May is when things really get going, and end of May is when there are suddenly flowers everywhere you turn 🙂
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You’re right, that wisteria looks fantastic.
Hugs
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It’s all beautiful this spring!!
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Thanks! It’s a labour of love, calluses and the occasional bruise 😀
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