Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Now I'm not so sure...

The patio and path project is finished!
Of course, as in any project there are a couple of loose ends that can't be done right now, like acid washing and sealing the concrete, and power washing the deck. But all the serious work is done, the contractor has taken the last of his tools and equipment home, and I get to put the garden back together. 


I've been lusting after this day since ground was broken on the job September 28th - longer, if you count the weeks my plants spent out of the ground when the project was initially delayed.
All I wanted to do was put each plant back where I dug it up. But wait...
That's a lot of open ground. There's more planting area than before and I know the plants need to go back in the ground ASAP.  But do I really want to put everything back exactly where it was?
This is a golden opportunity to do it right ... well, at least better. Where the plants did well, and happy pairings occurred in the past, I'll probably replant them. But I need to learn from the plants that did less well or weren't well sited. I need to accommodate them better on this go round.

They're all sitting along the north side of my house, waiting patiently.



Especially so late in the year, don't I owe it to my plants to give them the best second chance I can? I guess a few more days of thoughtful re-arranging and siting before I plant won't make such a big difference.
And as I plant, I get to enjoy our re-worked hardscape. I'm loving the crisp intersections and the little details that are so noticeable in a smaller space like ours. I'll be doing a full post on just the project hardscape later on.

But I'm a gardener, and I've been thinking about the garden plants during this whole project. If I do this right, my plants will thrive and look good their new digs as much as - or even better than - the places they left in September.

I can't wait to see how the replanted beds pull everything together into a beautiful whole.

16 comments:

  1. Wow, wow, wow! I love it, Jane! Beautiful photos and the bare ground is going to look so wonderful when it's filled in with your treasures. I get really overwhelmed with all of the planting decisions. It's not an easy task because you have to not only think of the plants' needs but how they'll all look side by side. Fortunately plants are forgiving and if you need to move them later, you can. Which is what I do more often than I care to admit. :) Can't wait to see more. Great post!

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  2. The patio turned out great! I especially like the curved path and the edging. I need to figure out a replacement for the cheap benderboard edging along my parents' paths that's starting to come apart. Definitely take some time and think about where you want things to go. I've been throwing plants into the ground willy-nilly this fall and I just know there will be a lot of editing in the future. Better to do some planning and really get it right. Of course, there will still be editing in the future, but there will be more "I'd prefer this" and less "What was I thinking?"

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  3. As you said, this is a perfect opportunity to get the plants even better situated than they were before. It was very smart of you to realize that. They will be so much happier when they get back in the ground. The new hardscape looks wonderful, and with all that extra room in the bed, maybe you can put in something new as well.

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  4. Can't wait to see it in person. Wink wink.

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  5. Everything looks just wonderful! At times it was hard to envision what exactly was going on but now it all makes sense. I love it! As for the plants...I remember having to dig up a lot of the plants along the back of our house and side of the garage when we had it painted. I was sure everything would go right back where it was. Of course when it was finally time to plant that's not what happened. For you it's a bonus because as you said the planting space is now bigger!

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  6. Oh Jane, what a great dilemma. Your plants will allow you another day or more of rearranging and deciding. I think your new hardscapes are wonderful. Good job!!

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  7. Ah, those curves! Love it! Of course I did get a sneak peek a few weeks ago, but I'm thrilled to pieces to hear it's done, and that you get to start on the fun part. It really looks fab! I'm looking forward to hear more, as you piece it back together - in whatever configuration!

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  8. I'm so happy for you! It must feel great to have your garden back to yourselves. The project looks wonderful and I'm sure you'll do a great job of relocating your plants.

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  9. This seems like a good problem to have: a chance at a "do over", with more planting space to boot! Plus the hardscaping looks fantastic -- love the path especially!

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  10. Some sexy curves you've got goin' there ! Enjoy and you'll probably need a few more plants to add ?

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  11. Oh Jane, it looks fantastic! Putting the puzzle pieces back is a challenge, but I'm sure you'll find the best homes for them all. What a wonderful chance at a "do over" as Alan says. Nice!

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  12. The new hardscape looks great! Take your time, and enjoy putting your garden back together. I look forward to seeing the results.

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  13. I love that curving gold wall!! Very cool!! Excellent results that will only look better when you add the plants. :)

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  14. I think the consensus, after visiting your garden, was that everything was well placed and grown exceptionally well. So here you are, setting forth to improve upon what many considered perfection. We're going to be watching carefully.

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  15. I just love how this project has turned out! I can't wait to see how you fill it all back in. Very inspiring!

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  16. I love that steel edging on the path -- looks great!

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