![]() Their shorter stature makes it easier to gracefully stake the heavy flower stalks. The Magic Fountains delphiniums made a big statement the day they got planted. They are fairly easy to grow, and are quite vigorous. The Lily Garden offers a wide selection of lily bulbs by mail. They require good drainage to persist they sometimes need to be staked. Bulb lilies take up very little space, but add lots of color to any perennial garden. Where the idea came from to plant lilies in this garden was driven by the small space in question. But this week, the Oriental hybrid lily known as Acapulco got my attention. That is a story appropriate for another post. My love affair with lilies is at least 30 years old. They are willowy, and beautiful in a very understated way. I have never been convinced that Gaura is hardy in my zone, but here I am planting them. I plan to mass both areas with lady’s mantle, Jack Frost brunnera, and this astilbe. ![]() ![]() Should you have some part shade areas, consider Visions pink or red. This garden begins and ends with some shadier spots. This pink, purple, lavender and white perennial garden got a big dose of these astilbes. The Vision series of astibles are amazing. Finding the right spot to put the stake just takes a little experimentation. Alternately, but a stake in the ground, and tie a loosely tied string to it, and mark an arc as long as you need. Play with that hose until you get graceful curves-and then cut the edge. If you are having trouble determining a curve, get your hose out. Any bed edge that curves needs a long slow curve with no flat spots. Perennial beds without edger strip ask for an edger/gardener of great skill. We refined the curve on the edge of this perennial bed. This phlox is going into this perennial garden. The darkest carmine/purple of all the summer phlox, it resists mildew and disease such that you would want to grow it. The photograph of this phlox Nicky is courtesy of the Crownsville Nursery. Lest I spend too much time on the obvious, I will simply state that water runs downhill. Raised boxes specifically built to grow vegetables-this is all about drainage. The best part of landscaping a new house-I have a good relationship with that person on the bulldozer that sets the grades. Every surface would have positive drainage, in addition surface drainage. If I had my choice, no ground in a landscape would be perfectly flat. Perennials swimming in waterlogged soil will give up without much of a fight. ![]() This picture makes clear how this perennial sits higher than the lawn. A perennial bed that sits lower than the grade of the lawn will have problems. So many perennial plants are extremely hardy, given good drainage. Steve did a great job of prepping the soil-we usually add plant mix, a mix of topsoil and compost- to garden soil. I did plant a second perennial garden this week-however many days ago I posted about the prep. ![]()
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