I feel like I’m way behind with gardening chores and projects, but when I looked back at last year to see when I did most of my gardening work, I’m pretty much on schedule. I might just be a week or two behind, but not as far behind as I feel! My two biggest garden projects this year are planting the front bed and cleaning up the left garden bed. Since I want to get plants in the ground as soon as possible, I decided to start with the front. I’ve been a little bit daunted since it involves adding new soil to fix the grading and revive the soil as well as planting bushes, perennials, and annuals, but I’m just taking it one step at a time, and I’ve made some good progress this week.
This is how the front garden bed looked last spring before I started working on it. We had removed a large holly that was hiding the house and blocking light. We also removed several overgrown bushes that were beyond trimming so that we could start from scratch. The weeds ran rampant once the shade and competition from the bushes and holly were removed, so we just mowed them to try to keep them in check until we were ready to start establishing beds.
My initial plan was to make the front beds by covering existing grass and weeds with cardboard and mulch, letting them die out. That’s worked pretty well for most of the beds aside from some onion grass and wild violets that have continued to pop up here and there. I just keep hand-weeding and I think it will continue to be less and less of an issue.
This bed, however, was riddled with bishop’s weed (aka goutweed). Ah, my old nemesis. You can read about my battle HERE. I decided to cover the bed in plastic for a year in the hopes of killing everything. I even dug out quite a bit of Bishop’s weed and the roots by hand before covering it in plastic.
I have been patient, and it’s finally time to pull back the plastic and see how it worked. There have been some weeds popping up in the holes made by the staples or if there was the tiniest gap, but it’s mostly been clover.
I was pleased when I pulled back the plastic earlier this week to see that it had done its job. Now, I realize that things might still resurface since persistent weeds can be dormant for a while and thrive once again when they have light and nutrients. It’s a much better starting point than I had last year, though.
I knew we needed to add some new soil to this area, anyway, which would fix some mild grading issues, but also bring some new life to soil that’s been starved for a year. Instead of having a big load of dirt dropped on our driveway, I opted to have bags of garden soil delivered when we ordered the mulch. It’s just much easier to move.
So, I’m adding new soil and planting section by section and keeping the rest covered in plastic until I get to it. I want to plant and mulch immediately, if possible.
You can see the nailed the spacing on that second bush. I had to laugh at myself because I really do try to be precise, and then I end up being imprecise. I might dig it up and move it, but I’m still deciding if it bothers me that much. I put down cardboard and mulch around the areas I’ve planted to continue to stifle weeds.
I decided to plant an L-shaped hedge along the house with Green Mountain Boxwood, and then I’m going to plant some smaller boxwood bushes around the birdbath, centered in the bed. It’ll be in front of the middle pillar, which I’m hoping will obscure and eventually hide the downspout. I have also started splitting my liriope to continue to line the sidewalk along the border.
I’m not sure what else I’m going to add to the bed, but I’m considering lavender, catmint, and a few other things. I want to stick with just two or three options so the bed feels simple and classic and, hopefully, won’t grow up too much and hide the house.
We have most of the mulch “delivered” to their beds and I’ve been working bit-by-bit to get it spread. I’m already thinking I’m going to move a couple of things that I planted last year, now that I have a better sense of what I want. My friend Cheri from Minnesota, who is a wonderful gardener, told me she moves bushes like she moves furniture, and that permitted me to move things around if I change my mind.
We’re also working on seeding some areas where trees were removed. I tried to do some seeding last year, and it was not successful! So, we’re trying it again. This time, I spread some new soil to give the new seed some good nutrients and level the ground a bit more in the process.
The good news is, the beds I worked on last year have been doing well so far! I felt even better after looking at the pictures from last year before I did any work. There is definitely progress. I’ll give a full update on the bishop’s weed and what has worked best after a year.
We’ll open the pool next week and have a lot of projects planned to beautify the back of the house, so there will be more garden and exterior updates to come…
29 Responses
I would definitely move that second plant. You have worked too hard not to have it right. The plants from last year are doing great! Whoever did the guttering certainly did you no favors. I can’t believe they would put a downspout right in the middle of the front of the house. I would contact a guttering company and have someone come look about moving that. All of our gutters have extensions that run out (underground) away from the house. You do not want the water that close to your house. Just a thought. Again, I cannot imagine why a professional would have done it that way! Keep up the good work, your changes are looking good. : )
Yeah, I know you’re right on moving that bush! I just don’t want to have to do it, but once I get out there, have the shovel out and some dirt on my overalls, I’ll just get it done.
And yes, I have no idea why they did that with the spout! We’ve had so many other big jobs that I haven’t looked into having the gutter moved and buried. Maybe down the road…
I would spray paint the horizontal part of the gutter a ‘dirt/mulch color’ so both sections blend into its own background color.
I hope you thoroughly mixed the new soil with the existing soil. Double dig as the English do. Also boxwoods are now susceptible
to a new boxwood moth. It is Cydalima perspectalis an invasive pest native to East Asia that feeds on boxwood plants. Starts as a caterpillar and then becomes the moth. If you manage to get rid of the caterpillars (squash them) as it is the caterpillar that feeds on the boxwood leaves. Which then kills the plant. So far mine, here in Ohio are ok, but moths were reported about 10 miles away.
I mixed it around the bushes I planted, but the rest was just used to level off and grade the area. Hopefully that’s adequate! 😂
Marion — This has nothing to do with gardening, but I have searched the blog multiple times without success to find the link to the company where your dining room drapes came from. Help please and good luck with your current project. Thanks so much!
would love to know what you obtained that fabulous birdhouse. thanks
It’s from Dreamy Whites Atelier. You can find similar ones on Etsy. I believe they are imported from England.
I had to laugh as I was reading along.. and I literally had my fingers crossed for the update on the bishop’s weed 🙂 Yay.. progress.. And I said to myself.. move that bush now.. knowing how it may bother you later.
Everything looks wonderful! Happy Spring 🌸
Everything is really looking good. I would suggest that you refrain from planting catmint unless it’s in a container.
Would second this suggestion about the Catmint, it can easily become your new nemesis. Like Bishop’s weed it doesn’t stay contained.
If there are plants u like but are concerned about too much spread you can plant in a pot and then bury just leaving the lip of the pot showing.
Im in Maryland too and Love. There are so many great varieties and has such beautiful color starting early in the spring. I love that it faithfully comes back every year and it’s so much lower maintenance which doesn’t seem to love my clay soil. If you haven’t discovered her yet, Blossom and Branch Farm on YouTube, she has great advice on bishops weed, lavender and soil health that you might find interesting.
That was supposed to say *Love Catmint!
hi marion. l see you bought g mountain boxwood. the other poster is correct about the moth invasion. in south michigan area and the moth boxwood invasion is spreading. l can drive around my neighbourhood and see whole boxwood hedges brown/diseased/and dead. please check your local nursery or google for boxwood alternatives such as japanese spindle and inkberry holly strongbox. this moth invasion could possibly spread to others plants. expensive and timeconsuming to risk your garden/yard.
I really, really like your landscaping “plan.” And yes, move the boxwood now (I know it’s a pain) while everything is still in its incomplete stage. Sorry! I’m in southern Michigan and the boxwood “bug” hit mine, but I cut away the damaged limbs as soon as I noticed. They survived and are thriving this year. I’m sure this is not what you want to hear, but I’d think long and hard about the catmint. In only one year, mine became very leggy and BIG. My cats loved them, but I ripped them out–too unkept looking even for this “like it wild and untrimmed” gal. You inspire me. Note: I may be copying some of your landscaping ideas. Love the colors and design.
I’m with the other comments… That boxwood would drive me nuts. Everytime you walk up that walk your eye will go to that
plant and say…. “sure wish that plant was moved over about 2 feet” Trust me,,, I’ve been there…. you’ll be glad you did. Besides, the ground is so soft since you’ve been digging there..
Should be relatively easy to do.
MMS! Your patience and creativity has paid off and you’re well on your way to a lovely front bed. While I don’t usually make suggestions, the “old” gardner part of me is sure you won’t be satisfied until you move the plant which will create the restful symmetry you’ve begun. Also, the suggestion to move that pesty gutter is an excellent one. It would be worth delaying another project to make it go away.
Have fun at Locketts,
Diney on Mercer Island
Hello, I’m excited to see the black plastic being down for a year has done it’s job, and killed the Bishop’s weed. But as you said, there will be pieces of it popping up.
I’m concerned that you planted your boxwoods very close to your house and porch. Unless you plan to keep pruning them as they grow, they will eventually be rubbing against your brick and growing over the concrete of your porch. They can grow to be 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. You really should lift them all and reposition them farther away from house and porch. I know. But the dirt is soft and you won’t be sorry.
I’m anxious to see how your potager garden comes along. I expect it to be lovely and very British. Happy Gardening.
Looking good!!! I would have to agree with that downspout being in an odd position. It’s not that hard to plug the hole and move it to a corner of the house….or you can hire it out. I think they sell kits at Home Depot.
Also, I would suggest putting a stepping stone under that birdbath. It will give it a nice foundation so it won’t slowly sink into the earth and keep the base clean.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow” ~Audrey Hepburn
Great comments already about boxwood placement. I’ve lived in my house 45+ years and have had to remove several plants over the years that were too close to the house. It happens AND over mature shrubs are not attractive. I now have a nice walking space between the house and plantings and deep flowerbeds. Sun and shade areas change over the years with maturing or loss of trees. For the most part as the garden and I mature things change so (besides spacing😂) don’t worry too much.
A couple of comments….about Catmint. I’ve had it planted in PA for years and it it just lovely . Mine is Walkers Low. It is NOT invasive and creates an beautiful spikey planting especially when you have multiple plants in a row or group. Why anyone says it is invasive escapes me but I have heard that alot. As for the downspout I’d just lengthen the vertical piece by a few inches and add a black flexible elbow at the bend and bury that bugger in a channel but on angle just enough to allow water to flow away and just enough to hide it. I did that with 4 and it worked beautifully. Cheap approach but effective. Good luck and have fun!!
It’s all going to look beautiful this summer! I’ve been reading the comments about the downspout. If you do have to keep that one in question (although it looks like an awful lot of them around the front of the house 🤔) we have seen how they create something called a French drain on some episodes of This Old House. Hope it all turns out just the way you want it to 😁
I concur with others on rethinking your boxwood placement while you still can. Boxwoods in general can get quite big so if you want to keep them as a defined round ball shape, they need space. If your goal is to make a hedge like you said, where they all blend in together, they can be much more tightly spaced.
But regardless, the placement is based from the center of the plant. A future 3 foot diameter boxwood needs to have a radius of 1.5 feet out from the center of the plant plus a little more than that to be properly spaced.
If you want a uniform rectangular hedge, you can plant them much closer so that they close in faster. Boxwoods can be trimmed to stay very much smaller than their potential growth size by religiously pruning them tightly every year at least twice!
Boxwoods usually have a flush of new growth in early summer and sometimes at the end of summer if there has been a lot of rain. They also bloom in spring and attract huge quantities of wasps and some bees. Their flowers are tiny and green and pretty much invisible but you will know when they are blooming because they are fragrant and the wasps will be everywhere. At any rate, I would time your first pruning to be after the blooming period and after the growth spurt.
It is unfortunate that box is now subjected to blight and moths which kill the plants. But if you don’t have a problem in your area yet, then you may as well plant them and enjoy them while you can! I have some many boxwoods at my house and I bought most of them at the 6″ size and now they are 4 foot diameter balls. I certainly hope that there will never be a boxwood wipeout in my neck of the woods. As well, keeping the plants more open via casual shaping pruning vs. rigid tight lines will help with keeping them healthy over time.
Catmint can be invasive because it self-seeds readily. It also will be the destination of an outdoor neighborhood cats and the plants will get squished flat! Some people don’t like the fragrance of the leaves on a hot sunny day. But it is in general an easygoing plant with a casual air.
I have a question about your garden hose: is it by chance a Flexilla hose? If so, how do you like it? Does it kink easily? I’m researching a purchase.
And are your boxwood topiaries on your porch faux plants?
Thank you so much for all of your comments and experience! Yes, my intention with the boxwoods is the have them grow together into a hedge and keep them trimmed. I don’t want to let them get too big so they hide the windows and house. The the main reason I selected boxwoods. My tendency is always to plant them too close to the house, so hopefully it works out okay if I keep them trimmed!
Yes, it is a Flexilla hose and I do like it! It doesn’t kink easily and is lighter than traditional rubber hoses. It still has a little weight to it, but it’s not as bad to reel in and haul around the yard.
I so keep my fingers crossed that the Bisschop weed will be done for you. I told you I’ve fought that pesky weed for years already. My new neighbour didn’t understand my request to keep her fingers out of that garden. She planted some annual flowers in it that borders her path, and un-be-lie-vable, the Bisschop weed came up! After I fought and covered it for 10 years! Do you think the former owner had a reason to put the downspout pipe in the middle? Such a weird place? May the boxwood moth never find your garden. I replaced it with Sarcococca hookeriana. It gifts you with little Jasmine scented flowers in winter/early spring.
We had a large tree removed and they used a stump grinder to remove the stump. The landscaper told us that we needed to have the stump ground down even deeper and they need to take away most of the wood chips. They can’t bury them. Otherwise the grass will not come in properly. We had the tree service come back and do it right. The landscaper brought in top soil to fill the hole, leveled it off and planted grass seed. The grass is coming in nicely.
yay for killing off the Bishop weed, or hopefully killing it. The only comments/suggestions I have are; that I often planted things too close to my house when I was a relatively new “gardener.” From the photos it looks as tho your new boxwoods are too close to the porch. If you don’t want to spend your life trimming them to death, I’d space them farther forward. I learned in my Master Gardener classes that most shrubs beds should be about 4 ft from the edge of the building, porch, deck, etc and planted “far forward” ( with the center of the plant forward of the center of the bed) to allow for mature growth. And even if you want them to be a hedge, you will need adequate space to get behind them to trim and weed, and don’t want the added height added rom the thickness of the porch slab to bending over. Moving them farther forward and tending to spacing now while the rootball has not sent out new roots is far easier on both you and the plant. I’d also pay particular attention to the new pest that is decimating boxwoods and perhaps select something else for the front where any damage will ruin the effect of a pretty and healthy front bed. Perhaps plant them somewhere a little less conspicuous. or return them. Most nurseries are happy to take back plants that are “mistakes.” They want you to return as a happy customer. All this to say, Good luck and enjoy your spring days in the garden. It’s already in the 90’s here!
The only thing I would add to the comments you received is that you mentioned reseeding in your blog. Generally the best time to go that is in September when weather cooler but before leaves begin to fall. You may have some success reseeding in the spring if the weather is still cooler where you live. Good luck!