This yard, where half of it is gravel beneath turf, and the other half is completely waterlogged, is very difficult to cultivate. When we bought the place, it was horribly overgrown. It has been a decade of hacking, digging, sweating, screaming, and crying to plant ANYTHING here. The good thing is that we are old pros now. We know what to expect and are armed with strong iron tools to fight back. Today’s project was no different. I’ve been wanting to do this for 12 years! Today was the day!
There’s a small asphalt walkway in the front of the house. It led to the neighbor’s parking lot (the two properties were once one large lot). We put up a nice fence between the two properties, mostly to keep out the scads of snowmobilers that roared across our yard in the winter. But the asphalt walkway remained, it just led to nowhere! Today, I had one of the kids bust it up and cart the pieces away. Hurray!
Then, we removed the tangled mass of weeds and groundcover. I’m planning on extending my Secret Garden area to this area around the tree.
Before and after:
The pipes are from our sump pumps. We have two pumps running day and night– there’s a LOT of water underground here. If we do not keep pumps going, our basement floods badly. The town has balked at helping us build a basin at the street side, so all we can do is pipe the water up from the basement sump well and into the nearest discharge basin (in the neighbor’s yard). Part of building a massive garden bed is to conceal the pipes under plants. I also want to make it so that we do not have to mow and weed-whap around the pipes all the time, an onerous job. I have plans on plunking down some choice monster-sized hostas here, because it’s so wet and shady. I’ll plant taller, water-loving shrubs in this area, too.
One such plant I have found PERFECT is Purple Loosestrife. It’s hated by many, because it is so invasive. But this plant and I are going to get along very, very well. It SLURPS up water like there’s no end. The plant is hated because it roots otself in waterways, like creeks and streams, and clogs them. For my water-weary yard, this plant is a God-send. I have two plants thriving right now. It’s taken them two years to really get established. I’m looking forward to placing it in my watery areas.
And it looks gorgeous next to my purple Butterfly Bush, doesn’t it?
So the saga continues…. next time we have another sunny day, we’ll develop this area more. I cant wait to get plants into this area!
25. July 2009 at 10:19 pm
Wow! That is a big difference. It really looks good!
I was looking at the Purple Loosestrife, and my wife says we already have one, but I want to put some more along our fence to help with the flooding problems we sometimes have (I installed a French Drain several years ago, but it can use a little help). Thank you for the idea!!
26. July 2009 at 12:36 pm
Also the Cardinal Flower is fab in wet areas. It’s an upright Lobelia in bright red! Hummers love it and if you need some red around there, it can’t be beat. Good for you for embracing the Loosetrife. It does get lotsa bad press, and it’s not a set-it-and-forget it plant, may need some reminders about where to colonize and where not to, but y’all are hands-on gardeners and I can’t see it being a problem. Bravo on your work, the new area looks really pretty and now your eye goes right to the nice tree and not the pathway.
26. July 2009 at 9:35 pm
All your hard work is certainly paying off, your secret garden is looking more & more beautiful!
27. July 2009 at 3:13 pm
Looks great! Makes me hate renting cause I can’t do anything
OH well keep up the great work.
27. July 2009 at 7:24 pm
I’m almost 60 so I bought a condo but every time I see you site and the wonderful yard work I envy you. But then when I hear about the flooding basement and other problems I loose that envy. You have a beautiful yard and I know you’re enjoying it. And yes I still envy you.
Martha