Garden on a Dime

Remember HGTV 'Design on a Dime'?  Gosh, I loved that show when it first came out.  So full of good money saving tips and ideas.

The Imp doesn't have much more than a dime to play with, so planning and thinking and scheming are the marching orders.

Today (actually 6/1), we had heavenly wet stuff falling from the sky.  Nutrients for the plants.  Yippee!

We replaced a tropical that froze back with a plum tree.  There should be just enough sunlight for a plum in this spot, and it won't freeze to the ground.  The ginger was saved, and divided this spring and planted around other spots in the yard where it won't be so noticeably barren as it recovers from future freezes.

I had a buddleia in a spot it wasn't terribly happy, then after the phone service work digging contributed more plant heartache,  I decided it was ready to move.  I picked a time when we had an extended forecast for rain.  Sadly, the rain was a pipe dream and the buddleia is not recovering.  It would be really nice if the rain today would boost her up.  Else, I'll root some cuttings from my other plant, or better yet, try to find a yellow buddleia.

NE Garden

The NE garden transformation is settling in nicely.  All the bones are essentially in place.  A few tweaks here and there.  A tomato trellis in front of the garden heater, several more 'grab poles' for me scattered around the garden.  I have an arbor in the back that I'm thinking I'll move out here.    And I need a pass-through path on each end of the garden.  My first bright idea didn't work.  I'm not stable enough for small stepping stones.  Oh, and I finally measured it!  I have roughly 275 sq ft of edible gardening space.  I did not include the ornamental edges in the measurement.

Doesn't really look like a veggie garden from the street.  I hope.  The dynamics of the back of this garden have certainly changed with the tree work.  More sunlight.  Good stuff.

There is a baby mutablis rose in the back.  After watching all the tree work, I'm going to move her just a bit so that she is centered between these two large tree trunks.  To the left is a very large laurel oak, and I'm learning to be ready for the inevitable with them.

I've got a Jack bean trained to grow up the trunk of the live oak on the right.  It is sure an interesting vine.

In the background here is where the large live oak was removed.  That was certainly not anything we expected and planned for.   We already had an issue with the lack of appeal of my compost/work zone.  Oh well, must think of the bright side.  More sun.  Space for tropical fruit, like a mandarin and a mango!

This is where I'm thinking of bringing the arbor.  Putting it between the two oak's will give me access from either side.  I've already got one path on the front side of the oak.  Easy enough to keep one on the back side.  So she says .....  The arbor will let me get more vertical growing space.  In a spot that can't be intensely planted because of the oak roots.  Cucumbers, pole beans, perhaps melons would grow happily in a rectangular pot snugged up to the arbor.

Speaking of paths, these are little offshoot paths.  Not the main ones I use for navigation.  Just wide enough for me and one crutch.  It would be a squeeze to get my walker down and back.  Doable, and I must remember to make sure I leave a turn around spot!  Where some might just carefully step into a wide garden, or lean on one leg into; I need a path for a couple of steps and if I'm going to lean in there better be a grab bar pole handy!

On second thought, maybe I better skip the leaning stuff.

For these little offshoot paths, I would like to find some ground cover solution though.  Perhaps granite fines.  I should pick a short feeder path and test it out, see how it works.  I tried a stepping stone path using small pavers.  Bust.  Too wobbly.  The pass-through I use the most, by the garden heater (aka electrical box), I want to try out a couple of large flat rocks.  The type that are 4" or so thick.  Large enough that I can get both feet on one rock, and heavy enough that it won't wobble.

Minor details.  The main working pathway is bahiagrass.  It gives me a nice secure footing.  The path is 48" wide.  Plenty of room for me and whatever equipment I'm using.  The water reclamation systems are working OK.  The end of the driveway pooling is improved, but I noticed with the rain today, not totally improved.  I need to give some thought to ways to get most of the water from the driveway deeper into the garden area.

Triangle Garden

The triangle between the driveway and the sidewalk to the front door is almost complete.  Well, the structure part that is.  Hubs has moved all the grass to the backyard where it is settling in happily.  I reclaimed some of the stump ground pine bark chipped enriched dirt and moved it over to the south garden.  (there was a very, very large laurel oak growing next to the house that was removed before we moved in - 7 years later - wonderful soil) The pathway goes from the driveway over to the front door.  Meandering along the front of the garage.  The path is built up with sand higher than ground level on either side.  Then a layer of weed block, newspaper then chocolate brown shredded mulch from Bolling Wood.  So far, it compresses well.  Maybe not as good as the ADA playground mulch, but this I can get by the bag.

The pathway will be edged completely on the east side with dwarf mondo grass.  The house side, who knows yet.  Need something to define the path I think.  Between the path and the house are some plantings.  We have 2 Ti plants that we have managed to protect from freezes.  The dracena froze and is not coming back.  I had it with the hibiscus and it has been replaced with a brunfelsia yesterday-today-tomorrow.  I need to pick up 2 more cordyline 'Red Star" to flank the garage window.  I've been very pleased with how well the 'Red Star' holds up during freezes, both in ground and in containers.  I've brought the palm I can't remember the name of around from the back to put in the ground next to the big sitting rock.  I would really like to add a coontie just in front of the stump where the maple sapling was removed.

Note to self:  don't plant on top the sewer exit pipe, nor the septic tank.  Oh, and after Santa brought us a new drain field a few years back, we now have a nice potted plant on top our septic tank lid.  Makes it so much easier for the yearly clean the filter.  Just move the pot (plastic), rake back the bark/leaf mulch, roll up the weed block, and there's the lid.  Putting everything back is super easy as well. Just silliness to try and grow St. Augustine over a septic tank and lid.

As a result of the tree work, I have lots and lots of moss covered and resurrection fern covered oak branches.  I'm using these to outline a planting area weaving around the trunks of the trees.  Since we are dealing with oak roots, the plantings are very minimal.  Variegated liriope, impatiens, Florida variegated collards, society garlic.  I have 5 Thai Yellow Blossom Caladium on their way from season end clearance, as well as a Black Magic Colocasia growing in a pot in the back will be re-homed to the front pond area.  A large pot of purple leaf Oxalis will be divided and spread around (when ever I can figure out the best time to divide Oxalis) A new baby Colocasia Mojito will be added for (eventual) vertical height  interest to the brick wall.  Next year, I would like to add some Sangria Colocasia and Ms Muffet Caladium.

Lastly, I need something vertical between the garage window and the driveway.  I've thought of a tropical fruit tree, as the protection and heat from garage and the roof overhang would give it a favorable environment.  I'm just not sure what.  Whatever, it needs to be narrowish.

South Garden

Panic!  How many feet is that again?  Think baby steps, one small bit at a time.

OK, so I've been bringing a ton of mulch over here the past several weeks.  I'm not really doing any gardening here.  Nope, no plants.  Just soil prep and thinking.  Planning.  Yeah, right ....

There was some stuff in the ground after all!

And some deciduous stuff.

Then it was time to plant our Christmas twig - Ms Tropic Beauty Peach herself.  And she needs nice company.

South Garden Design on a Dime
Purchased Plants
2 ea half gallon pentas - $7
1 ea 1 gallon society garlic - $6
1 ea  2" Alocasia - 'Cucullata' - $2
1 ea half gallon yellow Bulbine - $6
2 ea half gallon Coleus - $6
2 ea half gallon Duranta Gold Mound - $10
1 ea 1 gallon Sweet Almond Bush - $13
1/2 ea Black Leave "Australis" Calla Lily - $8
1 ea 'Eucomis 'Sparkling Beauty' bulb - $6
1 ea 1 gallon Pagado Flower - $4
1 ea 1 gallon  Pennisetum "fireworks" - $5

Hardscape
2 lime green plant cages - $16 (to protect perennial food plants)
3 solar lights - $8
Recycle-Reuse-Repurpose Bird Bath - $10

Nutrients
1 cube Peat - $10
1 25lb Black Kow - $3
Compost Bin black gold

Still need!  one pot of stonecrop sedum, Louisiana Iris

Moved from around the yard!
Divided Variegated Yellow Ginger
Beautyberry- native
Baccharis halimifolia - native - Sea Myrtle - evergreen flowering shrub
Sweet Clover - flowers, bee magnet - smells good- native
Lorapetalum  "Plum Delight"
Crape Myrtle "Pink Velour"
Divided Nandina "Heavenly Bamboo"
Dwarf Powder Puff in large clay pot
Clerodendrum "Bleeding Hearts"
Ti plant rooted cuttings
Impatiens - volunteers
Coleus Lime Green - cuttings
Oxalis "Charmed Wine" - divided

Non-edible parts of the garden - $91.  Under my $100 budget!  Huzzah!

Edibles
Fruit trees: Calamondin, Meyer's Lemon, Tropic Beauty Peach
Test plantings from last fall:  Collard Greens, Ethiopian Kale, Okinawa Spinach
Moved from the winter gardens:  Keira Kale (a bunch, really and truly a whole bunch)
Seeds started:  Laciano Kale, Basil, Amaranth, Sweet Potato, Eggplant x 2, Hot Pepper x 2, Tomatillo x 2, Sweet 100 Tomato

New Edible Shade Gardening Space
a continuous 30' x 3' row
scattered spots here and there that will be for short lived perennials - such as eggplant and okra

The continuous row will be lightly planted this fall with long maturing shade edibles.  Celery, Heading Green Cabbage, Broccoli, Collards.  I'll probably plant some turnips and/or radish in between while they are growing.

Total Out of Pocket:  $120

Now, what am I going to call this garden spot?  Hmmm ......

40' x 12' - not all plantings, a lot of pathways.  Not complete, but somewhat photo ready.  I'm envious of folks like Chris @ The Great Wall of Lutz who can expand a garden and it is instantly beautiful.  And, she spent $3 on plants!  Now that is talented and beautiful budget garden expanding!

I just need to keep practicing!

A garden is never finished.  It is a breathing living entity and as time goes by it matures and remodels.  I'm sure I'll be adding bits here and there.  In fact, I've already started my wish list!

Go figure .....

More purple,

lime green,

perennial edibles,

wildlife edible.