Flower Garden 2017 – My Review

A few years ago, we put up a simple pool to cool off in. When we took it down at the end of the season, there was a perfect oval of destroyed grass underneath. (When I say “took it down” I mean pulled the plug and let the air out.) We um’ed and ah’ed as to how to fix the patch but only got so far as planting a little “Newton” apple tree right in the middle. Finally, we decided to take advantage of the cleared spot and in the spring of 2017, decided to plant flowers. For the soil and initial setup, see this introduction to our gardening exploits.  For the flowers, we headed down to Home Depot.

We got one beautiful yellow Calla lily, about 8 marigolds and some dusty millers for the border.  Later we added 2 English Lavender plants – one on each side of the lily.

Over the summer, it filled out quite a bit as I tried to show a bit with some pictures.  I was advised that popping the heads off the marigold made them grow faster and with numerous blooms.  I tried it and they seemed to grow lots of flowers, but I don’t know if it was because I culled them or not.  Either way, they grow wonderfully!

With the extra paving stones from the vegetable plot, we created a rough semi-circle in the front and put the remaining stones as a small dividing wall at the back. I moved over the small green arbour/arch too.

Later, (on a whim) I decided to plant a few pumpkin seeds along the back and they got HUGE!  It did add a rather nice green backdrop until they went too far.  Next year I’ll plant the pumpkins elsewhere.

I had a strawberry plant in one of the hanging baskets, which the local critters seemed to enjoy.  I couldn’t say how they were as we didn’t get any.

We scattered a few petunias and other plants around the garden, but didn’t do too much on the flower side. I imagine we will do much the same with flowers as I like them, but veggies are much more fun.

Lessons Learned

1. Marigolds love the spot with sunlight and bloom wonderfully sometimes with several heads per plant.

2. Dusty Miller is taller than I thought and grow more “up” that “across”.  They were taller than the marigolds in the end which was not my intention so not the best choice for a low border.  Beautiful though.

3. Lavender is just wonderful – pretty, delicate and smell wonderful – AND it is a perennial!

4. Don’t put pumpkins anywhere near the flowers – they strangle them.

5. Flowers just do their thing and don’t need a lot of attention.  I weeded a few times, but they basically grew themselves.

6. Growing flowers is really quite satisfying and pretty (but I still prefer growing vegetables).