Let me say straight out of the gate I am NOT a gardener. I know very little about flowers, shrubs, perennials or even annuals. But I do know what I like, and I try to incorporate plants into my garden(s) that are indigenous to the area. I have found that if I do that and make sure that the plants are in decent soil, have the kind of exposure they prefer and are kept watered and sometimes fertilized, they will reward me ten times over.
When we moved into our home more than 25 years ago, the landscaping was truly a sorrowful site. Actually, there really was no landscaping to speak of. Old, leggy azaleas, no lawn (unless you count crabgrass and brown spots), and many overgrown, unattractive trees .
The way our home is situated is a bit quirky. The side faces the street, and we enter thru the back and rarely even look at the front. In fact, I lived here for more than a few weeks before I even knew the front was the front! Our neighbor told us we had a package on our stoop for a few days and that’s when I figured it out. No lie. So we worked on the inside of the house a bit, then the back, but the front remained neglected for years.
About 15 years ago, after installing a sprinkler system (which I consider a MUST unless you like spending hours watering), we invested in having the yard professionally landscaped. A few years and a few thousand dollars later, most everything didn’t make it…a consequence of poorly planned design I believe, but it gave me the motivation I needed and I replaced what didn’t make it with various shrubs and perennials like hydrangea, butterfly bushes, roses, dwarf japanese red maple, and hostas.
Lots and lots of hostas.
So, what’s the ‘tip’ part of this post you might ask? Glad you did. I though y’all should know I started out with about 15-20 hostas and am now at well over 200. Almost every variety and size you can imagine.
Hostas are almost impossible to kill. Most varieties can handle a fair amount of sun, so they don’t always have to be relegated to the shady part of your garden. But in my opinion the best part of hostas is how easily they can be divided. Every two years you can triple what you have quite easily by digging them up (Spring or Fall), dividing them with a regular old kitchen knife, replant and let them do their thing.
Deer love hostas. We have deer. In fact, they’ve been known to come right up to our stoop. Once, maybe twice a year I do a VERY quick spray of something nasty like old eggs mixed with milk and it works. They’re creatures of habit so they’ve learned to stay away. One year I forgot to spray but they left my hostas alone.
So here’s a quick tour of our yard. We’ll start with the front and then work our way around to the side and then the back.
When you are standing on our front steps with your back to the door, this next picture is what you will see on your right. The roses are doing well!
So there’s the tour. I know there’s lots of gorgeous gardens out there in blog land, most that would put mine to shame, but I’m proud of mine anyway, and I wanted to post this to let everyone know you truly don’t have to be a knowledgeable gardener to have a pretty yard. Just follow the tips I mentioned and you’ll be off and running.
StarletStarlet says
Doreen! You have an exquisite home and garden. So beautiful and very well manicured.
This looks like a garden that was featured in a Victory Garden show for the hostas – I mean, 200? That’s wow!
I’ve never heard of cherry laurel before – do they bear fruit? Is it a perennial shrub for evergreen look?
The Honeys says
Thank you for your kind words Starlet! The cherry laurel’s do not bear fruit. When they like their environment, they produce a lovely, delicate white flower that lasts for several weeks. They are an evergreen perennial. We choose to put it on that side of the house because there is a rather unattractive utility box there which it effectively hides.
I’m not sure, but they may also be known as Skip Laurels. It’s rather confusing, because when I bought it that’s what they told me it was called, but a few years later when I added to my stock, the salesperson at the nursery looked at me like I had two heads when I called it that and corrected me.
In any case, I can’t recommend them enough! I love the shape and the fullness. So much better than aborvitae, which I have wasted more money on then I care to admit.
Cynthia Keeley says
Gorgeous, Doreen! Want to come to Joisey and spruce up MY yard?! We can’t grow anything that doesn’t get eaten by the deer rabbits and voles!
The Honeys says
Sure Cyn! Just say when.
Have you tried using anything for ward them off? We get deer ALL the time, but they stay away from my hostas.
Did you mean moles? I don’t know much about them, but I’m pretty sure we have them also. We have everything! Coyote, rabbits, skunks, my neighbor’s cat :), turkeys, deer…you would think we’re in the country, but we’re not!
If all else fails, try plastic flowers. LOL
Cynthia Keeley says
Nope. Voles. They are these tiny rodents that burrow underground and eat the roots from below. There’s an ‘all natural’ solution to getting rid of them ( a biennial plant) but after awhile they come back.
I’ve used many things to keep the critters at bay, and just finally gave up. We don’t have any fencing and way too many trees, so our gardening efforts are now limited to just whatever grows and trimming it all.
Liz says
Ok Doreen I an embarrassed to say that I am nursing my one tomato plant in the hopes that it will actually grow this year. Two years ago I tried the Topsy Turvy for tomatoes and it finally had enough of me and jumped from my porch in order to say itself!!!
Keep up the good work!!!
Liz (the non green thumb honey)
Kelle says
Wow what a stunning garden! I definitely could get lost in a couple of books out there!
Kelle
BYW comment train:)
Sally says
What a stunning garden you have and your Hostas are huge! One of the first things I planted when I was fostering an interest in gardening back in my 20’s (40’s now!) was to plant hostas. They thrived in the British weather and I was such a proud new mama ~BUT one morning I came outside and they’d GONE! I was convinced that they’d been stolen. I phoned my father (a Landscape Gardener) and he chuckled at me and told my they’d ‘come back to revisit me next year’ ~ OOps!!
The care and love that you give your garden so obvious in your photo’s. Thank you for sharing your wonderful space with us all, Sally xx
The Honeys says
Thank you Sally! I’m not sure what you mean when you said the hostas were gone? I know they become dormant, but they don’t physically disappear overnight. We have them clipped in October every year to prevent them from looking sloppy. One year after planting more impatiens than I care to remember, I awoke to find them all gone! It was the deer! I have sinced learned begonias are a better alternative. Thanks for visiting my blog!
Luisa says
I play around on blogs here and there and have never commented on anyones, but I have to let you know that your yard is absolutely beautiful and hostas are my favorite. You’ve done a really great job. I love all the greenery and hope that my yard makes it there one day!
The Honeys says
Thank you Luisa! I can’t stress enough how easy hostas are to care for. In fact, you don’t really care for them at all…that’s the beauty of them. And since you can divide them regularly, you truly can have the yard you’ve dreamed of in just 2-3 years with very little investment of time and/or money. Thanks again for your kind words and for visiting my blog!
Sherry says
Hi Doreen, Your garden is beautiful! I know you must be happy about selling your home but I bet it is hard to leave this gorgeous yard. Thank you so much for your kind comment on our house selling journey and I appreciate you visiting my blog. I am happily following you now.
Hugs, Sherry