The garden thread.

[Boris]

This weekend our garden is at it's spring-best, so i thought I'd share:

[Boris]

..and a couple more:

[Boris]

oh, OK...twist my arm:

[Boris]

Last, but not least, the side-yard. That's Fargesia rufa bamboo on the right behind the oak-leaf hydrangea, and tall English lavender (60 feet of it!) on the left (with yellow iris and euphorbia by the front steps):

[Terri]

Simply gorgeous!  The clematis are beautiful in bloom as is the entire manor. 

What plant food do you use?

Terri

[Boris]

Simply gorgeous!  The clematis are beautiful in bloom as is the entire manor. 

What plant food do you use?

Terri

I mix Osmocote into the top 3 inches of soil around each and every plant around the end of April. During the heat of summer, I also hit everybody with Miracle Grow once a month. Oh, and I forgot the estate's namesake!:

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

Boris - you have quite the green thumb, I'm jealous.  How did you plan it all out or was it a hit or miss thing?  However you did it, the results are impressive.  We have a 25 x 125 side yard that was pretty much empty when we bought.  We have done quite a bit of planting, some has worked, some has not.  I like the thought of something always in bloom from spring to fall.  Our strong point is summer when the tiger lilies bloom - they seem to have taken over the side of the house.

[littlealexa]

Boris, beautiful garden!!!

[Boris]

Boris - you have quite the green thumb, I'm jealous.  How did you plan it all out or was it a hit or miss thing?  However you did it, the results are impressive.  We have a 25 x 125 side yard that was pretty much empty when we bought.  We have done quite a bit of planting, some has worked, some has not.  I like the thought of something always in bloom from spring to fall.  Our strong point is summer when the tiger lilies bloom - they seem to have taken over the side of the house.

It was planned before we broke ground on the brick patio. I drew up basic sketches, and had a solid idea of how I wanted the front yard to be (I'll attach a photo here...), then Mrs. B's mom and aunt stepped in. Mom is a floral designer and auntie Pat is a landscape architect. The plans were drawn down to each individual plant. In the front, the only thing yet missing is the euphorbia that will cover the berm that the rhododendrons are on.

[Bonster]

ahhh, you do have centralized cooling.  nice!  Did you have that done or did that exist?
I will never convict someone of bastardizing a bungalow for installing central air.  It was perhaps my top priority here!

And yes, that's some serious Clematis going on there, Boris!
You've done a great job filling every space up while keeping a good measure of diversity.

Oh, and I forgot the estate's namesake!:

[Northsider--NOT Northside 7]

Boris, very nice, your welcome over here when you have some spare time. What is the orange colored vine called in the first picture, it looks like something I have called trumpeting vine, while mine is large it hasn't started blooming yet.

[Bear]

Very sharp Boris...Northsider, your trumpet vine is a later bloomer, the leaves just started coming in on mine, they are supposed to attract hummingbirds, but I have yet to see one.

[Matryoshka]

AWESOME Boris!!!

[Northsider--NOT Northside 7]

Very sharp Boris...Northsider, your trumpet vine is a later bloomer, the leaves just started coming in on mine, they are supposed to attract hummingbirds, but I have yet to see one.

Bear, I thought he a special trick or something.

[Boris]

Boris, very nice, your welcome over here when you have some spare time. What is the orange colored vine called in the first picture, it looks like something I have called trumpeting vine, while mine is large it hasn't started blooming yet.

That's a scarlet trumpet honeysuckle vine (Lonicera x brownii 'Dropmore Scarlet'). I have a trumpet vine (much, much larger) that I'm training to cover the west face of the garage.

Bonster: I put in the A/C. These old stone bungalows take a long time to heat up inside...but once they do, well, central A/C is a necessity.

[bohemian]

Wow, amazing Boris!

[Kit]

GORGEOUS.  Just stunning.

I know squat about gardening, so I'm in awe!

[delbowz]

Boris - how do you keep your yard so beautiful AND have a dog???

[Bonster]

Boris - how do you keep your yard so beautiful AND have a dog???

He doesn't have a dog (anymore, yet).
But in that regard, I've heard it has a lot to do with the makeup of your dog's urine, particularly the PH.


It also has something to do with being on the north side. 
The only dead patch of grass I have right now is where my dog never pees. <smiley>

[Robert Pauly]

Boris, what kind of beer you drink?  I need you over here for a weekend!