Monday, March 25, 2013

The hydrangea is gone! And the project continues…

When last we visited this corner of the garden I was having difficulty saying goodbye to the Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift' while preparing for the hydrangea to go away. Somehow I quickly got over the clematis issue, all of your advice helped, and out it came. Then I chopped away and pronounced the hydrangea “ready to move”…

On the morning of February 27th my friend and neighbor Bridget (new mom to the hydrangea) arrived ready to get to work. She quickly decided to chop it back even further...

We dug and dug, and cut roots, and dug and finally…there was movement!

Can you believe that this…

Became this…

And is now tucked in at its new home just a block away?

Pretty cool. As is this big empty spot!

It’s HUGE! (and the house painter missed a spot behind the hydrangea monster)

So the plan was to put in the pair of metal trellis I bought last fall (to create a divider between the front and back of this area, and create a wall that obscures the patio) and then plant! However I consulted the husband on trellis placement (having another set of eyes is good) and he pronounced them too wiggly and decided we needed to dig in and pour some footings first. You know what that means right? Can’t plant (bad thing #1) and have to deal with mixing cement (bad thing #2 and possibly my least favorite activity, next to painting over high-gloss oil based paint). Project on hold pending trip to the big box store…where (happy moment!) we discover these…

Which are much better then these which have to be cut and filled with cement…

Granted we still had to fill those tiny holes with cement to secure the trellis legs, but overall project just got waaaay easier. Back home and project underway…

The supervisor watched our every move.

And we’re done! Bamboo poles to keep the trellises straight and secure while the cement set, terra cotta pots to keep our feet from smashing emerging hosta tips.

A few days later and the trellis was firmly attached (monkeys can safely climb it, should they ever show up) and I could finally plant!

The first to go in the ground, my Clematis tibetana, which waited patiently in a large container all winter. I was a little nervous handling it, the stems are very brittle. But finally it’s in the ground!

Next came an even more nerve wracking task, moving the largest of my two Schefflera taiwaniana. After all if I screwed this up it’s not like I could just zip down to the closest nursery and pick up another one. Lila was too concerned to watch, she had to avert her eyes.

The shovel slipped right down into the soil though, and it popped out quite easily (if you're wondering why I needed to move it...I mistakenly put it in a spot where it received too much sun. In the summer it's leaves lost their dark green coloring and turned a putrid yellow).

The next thing I knew it was out and ready to position in its new home. I think it magically grew about two feet as well…

It’s been 2 weeks now since it was moved and the leaves have not drooped, even a bit. No yellowing, I’m starting to think it’s gonna be okay…

That done I wrested the Schefflera delavayi out of its container and positioned it at the front of the trellis.

This all happened none too soon as the plants that had been sleeping are starting to wake up. Hostas…

Solomon's seal…

And the previously mentioned Shredded Umbrella plant.

You can see a couple of hellebores were moved to the front of the bed, and there’s a Disporum cantoniense there waiting on future purchases to determine its placement (I need to do a little plant shopping!)…

I want to find a couple of these dark ferns like I saw at Scott’s garden last summer, and I think I’ll move the Persicaria ‘brushstrokes’ over here too (picture taken at Rhone Street Gardens).

I’m thrilled to have this part of the garden start to reflect my style more than the hydrangea ever did. I am a little bothered by the fact I can stand on the steps at the back door and see all the way to the patio, which was never possible before, however I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before things fill in…best of all some of these new plants are evergreen and I won’t have to look at the leafless hydrangea sticks next winter! (to be continued after a few more plants are added to the mix…)

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

39 comments:

  1. Sweet! I love the new trellis. What a convenient find those concrete piers were! I can already see how this spot is reflecting your style. Looking forward to seeing this spot fill in.

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    1. Thanks Alison! Just yesterday afternoon I noticed a couple of other plants starting to peek out of the soil, ones I'd forgotten were there. I'm trying to hold off on buying until I get a good idea of what's there, all my spatial relationships are thrown off since that HUGE hydrangea isn't in residence!

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  2. Your new planting is lovely and much more in keeping with your style - good job! Those cement blocks are nifty. I'm pulling out several hydrangeas since they don't ever bloom for me - our season is too short. I can't believe how large yours grew. In CA our plants grew larger than normal, but here in Spokane that is defnitely not the case.

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    1. Thanks VW, and I feel your pain. My mom has tried to grow hydrangeas in Spokane ever since I had a HUGE (even bigger than this one) growing outside my apartment in Seattle. I don't think I could ever go back to zone 5...

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  3. Job well done and your schefflera specimen looks gorgeous! It looks like it will be fine and will relish the more sheltered spot it is in now, an will have an entire season to recover.

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    1. I'm trying to remember to give it a drink now and then. As you'll see if you read Tuesday's post it's been a little drier than normal here!

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  4. Hooray for pre-made concrete footings and a wonderful husband to help with the trellis project! Three cheers for the hydrangea finding a great new home! The new look is faboo! The placement of the large and smaller leaved Scheffleras in the same bed along with the fatsia polycarpa from the same family to echo the leaf shape is inspired! Happy new bed to you, happy new bed to you, happy new bed dear Loreeeeeeeeeee! Happy new bed to you!

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    1. It's not fabulous Araliaceae overload? I love it but wondered if others might not think it a bit overboard...

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  5. The new planting arrangement with the trellis looks great and much more your style. Evergreen is good, so much less work. Eventually the new view will seem the best as the plants fill in.

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    1. I agree, but for now all that bare soil and open space is just a little unnerving!

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  6. I'm glad you both found a new home for the hydrangea and gained a large bed to plant to your own taste. Have a great time filling it out!

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    1. It's kind of freaky how new planting spaces just start opening up...such a small garden but so many possibilities!

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  7. Nice design you have there! I like the way you offset the two parts of the trellis to screen the back garden eventually.Interesting how you came to appreciate, and then incorporate the painted ferns into your garden. I've always loved the way their frosty coloring lights up a shady spot. The Shefflera sisters look happy and seem as though they'll do just fine. Isn't it fun to have a big new space to garden?! And, yes, of course you need to go plant shopping!

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    1. The Shefflera sisters!!! I love it. In fact there is a third, a little guy that was my first (a gift from Sean). I'm thinking maybe he needs to join his older siblings.

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  8. fifi la fontaineMarch 25, 2013

    Wow,the lacy network of schefflera leaves really pops against that dark chocolate paint on the garage. Gorgeous. I'm sure Lila had many editorial remarks on the process too!

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    1. Lila has her opinions for sure, however they mainly revolve around the treats left in the bare soil by the neighbors cats. She's convinced they are gifts for her and gets very upset when I take them away.

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  9. I was wondering why you had enlisted the help of your neighbor. Amazing that you could transplant such large plants.If we did that here it would be 90° the next day and wilt,yellow,dead. Nice idea with trellis to offset.

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    1. Truthfully it was all her idea. When I mentioned last summer what I was thinking of doing she said she'd love the hydrangea. I really didn't dream that such a monster could be tamed and moved but she proved it possible. The best part is that I can visit it, oh and that it rained hard for a couple of days after the move. We won't see 90's here for months...

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  10. You went to a lot of trouble to be able to say the words "I need to do a little plant shopping". I like the way you staggered the placement of the trellises. The idea of using overturned pots to keep from stepping on plants should definitely be submitted to Fine Gardening (see Grace's post on FB). Too late for the irises I stomped on, but future victims thank you.

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    1. I would have never thought that idea worth submitting but since you said so I went ahead and did it. Thank you Grace!

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  11. I would've never thought to use the trellises like that--it's going to be amazing. And the Schefflera is such an improvement on the hydrangea!

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    1. I hope so...(amazing that is). They are a little arched, as you can see in the photo right after the S. taiwaniana was moved. Andrew now wishes we would have bent them in reverse before installing. I'm thinking that once they are covered with foliage you'll never notice!

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  12. I didn't know anchor blocks like that existed -- I'll have to look for them at the local stores.

    What size monkey: squirrel monkey, or Mandrill? Vines can get *heavy* and can exert great force, especially in the wind. They may be quite sturdy, but they're making me nervous!

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    1. Oh a squirrel monkey for sure, it's a small garden. And they bend a bit but are very secure in the ground...plus the garage acts as a wind break. Don't worry!

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  13. Doesn't it feel wonderful when a project comes together? Great too that your neighbor was able to provide a home for that specimen size Hydrangea. Too bad you aren't closer, I have a pile of dark leaf Japanese painted fern and divide and give some away every spring.

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    1. Thank you for the generous thoughts! You divide them EVERY spring? Maybe I shouldn't buy any if they need that level of attention because they certainly won't be getting that here...

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  14. I preferred the Hydrangea...

    Ha, ha! Only kidding.

    Your big Schefflera is delightful, what a plant and I am very jealous of your signs of growth - I still have snow out in the back garden, grrr!

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    1. Funny I was expecting to hear that from someone...just not you!

      I'm so sorry about the continuation of winter in your garden...it's got to end soon! (right?)

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  15. Hi Loree!! I loooove your garden since I discovered your blog some years ago. I think your new design is going to look amazing!!! I´m jealous because I can´t have plants like Schefflera (wich I loooove) in Spain where I live!!

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    1. Hi Lisa, thanks for visiting, I look forward to checking out your blogs, a quick peek shows me you've got some cool plants. I'm so happy that your euphorbia looks like it will bloom!

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  16. I love how you staggered the trellises...very cool...cannot wait to see this fill in! Is there truly anything sweeter than a empty spot that you get to fill with new plants?

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    1. Uhm let me think...no there is not! And just in time for spring plant shopping.

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  17. Looks great, much more in your style, and the Hydrangea went to a good home instead of the trash pile. Win-win.

    So now you are forced to go plant shopping. Darn! You poor thing. Struggle through it as best you can... ;^)

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    1. Tough life eh Hoov? I'm putting on a brave face...

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  18. Just found your blog through the garden blogs of Austin, Texas and am loving your Schefflera taiwaniana! Is this related to the Tapioca tree? Going to do a little more research through all your blog posts to see if you have more info, but wanted to leave a note and let you know you have one new avid follower!!

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    1. Hi Catherine, glad you stopped by. No I don't believe the Schefflera is related to the Manihot (assuming I've got the right name for the tapioca tree). The Schefflera is part of the Araliaceae family and thanks to your question I now know the Manihot is part of the family Euphorbiaceae. I do see the resemblance though. Maybe even more so with the fatsia polycarpa (another Araliaceae), see pictures here: https://www.google.com/search?q=fatsia+polycarpa&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=rxNTUajyJ8SLiAKQ-IG4BQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1071&bih=602

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  19. Love following along on projects. This is great!

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  20. I really like your new offset trellis screens. They'll do a great job, along with your plants, of screening the view of the back garden. And they look cool in your garden as you wait for them to get covered up with vines.

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