garden 2026 wish list - august update

Summer is in full swing, and I figured now is a good time to check in to see what I have done, and what is left to do.  

Garden wish list:

• Treat Hemlocks again for Wooly adelgid bugs ✔️
• Plant my camellia - I did not and it died! 
• 3 rounds of plant & bulb fertilizer - 2 of 3 done
• Make a decision on my buff beauty rose - As much as it pains me, I pulled it out...then it died
• plant garlic  ✔️
• plant basil ✔️
• plant lavender ❌
•  plant a few colorful perennials ✔️ my tried and true bubblegum wave petunias, and impatiens
• plant peonies (if yard work is finished) - yard work isn't finished, so they're still in pots
• prep for hydrangeas - still waiting on yard prep
• finalize plans for hosta starts ✔️
• 20+ bags of mulch
• 1 round of round-up by the house, and in the shade garden

Yard wish list: 

Most of this list is still on hold, since Sally Sue isn't finished....hopefully this fall! 

• Clear around the pond
• Clear some trees around the house
• Clear by the rock wall
• Burn all brush & log piles - I started on this, and burned 3 brush piles.  Still a ways to go.
• Prep for trees
• Clear drivable path around the pond

2024

garden 2026 wish list

Spring is so close I can almost taste it, and it's time for my annual blog post / garden diary entry.  These are the things I hope to do...either this year, or in the years shortly to come.  :)

Garden wish list:

• Treat Hemlocks again for Wooly adelgid bugs
• Plant my camellia
• 3 rounds of plant & bulb fertilizer 
• Make a decision on my buff beauty rose
• plant garlic
• plant basil
• plant lavender
•  plant a few colorful perennials 
• plant peonies (if yard work is finished)
• prep for hydrangeas
• finalize plans for hosta starts

Yard wish list:

• Clear around the pond
• Clear some trees around the house
• Clear by the rock wall
• Burn all brush & log piles 
• Prep for trees
• Clear drivable path around the pond

2024

garden 2024 - the done list

We all know that I am a terrible blogger, but this does still serve as my personal archive of what projects I have gotten myself into, and when.  So before I totally forget what happened, here is the done version of my 2024 garden wish list. 

• impatiens in the window boxes ✔️
• flowers in pots on the porch ✔️
• bring out the houseplants to the porch ✔️
• small herb garden by the back door ❌
• cutting garden - zinnias ✔️
• fertilize azaleas & rhododendron ✔️
• fertilize boxwoods  ✔️
• another raised bed ❌
• replace camelia  ❌ - 2025
• replace gardenia ❌ 
• move peony ✔️
• new peony ✔️
• move Cramoisi Superieur rose ✔️
• butterfly bush ❌ (I got one, but it died)
• design & plant new hydrangeas and possibly boxwood ❌
• Clean out back garden ❌
• treat all hemlocks ❌ - I got one treated, and have more treatment for 2025
• creeping phlox  ❌
• transplant some rock iris ✔️
• transplant some hosta ✔️ (In pots, but thriving)
• make garden spaces to the right side of wooded path - ❌ - waiting on Sally Sue

garden to do list - spring 2024

 So much to do, so little time.  I have one more weekend left before the burn ban goes into effect, and then I can turn my attention to the garden.  Spring is almost the only time I have flowers blooming, thanks to my seemingly epic amounts of shade, and clay soil.  I am determined to do something about that this year.

Here are my plans...some of these will be for the fall or next spring, after we're finished with the back hoe work, but here is the wish list:

• impatiens in the window boxes
• flowers in pots on the porch
• bring out the houseplants to the porch
• small herb garden by the back door
• cutting garden - zinnias
• fertilize azaleas & rhododendron
• fertilize boxwoods 
• another raised bed
• replace camelia
• replace gardenia
• move peony
• new peony
• move Cramoisi Superieur rose
• butterfly bush?
• design & plant new hydrangeas and possibly boxwood
• Clean out back garden
• treat all hemlocks
• creeping phlox
• transplant some rock iris
• transplant some hosta
• make garden spaces to the right side of wooded path

pond project - recap

 Slow and steady wins the race.  ;)  

October 2022 

Where we started

Where we are 

December 2022

Where we started

     

       

October 2022

December 2022

 

Where we started

October 2022

Where we started

October 2022

                             

Where we started

Where we started 

October 2022

new plants 2017

2017 was a hot mess, wasn't it?  My focus wasn't really on my yard, other than trimming out some undergrowth to help the view of the pond. 

There are 3 new plants from this year that stick out in my mind

1) A new antique rose - Buff Beauty.  This is my second attempt at growing this rose.  I have some animal roaming around that thought the first one was pretty tasty.  I planted this rose in the spring, and by fall I had a couple good 4' canes - despite my lack of regular fertilizing.  I'm hoping it will continue to grow, and will bloom this year.

2) Three white Encore Azaelas by the pond.   This was definitely a discount find, and a pretty big risk.  Azaelas like sun - of which I have very little - and hate wet feet.  Planting them by the pond was not the smartest thing I've ever done, but I would love for them to grow, and be the first thing you see when you turn in my driveway.  I planted 3, and 1 survived and bloomed through fall.  I'm calling that enough of a win to consider building a retaining wall and trying again next year.

3) Magnolia cutting from my grandmother's house across the street.  In my quest to improve the view of the pond from my front porch, I'm also improving the view of my house from the road in the winter.  I like my privacy, so I'd like to add some more evergreens to this section of the woods.  Trees that I can 'limb up' over time and still see the pond, but will also provide screening from the road.  Well.  I looked at magnolias at our local nurseries, and let me just say they're crazy.  They have very nice trees, but there is no way that I'm paying $200 for a magnolia that won't even get very tall.  They grow wild here, so I took a rooted lower limb from one of my grandmother's trees, and put it into my holding bed.  If it survives the winter, I'll check its root situation, and see if it's ready move it into the woods. 

Here's to enjoying my yard more in 2018!

new plants 2016

2016 was more of a 'let it grow' kind of year, but I have added a few plants.  Here's the list:

assorted columbine - wild & purchased

Mouse Ears Hosta - Signal Mountain Nursery

minature hosta - Signal Mountain Nursery

Autumn Fern - various plant sales

Black Eyed Susans - Maxine

Campion - Maxine

Astillbe - Ace Harware

For a more complete list see my 'In My Garden' board on Pinterest.

hellebore - midnight ruffles

I've started buying 'fancy' hellebores.  This is 'Midnight Ruffles' from Green Thumbs Nursery here in Chattanooga.  It didn't bloom its first year, but has settled in, and has some pretty snazzy blooms. 

Now I need to plant the yellow ones I got last spring...I'm sure they'll be much happier in the ground than in their 4" pots.

#tbt first daffodil - 2/14/15

This is the post where I document blooms and also remind my future self that just because the daffodils are blooming, it doesn't mean that winter is over.

2/14/15 - first blooms

2/15/15 - single digit temperatures are coming,
so I brought the blooms inside

2/26/15 - up to 10 inches of snow in spots

Come on spring, I'm ready!