A Reflection on Garden of 2010

So as the days (and nights) have become colder and my annuals have begun dying, I have been mentally compiling a list of things that I liked and things that I didn't like in my garden decisions this year. Here goes:



Things that I liked:

• Right from the first moment of spring, my allium bulbs were the first thing to show their face...I planted more for next spring!


• My lilies! First time planting them, and they were gorgeous outside and inside in vases


• The orange impations that I planted in containers and placed in a shady spot that was lacking colour


• My hand designed hanging basket planter--far superior to what I purchased last year


• My herbs in the garden. I don't know how many times I ran out to clip fresh basil while preparing dinner


• Cosmos that reseeded themselves from last summer. They are still blooming profusely! I love it that I'm still bringing fresh bouquets into the house well into October


• The little tweaks we made to our patio. Small changes made a big impact in improving the space

Things that I didn't like...

• My rose bushes need to be moved. They aren't doing well in front of the house...I think that they don't have enough air circulation and it might be too sunny. I have a good spot in the backyard for them


• Our corn! It started off growing so well, and then...it turned bad. Not enough sunshine to grow it in our garden. Will not grow corn again


• My sunflowers never bloomed. My garden had some bugs in it that ate them up. Next year I will grow marigolds around the garden to keep the bad bugs out


• The astilbe plants I planted were very fussy all summer long...I'm really not too sure what to expect in the spring...will they make it?


• Need to purchase more mulch than what I did this year. Maybe even get a big pile delivered! The small layer I put on in early summer is long gone already


• Next year...use lots more compost in the all areas of the yard. Our pile is ready to go and fertilize!

I say that this blog is about my joys and my misadventures in gardening...and here is the misadventure part! Not everything went as I had hoped. I'm learning. Next year I will make changes...transplant things to new spots, try different tricks...and hopefully I will find the right balance to satisfy my garden design ideas. That's part of the fun of gardening...there is always something you can do to improve.

Now the task at hand is to clean up and put my garden "to sleep" for winter...



(This post features some of my favourite photos taken around my garden this summer)