We're probably a bit crazy, but we decided to begin yet another garden along the top of Two Holt's retaining wall even though we're still working on the Kitchen Garden. The picture below shows the specific area we decided to tackle to begin the Upper Garden. It's a little stretch of space between two mountain laurels. I've been envisioning a sea of Japanese hakone grass--'Aureola'. This delightful plant sways in the wind like a living flowing stream. So Phil patiently got the ladder and started working to make my vision a reality. First he stacked stone to define the hakone grass area. And then he started planting the hakone grass. And when he was done, we stepped back and admired his work. Perfection in the garden! What more can I say? Pretty, right? But let me show you this bed as it fits in the overall garden. Prepare to "oooh" and "awww!" Great job, Phil! I surely hope this little guy we saw on our walk yesterday doesn't think we planted his very own salad bar!
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The roofers finally got to work on Two Holt. They took off the old roof on the original cottage, added insulation, and then put the metal roof back in place. Now we'll be able to take out the interior's dropped ceiling and have a vaulted ceiling in our kitchen/dining room/living room open area. The pictures below show the roofers adding a new metal roof to the new addition. I do wish they had been a bit more careful. One of the guys dropped his drill from the roof. It destroyed one of two matching pots I had in my garden. Oh, well...time to buy new matching pots! Hopefully the roof will be finished on Monday and Phil will be able to schedule an inspection by the end of the week. Our next step will be to add insulation in the walls followed by drywall.
We've got so much gardening work to do that I don't know if this place will ever come completely together. Due to our house addition work, we're in that 'new construction' phase where the cottage grounds look messy and bare. It will probably be a few years before we achieve that 'cottage nestled in its surroundings' look. I cringe as I post these pictures. Phil had one of our hills planted in rhododendrons...20 native rhodies and 5 more hybrids added to the mix. I bought a bucket of pitiful looking coneflowers at a Kmart clearance at the end of last summer. I knew this reliable perennial would return and it most certainly did not disappoint! Lakewood's phenomenal greenhouse teacher gave me an Endless Summer hydrangea for Two Holt's garden. Phil and I found a perfect spot for it. I can't wait until I can snip its blooms for an indoor bouquet and remember the little elementary school I love. We transplanted dozens of day lilies, asiatic lilies, and bearded irises from our Alabama garden. I added a few candytuft plants to edge our birdbath garden. It's supposed to be an evergreen plant so maybe it will add some plant greenery in the drab winter months. We brought this Japanese Painted Fern from our Alabama garden and planted it in this pot. We've started adding annuals to our side garden for more color. Our flower box was planted by Lakewood Elementary School's greenhouse teacher. I love the plants she chose. I wasn't happy with the hosta in our big yellow planter. I wasn't familiar with this particular hosts selection and didn't know it would grow so tall. We moved the hosta to the ground... ...and planted a miniature hosta, Mouse Ears, in the planter along with a few impatiens. I love it! It will only grow a foot high and it raises the small hosta up to be better seen. I had to have this adorable wind chime I found at Hobby Lobby. The teapot, tea cups, and spoons make a delightful sound in the gentle breeze. It hangs in our Kitchen Garden and is visible through the kitchen window from inside Two Holt. So let me show you the garden as of today... The gardens are bringing much joy as each area grows and evolves. I've read that it takes 10 years for a garden to mature. I can't wait to see Two Holt's gardens in five more years!
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Phil & SharonMarried 40 years and hoping to enjoy many more! Archives
December 2019
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