Evolution of My Garden

When I first moved into my townhouse I knew that as wonderful as finally being able to own my home was - I had made some trade-offs. Things that ideally I would still like to have in my home, but which for now will have to wait until I turn this place over and purchase a single family house.

Things such as a fireplace, a yard, the ability to install rain barrels and create a compost pile - and most importantly a real garden - both for vegetables and flowering plants and trees.

But the one missing feature I have chafed at the most from the first months is the lack of a real garden. In fact, just prior to the closing I spoke to the primary Trustee of the Association at the time and asked about getting permission to plant flowers along the front of my unit. A rather barren area at the time with just a small rhododendron and an oddly shaped evergreen.



Within a couple of years I had moved in some "found" violet rhizomes, a Bleeding Heart, started some Astilbe, installed one little Hosta plant and added some Valerian. These images are from about 2003:

This image shows the perimeter of the original beds. At this point I was rather pleased at how well the Valerian seemed to be settling in ... little did I realize that this plant is in actuality a thug that will take over and dominate everything else if you don't keep an eye on it.


Fast forward about nine years and a lot has changed.......






Remember that little Rhodie? .. well, it sure grew up and up and out ...








The Astilbe is doing well and by the end of the summer, the hosta will be twice this size. I really need to divide it this fall. AND I need to move the bleeding heart, which is now completely hidden behind the over grown rhododendron.







 
The Valerian continues to divide and multiply, and I have continued to creep around the original corner of my planting area and move down the side of my unit. 

You can also see that recently the perimeter of the planting beds were enlarged to take into account the growth of the base plantings





Having quickly run out of space with just the space along the front and sides of my condo - I extended my flowering efforts to the area surrounding a small evergreen which sits at the sidewalk end of each unit's front walkway. My Day Lillies, Lambs Ear, Bee Balm and Cosmos like this location and come back yearly with almost no effort on my part.









Just as a contrast - this is a picture of the other units that make up my side of the complex.

*YAWN*