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wren_garden

Ever dug a massive do-over?

wren_garden
12 years ago

Ever daydreamed of lifting all the plants out of a bed, amending the soil some more and replanting in a more perfect design? That daydreaming can get you in a lot of trouble. I could not garden this season till now because of surgery recovery time. So I keep gardening in my dreams.Reordering my 8 year old garden. Fixing all the rookie mistakes. Well I am doing it for real now. I refer to it as the "Big Dig" The tricky thing is, every bed has to have 30-90% dug because there is dividing to do. Give aways to arrange and plants from bed 1 have to go to bed 3 and some from 2 have to go to 1 etc. etc.(12 beds in all)18 days of digging do for about 5 hours a day. Oh yes, and no new plan would be complete without a few new plants ordered. Some Daylilies, Clematis and Peonies. There has been so many trips to buy bags of composted manure I could of bought a cow. It's been a boot camp intensive shape up for my reactivated muscles. Just add a little Tylenol and I can sleep like the dead. But, I am so excited to see the garden next season.

Comments (4)

  • mytime
    12 years ago

    Yes, I have done that, and the problem is not the bed itself, but, as you say, all the work in the other beds because of the work in the one bed. I do enjoy the final product though.

  • crackingtheconcrete
    12 years ago

    This sounds like so much fun!! If you can, post pictures of your progress :)
    I did this one time, but it was only with a 10 by 10 foot space. My dirt totally loved being fluffed up, though and almost everything thrives :)

  • adriennemb2
    12 years ago

    Yeah wren, I hear you - I'm recovering too, but I have a ways to go yet. You are so right - it doesn't stop the day dreaming at all...

    Since I moved to this new build property 6 years ago, I've had a long-term garden plan. Finally, now that the trees and shrubs are getting more mature, it's time for me to give away or transplant loads of sun-loving day lilies and bring forward all those hostas I have tucked away. And to replace the lily blooms that I'll be losing, I'm also creating new pockets for hydrangeas, my new love. Really, what is wrong with that snooty Madonna?

    My goal eventually is to have a woodland/wildlife/low-maintenance landscape. Thank goodness that I have lots of young and broke teenage neighbours, always ready and willing to work for pocket money.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    12 years ago

    I have the moving still ahead of me next year or so. Haven't decided what we are going to do with this old lot but the house will have to come down for sure. All my plants are in holding beds sort of so they have never really had a permanent home. Last year for me was a write off due to an injury and this year has been crazy with a litter of puppies and so much rain! I just finished potting up over 200 daylilies and planting about 100 more. Also about 100 irises so far. Check out the pics on the daylily forum. I haven't even stepped into the back 40 (as I like to call it) yet. That is my next-two-week project. There are over 200 peonies in that garden! So, in short, I can totally understand your situation! Thank God for Tylenol and a heating pad! Wish I had a wife too! Lol :)

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