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kisher

Pics from my gardens (pic heavy)

kisher
12 years ago

I have been enjoying the forum for about 4 years now, and it is time for me to share some of my gardens.

I am retired and love to spend hours in the yard trying to make it look better.

I have completely re-landscaped the back yard in the last 30 years, bit by bit, including putting in the brick walkway 20 years ago.

These are some views of the backyard.

The house and yard is next to a relatively steep ravine.

Hostas have become my passion the last 5 years.

My biggest problem now is where to put them!

A partial solution. Works great.

They overwinter in the garage and do well.

And finally, a garden escapee! Happens often.

(Check out the red foxglove in middle of picture)

Comments (37)

  • coralb
    12 years ago

    Your hostas are lovely!

  • hosta_junkie
    12 years ago

    What a peaceful place! Thanks for sharing pics of your lovely setting.

  • donrawson
    12 years ago

    Welcome to the hosta forum...your gardens and brick pathway are absolutely gorgeous!

  • aka_margo
    12 years ago

    Wow! Beautiful, Love the brickwork.
    Jen

  • Cher
    12 years ago

    Your gardens and setting are lovely and so peaceful. You have some great Hostas.
    Cher

  • susie53_gw
    12 years ago

    I'm jealous! Your gardens are breath taking!!

  • jroot
    12 years ago

    Beautiful, indeed.

    Like you, I have a property which is partially in bush. Mine is cedar, and I have been toying with the idea of extending the garden into the bush, - possibly using hostas, etc. The rest of the property is so full of gardens, there is not much grass to cut, and that is the way I like it.

    Can you recommend any other plants other than hostas which might do well in the Full Shade of a zone 4/5 garden? I'd appreciate any input that you have to share. I really like what I see here, and emulating it here would be sincere compliment to your work.

    jroot1@cogeco.ca

  • kentstar
    12 years ago

    Oh my god, your yard is gorgeous! Awesome job! Makes mine look horrible.
    I love your brick walkways! I'd be spending all day out there!

  • mjjones453
    12 years ago

    thank you for sharing! what beautiful gardens! I love foxglove, but have had no luck with it at all. I love how you placed the Heuchera outside in the rocks! Mary

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    12 years ago

    Nice layout, nice hardscaping and nice setting. Thanks for the pix.

    tj

  • kasha77
    12 years ago

    Absolutely stunning!
    Your pathways are truly a piece of artwork! I have zone envy- it's so blazing hot here in Nc right now- my hostas look a little tired. Your gardens are truly a show place! Thanks for sharing and keep those pics coming!
    kasha77

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    In response to jroot:
    In the last few years, I have worked hard at finding good shade tolerant/loving companion plants to go with my hosta. I have found some and will share in a separate post.

  • robin1916
    12 years ago

    I am totally in lust!

    Robin in NC

  • gayle0000
    12 years ago

    You have a spectacular place. Thank for posting the pics!!! I think you did an exceptional job of blending and transitioning the civilized and uncivilized settings so they 'go' together!

    Great work!
    Gayle

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    There are some very nice perennials that love the shade (no or very little direct sun) and compliment the hosta garden.
    The following are ones that I have put in my gardens in the last few years:

    Brunnera - Mine do not like any sun at all, they go limp!
    Epimedium - Do well in shade
    European Ginger - Seem to tolerate shade well
    Helllebore - They do well in full summer shade
    Ferns - Of course. I have Japanese Painted, Japanese Tall, Japanese Holly, and Cinnamon
    Japanese Yellow Grass - It bows down towards the sun
    Ligularia - Absolutely no direct afternoon sun
    Pulmonaria (Lung Wort) - Mine do not like any sun
    Varigated Jacobs Ladder - Do not like much summer sun
    Varigated Solomon's Seal - Do quite well in the shade

    Now of course there are other shade tolerant perennials that go well in a hosta garden.
    I hope you will post your favorites.

  • beverlymnz4
    12 years ago

    Thank you for posting your pictures. You have very nice design.

    Beverly

  • sassy7142
    12 years ago

    OMG = oh my GOSH!(not to break one of the 10 commandments)

    no slug holes, rabbit bites, deer chewing....not even
    one little weed! How beautiful!

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    12 years ago

    Absolutely stunning. I am green with envy and will be out in my pathetic space once school is over attempting to sorta, kinda make my garden as beautiful and restful. Thanks for sharing!

  • Janice
    12 years ago

    So much coveting go on here, (with me) another 'commandment' broken (eh, Sassy?)! I even envy and
    covet the rocks you have! Sigh--love it all! Good job, indeed!

    In your last pic. of plants in pots on your deck, what is the one on the far right bottom, please?

    Thanks for sharing with us what a lot of hard work can produce!!

    janice

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Janice,

    Assuming you are talking about the picture with six hostas, they are clockwise from the top:

    Purple Profusion
    Katsuragawa Beni
    Pineapple Poll (I beleive this is the one you were referring to)
    Lakeside Cupcake
    Honeysong
    Revolution

    Thank you everyone for the compliments. Its funny, whenever I see other postings of hosta gardens and yards, I always think they are much nicer looking than mine!

    Ron

  • paul_in_mn
    12 years ago

    Beautiful setting and gardens. Thanks for posting your pics.

    Paul

  • nutmeg4061
    12 years ago

    Like cyn427, I will be out in my pathetic space but thinking of your photos! There's nothing I can add that hasn't been said already. Magnificent work.

  • krayers
    12 years ago

    What a lovely garden. My setting is so similar to your - we live in a densely wooded area & have been working to incorporate hostas & ferns for many years. I have been longing for a brick or stone path/patio/walkway like your for years - can't grow grass under all those trees. I'm having trouble not breaking a few of those commandments too - coveting, lusting, etc.... You have created a beautiful space. How do you control the voles/moles??

  • hostasformez4
    12 years ago

    Did you lay every brick yourself? Outstanding garden all the way around. I know you didn't do all that overnight! lol We garden for ourselves but get enjoyment from others appreciating our efforts.

    Even the hostas are without flaw!!!!!

    Connie

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I have a wonderful cure for voles. His name is Spirit the tabby cat. He pretty much keeps the yard clear of voles and (sorry to some of you) chipmunks. The deer are kept at bay by spraying Plantskedd.
    Hostas look great in part this year because we have been blest by good hosta weather so far this year (not too hot and very wet). And no hail storm like the one early on last year that shredded my hosta and made me sick!
    The backyard started with a design in the eighties. The deck was first, built in 1987. The pathway was laid down brick by brick by me in 1990. The rest followed since then.
    Yes, we do this for ourselves, but it IS nice to have it appreciated by others.

  • coll_123
    12 years ago

    your gardens are really lovely! Looks like a wonderful spot to hang out and relax.

    What is the chartreuse and blue puckered one near Rainforest Sunrise?

  • Janice
    12 years ago

    Thank you, Ron, for naming your hosta on the deck, for me/us! I love the look of 'Pineapple Poll'!
    I have 'PUC' and love it's look, so I guess I WOULD like that one, too! :O)

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    For coll 123:
    That is Tokudama Aureonebulosa, one of my favorites.
    Got it 3 years ago, had 4 eyes, has 10 this year. Doing nicely.

  • tomahawkclaim
    12 years ago

    Ron, since you're in NE Ohio, you should join us in the Midland Hosta Society. Our auction in August is to-die-for. Nancy

  • Mary4b
    12 years ago

    Ron, came across your post which I missed before...what a beautiful place you have. I am in the midst of planting shade companion plants, so appreciate your thoughts on light for the list you have. Hope you will keep posting pics!

    Oh, forgot...the potted hostas that you overwinter in the garage...do you have any special tricks for overwintering? I have done it 3-4 years now with about an 85% rate, but I'd like to improve on that because I do not like losing even one! I overwintered some out in our shed this last year instead of the garage, and the mice got into them and I lost a bunch. My biggest problems have to do with springtime moisture levels...I do not water them at all in the garage, come spring, I try to make sure at least 1/2 have broken dormancy before going outside. (Leave them in the garage too long, they dry out and die, water them in the garage, or take them out too early, they can rot.) Would love to hear how you handle yours. For this next year, I'm thinking about giving each small one an ice cube in Feb/March. Just to add some moisture back in as the weather warms up.

  • just1morehosta
    12 years ago

    Oh my word! I think I need this picture as my wallpaper.
    What an absolutely serene,beautiful garden,really,no words to be said, about how it looks,you have a gift with design.
    Thank you for sharing, now, I wanna visit,got coffee?
    cAROL

  • sassy7142
    12 years ago

    Just beautiful. I agree, Ohio has had wonderful hosta weather this year, at least this past spring. I wish it would continue. I live in Northern Ashland County and I see that Wooster got 1.75 inches of rain yesterday while we didn't even get a rain cloud! Beautiful place you have there.

  • kisher
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Just1morehosta:
    Plenty of coffee.... 50/50 though, can't handle high test anymore. Come on over...
    Mary4b:
    This is the second year I have wintered hosta in my attached garage. Have not lost one yet (knock on wood).
    I bring them in when they go dormant, remove the leaves (of course) and make sure they are not dry (but not soaked either).
    A few times during the winter, I check to see if they are starting to look very dry. If so, I will put ice cubes in each pot (fom one to 3 depending in the size). (Credit this idea to the Hosta Form... can't remember who, Ken maybe?)
    When some begin to get eyes and the weather starts cooperating (not consistently below freezing or persistent frost), I bring them out, even those without eyes yet.
    I like decorative pots, so I do a pot within a pot when I can. It's easier for me to store then in the garage this way.

  • Cricket_Love
    12 years ago

    Um.......WOW!!!! That's all I can say with my jaw hitting the floor! Just.......WOWOHWOW!!!!! Stunning! You should do garden tours! But, then again, I'm afraid no-one would ever want to leave! :)

    Absolutely beautiful! Almost to perfection!

  • User
    12 years ago

    The whole garden is gorgeous, Kisher. I like the way you have in one corner which has the bird house on a post, sort of implied that there is a woodland pathway to continue along. It could be the border of your property or not, but it is esthetically pleasing. It gives no feeling of boundary, and thus no sense of waking me up from this dream of a perfect garden.

    I as a gardener applaud your perfection, and your understanding of the qualities of the plants you love. They are not forced to conform artificially with what YOU want, it seems that you are their steward and gentle caregiver. What they want and need, you provide in abundance.

    Perfect. It is inspiring.

  • User
    12 years ago

    Your garden is lovely and the paths are beautiful. Your hosta all look so healthy and well grown.

  • ci_lantro
    12 years ago

    Beautiful gardens, Kisher. And I need to thank you. I have that exact same bird feeder, purchased from a rummage sale & covered in ugly gray paint. That picture of yours is what it took to get me off my duff and stripping the paint off my feeder! Mine it all stripped now and coated w/ an oil wood preservative and looking lovely, too!

    Next thing is to get in on a post but, with black oil sunflower seed currently 50# for $30, I've put the wild birdies on a diet!