Not the right shape for a pool or a patio or a deck or a sandbox---what on earth will you do with it lol??
Jan

How lovely. That is generous of her-lucky you! Just in time for fall planting...or summer planting-the three I just got from 'The Boyz' at Naylor Creek are healthy and beautiful, so maybe an immediate order is needed!

I knew you'd be using that RoundUp. Lol! I expanded a few areas myself. Are you going to put in any curves, or keep it a straight edge? Just wondering. Way to go and have fun planning your expansion. WW

WAY TO GO, DON! Your Karen is generous!!! :-)

Excellent...phase 1 of operation "die, lawn, die" is finally complete!

OK. She gets to decorate the inside. You get the outside. Take as much grass as you like and spray it with Round Up.

Steve

This post was edited by steve_mass on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 10:00

Karen will take great pleasure in your garden when its finished (bad word).

DD

OK, agreed. Onwards and upwards.

Don B.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 14:36

I'll keep a curve on it, cyn. Keep it as oval as I can.

Don B.

'Finished'? I don't understand, Donna. : )

Don B.

Finished is not a word a hosta lover knows, is it Don! Karen is a great lady to finally give in to your begging for more space lol I guess she just finally gave you your own way huh! Spoiled brat
Faye

Well Faye, it's a good start. I'm sure Karen is realizing a whole bunch of beautiful hosta/ferns really does look better than grass, and within a few seasons the lawn will be greatly reduced in size for a superior landscaping concept. Sometimes old habits (growing up having lawns as a backyard 'standard') aren't easily broken, and people need to see firsthand that it's OK to not have such an expansive lawn, and that the decision to scrap the old 'standard' and let it go in favor of a yard full of nicely-planted hosta IS a truly fantastic alternative.

Cheers,
Don B.

EDIT: Edited for some content.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Sat, Jul 27, 13 at 15:29

Well, Don, make sure that it is a nice rounded crescent and what is left is easy to turn the mower w/o stepping in the beds, that means a bit more on the right, just a teensy bit more at the bottom of the "U".......and leave enough space for a chair for Karen beneath a pine where she gets the best view, and a small spot to set her cup of tea while she watches you garden. This is a good vision to promote.

Don I hope you were not referring to my comment as being insulting. I was just teasing you! I am sure no one else intended anything as an insult and were just giving you a hard time. I too still enjoy my lawns but a bit of each keeps a happy balance for all to enjoy
Cheers, Faye

LOL No Faye, I was not referring to your comments as being insulting.

Don B.

Onwards and upwards folks....
So, lets see...I'm wondering.....about how many MORE hosta do you think that expansion would accommodate??? Lol I'm imagining a sitting area there too-what a lovely spot.

Keep posting ideas and progression, Don. Can't let the fun stop here, right?
P.S. Bob Olson named a hosta after his wife, 'Karen'. :). Don't know how to make a wink...

Don, I find it interesting that 9 of the above messages are from women gardeners. Guess our DHs are inside decorating, lol. Ditto to what Jo said, "Onwards and upwards.". :) WW

Looks like fun, Don... that is certainly how our backyard went to gardens... step by step...

Since you are still pretty early into the process, you are lucky enough to make plans before you have too much to "undo." Once planted, gardening can kind of be like trying to repair your airplane while in flight...

A couple of thoughts... I wonder if you are getting deep enough there that you are considering a pathway for access. In retrospect, we are glad that our very large back garden is actually many smaller beds divided with pathways so that there are no areas you can't actually see due to depth. I like to plan so no plant is more than 6-8 feet from a path.

I also wonder about elevation... as you know, I'm a big fan of finding ways to raise areas for better display.

My apologies Don. My intent was not to insult, but to record my astonishment at the fact that many gardeners negotiate the amount of grass in the landscape with others who are mainly non-gardeners. Hopefully, I've removed the insulting comments. But I think my larger point still stands.

If you were to say to your spouse, "Gee, I really don't want you to use that spare room in the back of the house for your hobby, because I really like the way it looks when it's empty." LIkely, he or she would look at you as if you had 3 heads.

Now I could understand if you were encroaching upon the family croquet pitch or the kids kickball field or even if you were making unilateral decisions about the curb appeal of your home. But if the space is not being used for anything except growing grass, then IMO it's essentially empty.

I think you rightly point to the cultural bias toward the "American Lawn." We have the British to thank for this. It was a sign of status and wealth in Britain to have expansive manicured lawns. Think Downton Abbey or Brideshead revisited. Of course, the UK has perfect grass growing weather and the U.S. does not.

As a result, since highly manicured lawns are still considered signs of status and wealth (they add to the value of your property), we spend loads of time, money, chemical fertilizers, dangerous herbicides and waste fossil fuels maintaining them. Hopefully at some point this view will change. Till then people will still want to see large amounts of empty space covered with grass.

Just my two cents.

Sorry, gotta go mow the grass. : )

Steve

You know what looks really pretty? A winding path of grass through the hosta gardens....which take up most of the yard! ;)

It's all good, Steve. I apologize as well for reacting probably too strongly; Perhaps a bit over-sensitive (weary?) on the whole 'Back Lawn vs. Hosta' deal...."Now I could understand if you were encroaching upon the family croquet pitch or the kids kickball field or even if you were making unilateral decisions about the curb appeal of your home. But if the space is not being used for anything except growing grass, then IMO it's essentially empty."

I agree with that statement (to paraphrase you) that SO much lawn IS wasted space. (She certainly gets the 'wasted resources' part.) The 'wasted space' part.... Karen doesn't really see that it is, not like you or I do...Yet. But her pre-conceived idea of what a beautiful yard 'should' be; I can see it's evolving and changing. She won't admit it yet, and she doesn't have to. She sees what I began last season. And she is seeing how hosta, when planted with some thought, and taken care of, certainly are far far superior to the typical 'garden plant'. Her gradual appreciation for The Friendship Plant, is a wonderful thing to see. After all, she DOES have eyes and a brain; Of course she's coming to realize what can be created with hosta.....Jim's (idiothe) pic-heavy threads really helped something click in favor of what I was trying to explain to her 'a picture (or a couple threads' worth) is worth a thousand words'...Sometimes nothing is more true! I COULD go out and just destroy the grass, and do everything I wanted to the back, and have EXACTLY what I want in express-time. It would eventually blow over, and I'd have my ideal rear lot space. Nothing we'd get divorced over, I'm sure. But it's her house too, and I respect her as a person (she's my WIFE, after all)!!

It just wouldn't be the right thing to do. And besides, I WANT her to come with me on this, even if sometimes I have to 'drag' her across certain spots along the way. Shoot, I'll CARRY her. As long as we go together.

Also....Thanks to EVERYONE for continuing to post your awesome pics of your plants, and your gardens. Please keep it up, and we'll make more peeps appreciate hosta!

Grateful,
Don B.

P.S.: Can't remember who just wrote it, but garden-grass paths is a nice idea. Made In The Shade nursery have display gardens that have grass paths, according to the pics on their website.

Jim,

Actually, the particular bed that I'm expanding will be deep enough so that a path, or at least some large step stones, would be wise. Hard to really tell in that pic, I know.

Don B.

Jo,

Not sure exactly how many, but it's basically doubling the existing bed there, where all my fragrants are planted. : )

Don B.

That's just wonderful! I just finished reading (and refreshing my memory) an article on the importance of bees and ultimately our own survival. It made me realize how much we contribute as gardeners. It's gratifying.

I'd like to thank you, specifically Moccasins and Don for introducing me to the fragrant side of hosta growing and the benefits derived therein. I've just become so much more aware.

I also agree we've beaten the lawn thing to death. The times, they are a-changin'! Due to summers getting hotter and drier, we've had water bans in place for many years now. Restrictions imposed by our city and many, many other cities as well. We are allowed to water our gardens for obvious reasons....food-chain, bees, pollen, etc. etc. Lawns are slowly being replaced, some by xeriscape gardening and I must say, some of these lawn alternatives are a thing of beauty.

Yesterday I visited Cindy (Hosta Fever), one of my hosta suppliers. I am happy to say I'm picking up some "fragrants". But that's a new post!:-) I had permission to take some pics...I'll post one or two, if that's ok..and, my screen name is outdated lol

That's just wonderful, Don. I just finished reading (and refreshing my memory) an article on the importance of bees and ultimately our own survival. It made me realize how much we contribute as gardeners. It's gratifying.

I'd like to thank you, specifically Moccasins and Don for introducing me to the fragrant side of hosta growing and the benefits derived therein. I've just become so much more aware.

I also agree we've beaten the lawn thing to death. The times, they are a-changin'! Due to summers getting hotter and drier, we've had water bans in place for many years now. Restrictions imposed by our city and many, many other cities as well. We are allowed to water our gardens for obvious reasons....food-chain, bees, pollen, etc. etc. Lawns are slowly being replaced, some by xeriscape gardening and I must say, some of these lawn alternatives are a thing of beauty.

Yesterday I visited Cindy (Hosta Fever), one of my hosta suppliers. I am happy to say I'm picking up some "fragrants". But that's a new post!:-) I had permission to take some pics...I'll post one or two, if that's ok..and, my screen name is outdated lol

Ah, 'The Times, They Are a Changin'. too true, Jo.

A little Bob Dylan, anyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bob Dylan...The times, they-are-a-changin'

This is the view from my deck... 120 degree panorama... wide angle gives the idea there's lots more grass than there really is... grass pathways make for 5 minutes of mowing... picture really doesn't do it justice...

There was a time when you'd have seen a big treehouse, sandbox, swingset... even a sweetcorn patch... gardens reflect lifestyle changes...

Great add on Don. You've already done a wonderful job, so I can imagine how lovely the new area will be.
Cher

Since it was mentioned to use Roundup, it is important to find out when the sod may be turned over and hostas planted there. I used a Bayer weed and grass killer by accident on lawn and am not able to grow new grass seeds there for a while. That Bayer product actually gets washed through the soil, so when I turn over sod to 6 inches depth, grass seeds will not grow on that soil either. Bernd

This post was edited by berndnyz5 on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 14:43

I was about to ask if anyone does lasagna gardening here...seems easier than killing or turning the grass. I did a tiny bit of it in my new edged bed but it's too early to tell how it worked.

Very exciting!

Here is a link that might be useful: Turning lawn into garden

I built a raised bed out front by simply laying down newsprint, wetting it, threw good soil on top, wet that too, and left it alone for the rest of the fall until planting time in spring. Borrowed the idea from a neighbour while chatting about hosta. So easy, so fast. :-). Not quite lazagna but good enough. Best part was the minimal labour and back stress. Of course I'd tweak it here and there to improve the shape (read that as make it bigger). Lol

Clever photo display, Don! That looks so lovely!!! How long have you been gardening in this location? That's a terrific backdrop to showcase your garden.

Jim, that looks absolutely fantastic. Thanks for all the inspiration.

Don B.

Robot, I do the lasagne gardening and it works wonderfully.

Don, it is going to be fun watching your transformation-well, your lawn's transformation that is. ;)

Don... one more view of the back yard to share with Karen... this view from the west side of the backyard looking east...

Geez....I'm getting ahead of myself and getting mixed up....here I am complimenting Don on Jim's garden!!! Is that a true senior moment, or what???

Jim/Idiothe...the compliment re photo and comment was actually directed at you...I just had too much swirling around in my head! Ditto for the additional shot...I sure do envy you, Don, and all those others with the expansive properties...I used to have half an acre to garden in years back, with protected green belt behind me....it was hosta heaven.

remember, measure twice.

ask if it is okay.

and take the line, don't leave the line.

you'll gain at least an eighth of an inch the length of the piece.

pretty soon, those one-eighth inches add up to a $20 hosta!

^_^ --~

dave