Whoa, glad I was sitting down! Gorgeous garden!
I love the rock wall and I'm a sucker for ferns.

I'm curious, is that Hakone grass bottom pic, upper left (just right of big birch)?

Deb

Deb, thank you and yes, that is Hakone grass- its the Albo Striata one, if I recall correctly. It's green with a white stripe. It's a very vigorous form of the stuff. I will see if I have any pics from when I first planted that. You can sort of see it in the top pic. I should get in there and try to reign it in, I think.

Coll, what a beautiful garden you created. Although you indicate it was new when that shot was taken in 2007, it had a full filled-in look to it from that moment. The structure of the garden is set, and while you may change out one hosta for another in spots, the set up is solid and able to take the changes. It is delightful to see your handiwork.

Thank you for posting, I enjoy seeing the before and after shots and I really love seeing any pics from your gorgeous garden, Coll.

Paula

Love the changes - and always a fan of woodsy gardens with ferns. Thanks for sharing your garden.

Paul

Thanks, Coll. Nice garden, but your's is always pretty.

bk

Thanks, everyone. Deb, I found a pic of that hakone grass from 2007- I planted three of them in 2006.

And here is a pic from today. I think I should have just planted one of them!

Nice progress. Gardens always change. I'm really starting to understand that these last two years. Nice illustration.

Beverly

Wow, I love that grass. I have tried the golden one twice but no luck. I am trying it again in a different location.

Oh nonono. Three is a good thing.
If a little is good, a lot is GREAT.
It looks gorgeous!

Coll, I just love looking at pictures of your beautiful gardens. WW

Colleen,

When you created that bed, did you just build it up with the Birch there already?
If so, it doesn't seem to have harmed it in any way. The reason I am asking is because I have a birch tree and I could certainly use the extra garden space for my hostas.

Paula

Paula, yes, I did, and I know I goes against everything that you read you are supposed to do or not do. Where I live, there is a LOT of ledge. I cannot dig a hole in my yard without hitting lots and lots of rocks. So my father in law told me do what he did and make raised beds evrywhere and just add soil. He later did tell me If I add soil around trees I should ring the trunks with rocks, and I did not do that with the birches, but have done with subsequent trees in my raised beds, In any case, It's been seven years and all my trees seem to be doing well. My FIL's gardens are probably 20 years old and his trees are fine too...no one suffocated yet. :)

Thanks! That is great news, once I finish the wall I am building now, I will start on something with my Birch :)

Good luck! I should add that it would probably be better for my plants if the trees weren't there, but my husband has a fit when I talk about cutting anything down. And I like the birches. I have another raised bed beneath a red maple and I hope it kills that one. That's the only way I can take down a tree, lol.

Thank you for posting,,,,,,,great looking gardens, as always.

We have two red Maples and they aren't too bad compared the massive, nasty Maple out back. It sheds thousands of keys a year and I have to clean up my beds and hosta constantly.