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kahlanne_gw

What to plant?

kahlanne
18 years ago

This is our first year in our home and I really need all the help I can get with the landscaping. The main area that is bothering me is a small bed near our kitchen/dining nook window which is 3' off the ground. The west facing bed was created by the previous homeowners and is rectangle about 4'wide by 6'long. On one corner there are some irises I believe by the foliage that have come up this year but nothing else. The major delima is that we have a large black lab that loves to lie on at least half of the bed. He has a doggie bed but doesn't use it; we also have two acres of land and many other better places to lie but he loves this spot. I think it is because he loves being able to see us through the window and it is also close to the back door.

I don't think removing the bed is really the best option either because it is the only decorative/flower spot near the back door and would be really nice view from the window. So any advice? Anything that could carpet that portion of the bed? I thought about moss and plants in the areas he doesn't lie in but moss is for shade, right? This bed gets plenty of sunlight. Any other ideas?

Comments (6)

  • drasaid
    18 years ago

    (otherwise the stuff will take over your yard) and plant mint. If you don't want to enclose it plant thyme. Both smell good; and if your lab is anything like our Bullterriers it does not. For attractiveness, if there is a fence put pots on it and if there is not put up shepherd hooks and hang some. Go for edible stuff as dogs are apt to eat anything they can. If you are coming to New Orleans I can let you have some mint but it's available anywhere.
    For extra fun, plant catnip and watch the neighborhood cats go into a moral conflict--He's a DOG but he smells good! It's CATNIP but it is in HIS yard!
    Any chance to make the dog smell better should be jumped at.
    Rosemary would be nice to edge the bed (it smells good too.)
    Unfortunatly I'd stay away from scented geraniums; our oldest pup ate one roots and all.

  • sinner_gurl
    18 years ago

    You could enclose the area with a fence and make another bare dirt type place nearby for the dog to lie in. You may want to put in a small gate where so you can still access the bed. Since it is near your kitchen you could have a small kitchen/herb garden. Most herbs do well here for me in full sun. I usually plant basil, chocolate mint, oregano, chives, rosemary, thyme. Or you could try some vegetables. You could also intermix some sunloving flowers in with the herbs. I often interplant with marigolds, cosmos (in the back because they can get tall). Make sure the bed isn't too heavy of clay soil (mine naturally is) so be sure to work in some organic matter, peat moss, and/or sand to help it get better drainage.

  • deep_south_gardener
    18 years ago

    Hey ya'll,
    Kahlanne I agree with the other garden post, a kitchen/herb garden with a few flowers for color
    sounds like the ticket. Try some small pepper
    bushes so you can get more variety it your garden.
    The advice on ammending the soil is sound. Always
    best to start out with good soil. If the bed is
    raised, I would plant herbs that would cascade
    over the edge for a nice look. Mints are great
    but can become invasive, so beware. Parsley,
    thyme are a couple that cascade nicely as well.
    Go to the library and check out some books on
    herb and or kitchen gardens for ideas and pictures.
    Then go to your local nursery for ideas as well.
    Good luck. I just sprinkled some parsley seeds
    in the veggie garden today. I thought I had some
    but couldn't find them so I just bought some more.
    Good luck with your new place. Two acres sounds
    like a wonderful garden in the makings. Keep us
    posted on your progress.

    Brenda
    Harvey, LA

    Here is a link that might be useful: Community Webshots

  • kahlanne
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I am SO happy I posted! I was thinking noone had an answer since I didn't receive an email stating I had a reply as usual and figured it was hopeless. Well, not quite but still baffling. However, I love your idea of a herb garden! I have been wanting to grow herbs lately and thought I had no place for them. Don't know why it didn't come to me. The spot isn't wide enough for a gate so it will pretty much have to be open. Hopefully once the ground is fully covered Gideon will not disturb it too much. Here's hoping! Hey do you think a rose bush or climbing rose would work mixed in with herbs? This would encourage Gideon to find another spot for sure.

  • sinner_gurl
    18 years ago

    You could add a rose if you made sure it didn't shade the other herbs/ veggies too much. You may want to go out at different times of day to see where the sun lies in the garden first. IF you do plant a rose you may want to try one of the wild roses or other disease resistant type shrub rose varieties because hybrid teas often need to sprayed for fungus on a regular basis in the south, and you wouldn't want that overspray to get on herbs. As a last result maybe you could put up a motion detector type of sprayer (I saw one in the Foster's and Smith Pond catalog) to keep your dog out of your garden until he gets the idea. Other people will probably have better ideas about dogs. I have to keep my lab in a different part of the yard or she will trample everything and she would love to play in a spray of water lol. My pomeranian is too small to do any damage so he usually "gardens" with me. Good luck with your new garden. It sounds like you will have alot of fun with all that space!
    ~Lenette

  • lisa455
    18 years ago

    You could mulch and put pine cones in the bed. My mom did that to keep her cats from laying on her plants. Maybe it would work for dogs?

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