Monday, June 28, 2010

The Art Of Peeking In The Garden

For all season bloom it is important to use the art of peeking, especially in a small garden.  Sometimes it begins as an experiment to see if it works, like my plumbago under my daylilies.  Then there are some peekers you know will work such as Broadway Lights Shasta taking over for Red Rum Daylily (which will be cut to the ground when done blooming - will get a flush of new leaves but not as tall).

Gaura will bloom all summer from behind the impatiens, daylilies will bloom inside the Shastas, behind the roses.  Annuals in pots can peek out anywhere you need them, moving them if need be.  Nicotiana will take over for the daylilies by Rozanne and Perilla will grow quite tall to fill in around the Dahlias.  It's like a game called "What's Next," and with a little planning, you will always have something coming next into fall.

I am not real thrilled with some of the Clematis growing along the south side fence.  It should be sun, but it is not towards the back of the border because of the neighbor's foliage which I love so much in the spring.  I am going to choose more carefully such as bloom time so that the vertical garden is going all season. 

That's why gardening is such fun, there's never an end!

22 comments:

Larry said...

OT's already... wow! I just love them. My Robinas are around 7' tall this year! Your gardens look great and seemed to have survived the storms very well! Larry

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Larry, I am not sure I even know what OTs are, but they are gorgeous. I bought them as packaged bulbs and I will certainly put in more of these.

Eileen

Reading Tea Leaves said...

I'm always amazed at how lush and healthy your plants look Eileen, and even more so considering all the extreme weather you have been experiencing. I hope the storms are well and truly over ...

Jeanne
x

Lona said...

Well I for one loved peeking through the gate down through your garden beds. You have so much going on in your beds.
This is one area I really need to improve on, checking the height of the plants before I plant. It seems I eventually get one or two who grow taller in front than I planned and I end up moving them. This year the second year Delpheniums grew taller than my Nora Leigh Phlox so I had to move one. Now I am trying to figure out what to plant in front of the woodland lilies which is shady to help them stand up better but not grow higher than they do.Since your peeking plantings look so beautiful have you got any ideas Eileen? Also it might help hide them from the deer better also.
Your Coleus with the Sweet Potato vines are so lovely together.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

I do fertilize, but I think the soil is very good. There used to be 110 year old house on this property and was told a gardener lived here. So, I can thank her and all of the rain. Have a great day Jeanne.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Lona, I do wish I had some space for a woodland garden. I guess it would depend upon how tall the lilies get, but Astilbe or Lobelia Cardinalis might work. Although, the Cardinalis that I planted this year under my dogwood is flopping all over the place. I think it was rootbound and got too tall in the pot.

Eileen

MrBrownThumb said...

Wow, you sure have an explosion of colorful blooms in your garden. Looks like all that rain did the garden some good.

Becca's Dirt said...

Eileen - I love to view your gardens. I like the last photo where you've included a small util.shed with a beautiful window box. Very pretty. Daisy's and lilies are so pretty and the foliage looks so healthy.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Becca, the little shed is a lifesaver. It holds a snowblower, bags of soil, tomato cages, some pots, etc. It is jam packed for the winter.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Mr. Brown Thumb,the rain has made everything grow beyond expected size. Some of my plants that I had woven in between are hardly visible.

Eileen

allanbecker-gardenguru said...

Your garden looks amazing. Planting flowers that peek is an art and you have mastered it well.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

It sure took me a long time and a small yard to make me even think about this.

Eileen

meemsnyc said...

All of your blooms are looking so pretty!

Lushe said...

Love the vertical garden.

Lushe
www.lushe.com.au

BernieH said...

Love all your little peekings!!!! That top photo shows a wonderful mingling of colours ... and I just love all the daylilies peeking out in the various garden beds. Spotted quite a bit of Impatiens as well.

Your vegie garden bed area looks terrific ... the baskets on the shed windows are simply bursting with growth! Such a lot of thought in your garden ... and the results are terrific.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Bernie,

I do like impatiens, especially to fill in along the border. I think all the rain has helped them fill in a lot faster than normal.

PS Saw a Dragonfly yesterday at my daughter's - told her about your more unusual ones.

Eileen

Balisha said...

I see your name in the comments on many blogs that I visit.I just read your comment at Garden Girl and thought I would come visit. We are living in Illinois too... and have experienced the same weather. What a year for growing. Things are huge and require more care.I loved your posts and will be back.
Balisha

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks for visiting Balisha.

Eileen

garden girl said...

Looking good Eileen! Your veggie garden is really pretty.

Ginny said...

It's all beautiful - you have certainly made the most of your garden!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Linda, the veggie garden is always an experiment because it is so small. The tomatoes are huge this year, so I have to really watch the other plants to make sure they have room.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Ginny, thanks for visiting.

Eileen