Well, this has been the year for my alley garden to step up and perform in the intense heat we have had the past weeks. It has been fortunate that rain has also been in the picture along with the heat and I haven't had to drag the hose out to the back to water. However, last year I think I only watered a few times all summer in the alley garden.
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| The Alley Garden |
It has really grown this year and, of course, I am always concerned about the garbage trucks wheeling over the plantings. So far, this has not been a problem, and my neighbor in back of me has planted grasses in her alley space. This could be catching and if it is, this alley could be a great place to take a stroll or a garden walk.
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| Centranthus Alba |
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Panicum Northwind
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The Panicum Northwind looks great, along with the sedums and nepeta Walker's Low. I am not sure yet about the Gaillardia Mesa, but it is the first year. This is not an eye-popping color garden, but is very wispy and muted as far as colors. That's okay with me as it looks sort of meadow like and is certainly carefree.
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Gaillardia Mesa
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The Agastaches have a licorice smell when you brush by them or bend down to take a sniff. All of these plantings are waterwise, meaning they require less watering than most other perennials. I do not use mulch around these plants but have them surrounded by river rock so that the soil does not wash down the alley in a rainstorm.
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| Agastache Blue Fortune |
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Agastache Rosita
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