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The Lane

 

The Lane is our newest garden project. Planned in our minds for a few years, it finally came to execution stage in fall 2003. This garden area connects the front walkway to the side garden: one stone path with a few steps down is flanked on both sides with raised garden beds. Since it's in prime view from the street, I have orders from Amy to keep it on the tamer side. So far, we planted mainly shrubs and small trees - some perennials will be added this year.

Ever since making the mistake of not properly preparing the soil in the front perennial border, we take garden construction seriously. Many neighbors asked me afterward why I singlehandedly moved a big mountain of dirt from one end of the area to the other. I mumbled something about double-digging and mushroom soil - they wouldn't understand.

My boys helped me with this construction project - Max by riding his bike across the aforementioned mountain and knocking the soil down, and Ben by clambering about in his jolly way.

By late the next spring, the new lane is showing its promise - it is still rather empty, but all the new plantings are coming into their own, and are being joined by new friends regularly. By next year, this should feel like an established garden. Maybe we can even screen the view of the neighbors' driveway!


And this is what it looks like after a snowstorm

A partial list of plantings in the Lane

Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold' (fern-leaf yarrow)
Agastache pallida var. pallida (giant hummingbird's mint)
Agastache rupestris (sunset hyssop)
Allium cristophii (star of Persia)
Allium sphaerocephalon (drumstick allium)
Amsonia illustris (Ozark blue star; shining blue star)
Anemone baldensis (Mt. Baldo windrose)
Anemone multifida 'Annabella deep rose' (windflower)
Aquilegia x hybrida 'Crimson Star' (columbine)
Arabis ferdinandi-coburgi (alpine wall cress)
Asphodeline lutea (Jacob's rod)
Aubrieta deltoidea (purple rock cress)
Brugmansia sanguinea (red angel's trumpet)
Calendula officinalis (pot marigold)
Callirhoe alcaeoides 'Logan Calhoun' (white-flowered poppy mallow)
Callirhoe involucrata (poppy mallow; winecups)
Campanula alliariifolia (ivory bellflower)
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (katsura tree)
Chrysanthemum hybrids (garden mum)
Colchicum autumnale var. alboplenum (autumn crocus)
Cornus amomum (silky dogwood)
Cornus mas (cornelian cherry)
Corydalis lutea (yellow corydalis)
Crocus vernus (and hybrids) (spring crocus)
Dalea purpurea (purple prairie clover)
Daphne retusa
Dianthus deltoides (maiden pink)
Digitalis lutea (straw foxglove)
Eremurus 'Cleopatra' (foxtail lily)
Erodium manescavii (heronsbill)
Euonymus fortunei (winter creeper)
Fothergilla gardenii 'Mt. Airy' (dwarf witch-alder)
Fritillaria meleagris (guinea-hen fritillary)
Genista tinctoria (dyer's broom)
Geranium psilostemon (cranesbill)
Geranium sanguineum (cranesbill)
Geranium wallichianum 'Buxtons Blue' (cranesbill)
Helenium hoopesii (orange sneezeweed)
Hemerocallis hybrids (daylily)
Hibiscus 'Purpureus variegatus' (variegated rose of sharon)
Hibiscus syriacus (rose of sharon)
Hydrangea quercifolia (oak-leaf hydrangea)
Hypericum calycinum (creeping St. John's wort)
Iberis sempervirens (candytuft)
Ilex crenata 'Sky pencil' (columnar japanese holly)
Iris (intermediate bearded hybrids) (intermediate bearded iris)
Iris domestica (blackberry lily)
Iris reticulata (reticulata iris)
Iris xiphium (Dutch iris)
Juniperus sp. (juniper)
Koeleria glauca (blue hairgrass)
Laurentia axillaris (blue star creeper)
Lavatera plebeia (Australian hollyhock)
Liatris ligulistylis (meadow blazing star)
Lilium (lilies (various species and hybrids))
Lilium formosanum (formosa lily)
Matthiola incana (common stock)
Narcissus 'Obdam' (daffodil)
Nepeta grandiflora 'Dawn to Dusk' (catmint)
Oenothera fruticosa (sundrops)
Oenothera macrosceles (evening primrose)
Oenothera versicolor 'Sunset Boulevard'
Papaver miyabeanum (Japanese poppy)
Phlox drummondii 'Phlox of Sheep' (annual phlox)
Phlox paniculata (garden phlox)
Physostegia virginiana (obedient plant)
Pinus leucodermis (Bosnian pine)
Platycodon grandiflorus (balloonflower)
Poncirus trifoliata (trifoliate orange)
Pulsatilla vulgaris (pasque flower)
Ranunculus repens 'Buttered Popcorn' (creeping buttercup)
Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm' (black-eyed susan)
Rudbeckia triloba (brown-eyed susan)
Salix discolor (pussy willow)
Salvia leucantha
Salvia regeliana (hardy ornamental sage)
Saponaria ocymoides (rock soapwort)
Scilla autumnalis (autumn squill)
Scutellaria orientalis (Oriental skullcap)
Sedum 'Purple Emperor' (stonecrop)
Silene keiskii?
Talinum paniculatum (jewels of Opar)
Taxus cuspidata 'Capitata' (pyramidal yew; clipped yew)
Teucrium chamaedrys (prostrate and upright germander)
Thermopsis montana? (golden pea, golden banner)
Tinantia erecta (widow's tears)
Tulipa humilis 'Violacea black base' (tulip)
Tulipa hybrids (tulip)
Tulipa linifolia (narrow-leaf tulip)
Tulipa marjolettii (slim-leaf tulip)
Ursinia anethoides
Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed)
Veronica gentianoides (gentian-flowered speedwell)
Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' (speedwell)
Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin' (arrowwood viburnum)
Viburnum x pragense (Prague viburnum)
Vinca major 'Variegata' (variegated periwinkle)
Viola (perennial violet)

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Last modified: January 24, 2005
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