Marlys' Gardens ~ Garden Bed #9

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Garden Bed #9

Slide Show

Early Spring

The Forsythia announces SPRING! It renews the spirit.

Red Dogwood adds color all winter. It's bark smolders in winter snows.

Bed #9

The ditch was hard to mow, so I suggested we plant it with some pretty shrubs & stuff. We didn't have a plan. We just put bushes & shrubs & daylilies out there. Now I have to walk all the way out there to see wonderful daylilies bloom & the dinner plate hibiscus, too. Our neighbors say they really enjoy it when they drive by. I added some hostas, but the Forsythia bush ate them this spring. Ron takes care of the mulching & weeds in this area.

Ribbon Grass

I remember how excited I was to bring home such a pretty variegated grass. I babied it & watered it & waited for it to establish itself. Well, it not only established itself but invaded every crack, crevice, & unoccupied spot available. This grass is an invasive monster. This patch grows out on the ditch & when it gets zealous I sprayed it with Round-up. It spreads by rhizomes. Remember that phrase & handle with caution.

Hardy Hibiscus
Rose Mallow
Swamp Mallow

This is the plant that really makes the walk out to the road worth the trip. The blooms are the size of dinner plates. I have shared starts of this bush with family & friends. It doesn't require any watering or extra care once established.

Perennial
hardy / zone 5a
4-6' tall
Full Sun
Deciduous

Propagation
division
or seed

Viburnum opulus
Common Snowball Bush
Also known as Cranberry Bush.

When we planted this little shrub I thought it would only grow 3-4' tall. I got surprised! It must be 10 or 12' tall now. It was part of the plan to "not-have-to-mow" the ditch embankment so thankfully it had plenty of room to spread out. We also were planning to supply winter food for birds.

It's a no-care, grow almost anywhere, hardy & robust shrub. It adds interest to all seasons with showy white flowers in late spring, early fall color, & beautiful bright red shinny fruits for birds to enjoy throughout winter.This shrub is a winner in my opinion. Just be sure it has plenty of elbow room or be willing to keep it cut back.

To learn more click: www.naturehills.com/new/product/shrubs_productdetails.aspx?proname=Snowball+Bush+-+Common