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When we were signing the lease for our new apartment, I discovered that there is a sizable piece of land behind the house.
It was covered with creeping Ivy, branches and bushes galore.
I knew that it would be great for the kids to have somewhere to chill and it is relatively secluded.
45 (!!) bags of garbage later, the yard was clear. What now? Maybe a garden?
Time for a new hobby!
My neighbor upstairs is into plants and he taught me the basics of gardening- how to plant etc.
It most definitely has been a learning experience. At first, I chose flowers that were pretty and colorful like geraniums, daisies and pansies. Then it turns out that there is not enough sunlight because of the extensive shade. So we turned to flowers more suitable for shade, some perennials and some annuals. The perennials are Hostas and Astilbe(which did not do too good,maybe better next year) and the annuals are Impatiens and Salvia (Hat-tip on salvia: Leora).
I also just bought some Chrysanthemums to brighten up the front and back during fall season.
The act of planting and tending the garden is very relaxing and a good workout to boot. One learns to appreciate rain and sun in a whole new light. I look forward to a good downpour as now I know that my flowers will bloom afterwards.
Next year perhaps I might grow some veggies and start preparing in mid-March. This year I kinda started late- Pesach time, April or so.
Left to right: Hosta Patriot Hybrid, Astible and border plants are impatiens.
More Hostas
Salvia
More impatiens
Chrysanthemums starting to bloom
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20 comments:
how much did you have to tip the garbage men to haul all those bags away?
that's nice that you got a new hobby, so does that mean that you don't have to hire a gardener?
I have a green thumb. everything I plant dies pretty quickly
LOZ: Good question. At first we just hauled stuff to the curb and we had to tip em. Then I stacked the bags and fed a few at a time to the curb.
BS: Hire a gardener? Why? I'm doing it myself.
Rafi: You gotta plant the right things.
Great photos! My garden was prett much mud this year. However, I do have a beautiful crop of mushrooms sprouting on my front lawn! Ick!
Hey, that's pretty cool.I had some tomato plants at my last apartment.
Will you grow any veggies next year?
Salvia. I believe you have a photo of salvia.
Lilies do nicely without a lot of sun.
Enjoy the garden. Ours used to be shady, but a lot of old trees had to be taken down, so now I plant lots of sunny plants.
Hydrangea does OK without a lot of sun. Parsley is nice to grow in the shade.
Didn't you get some of your inspiration from Mrs. Lakewoodfallingdown? Our tomatoes were not as good as we hoped, and we have to get rid of the flowers on the fence. At least you can let your stuff go, we have to clean up for sukkos. BTW, how many mosquito bites did you get while cleaning vs when you got the garden in?
The Hostas are small now, but they will get huge and beautiful. Early in the season (for Hostas and other plants as well) you can dig up the roots and plant those somewhere else in your garden. Free plants!
I very much enjoyed gardening when we had a yard in the states. When we buy something here in Israel, I hope to go back to it and learn what works here.
Astilbes will do fine in open shade with some sun but do not put out their beautiful plumes when the shade is too intense. Those hostas are going to grow huge in the next year or two--you're probably going to have to split them up and move away the astilbes from where the hostas are going to over shade them.
Where do you grow the good shit, you know what I mean.
FH: MMMM. Mushrooms. If they are REAL 'Shrooms, then holla at me :-P
Ro: Maybe some veggies next year. Alotta shade though.
Leora: Thanks for the ID. Indeed, we planted some hydrangeas but only small saplings that will get bigger every year.
LFD: I got the idea to hang flower pots from the Mrs but the whole gardening thing...nah.
The bugs have retreated already, BH.
Baila: Welcome to the blog. I've heard about that technique but I'm going to need someone to show it to me personally.
Prof K: In reality, the astilbe did quite poorly. Its a very shady garden with soil that is not very good. So the Hostas are hanging in but that about it.
Moshe: Grow your own shit! I dont need 5-o banging down my door. Besides , I get no sun.
Jacob,
Go over to http://www.greatgardenplants.com/index.php?pageId=1 and check out their shade garden offerings. Lots there that will work better than the astilbes. And most are perennials.
Nice garden! We have one too, but it tends to die when summer comes.Now, instead of flowers in our flower box, we have cacti. THose at least should last.
Shmitta?
Nice, I'm envious of anyone with a yard. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of planting and yard work, but I selfishly enjoy what happens afterward.
MAK: I know nothing of cacti. Do you?
Anon: Huh? I'm in Chul.
becky: Haha, so hire a gardner.
Other than the fact that they don't need to e watered that much, nada. They're pretty though. They sprout red flowers when they're well watered.
jacob,
i forget to mention this to you when we spoke, but i've heard of more than one story where a frum guy was tending to his own garden or lawn and was confused for the gardener. after all, frum people don't garden and landscape. that's what we have גוים for.
on a different note, just to repeat what i've said elsewhere, the first thing i do when i buy a house is pave over the garden, backyard, etc. (you see, i still do have some frumkeit left in me)
Mak: Cool.
LOZ: Cute. But reconsider your obsession with concrete.
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