Hello friends! Today I am going to set up my booth space for Vintage Market Days! Tomorrow is supposed to be pouring down rain, so we are getting a head start on transporting everything there. I’m really nervous. Even though I know how things will go (generally) and most everything is done… I’m just nervous! Wish us luck!
So, last week I showed you my rough plans for our front and back yard areas. Today, I’m going to detail the actual garden plans and what plants we will use!
When searching online for a good resource for garden plans, it didn’t take me long to stumble upon Better Homes & Garden’s garden plans. MAN are they good! Seriously ya’ll. They take so much of the guesswork out of the whole process and give you visuals, so you can have an idea of what the end product will look like! I’m all about not re-inventing the wheel so I went ahead and adapted their plans to what I want/need.
First, my goal for my garden beds is to use several native plants and all perennials (they grow back every year) that grow well, with little maintenance, in Missouri. I’m also a beginner gardener, so I don’t want anything finicky.
So, with those things in mind, I went perusing through BHG’s garden section and found SEVERAL plans I loved! Here is what I came up with:
As a reminder, here is the front of our house:
My plan includes trimming up the boxwood bushes in the front, like I mentioned last week. I’m going to be planting hydrangeas against the left side of the house, behind the boxwood. I think they will look so pretty, with the large blooms spilling out behind the boxwood and leaning toward the front door.
On the other side of the front door (the right side), I’m going to remove those two reddish stick bushes (my friend, Becky, a horticulturist, says they are probably Spiraea) and put in hydrangeas to balance the other side out. I’m also thinking to put in some creeping phlox right along the sidewalk. It is a good low-to-the-ground flowering plant that will fill the space nicely around the boxwoods and in front of the hydrangeas. Ya’ll. Hydrangeas are my favoritest and my best.
I couldn’t believe my lucky stars when I found a mailbox garden plan on BHG! It is the perfect inspiration. Since their plans included almost all annuals, I will be substituting out most of them. The climbing plant is Clematis, which I will use. Doesn’t it look so romantic on the mailbox? Cuz, like that is the most important quality of a mailbox! Duh!
I will be using more perennial plants from this plan:
From this plan I will include Coreopsis auriculata (little orange ones on the right), Bee balm, daisies, and sedum. I might include some other little ones that I might find, but my goal is to keep the flowering plans fairly low to the ground. That way it doesn’t obstruct the view when backing out of the driveway.
For the backyard garden bed along the patio…
I’m going to adapt this plan:
It includes: a Rose bush, daylilies, phlox, shasta daisies, irises, black eyed susans, and Baptista australis.
I’m going to possibly add in some ornamental onions, chysanthemums, and catmint as well.
Then, there is a garden bed against the house in a very shady area:
It currently has remnants of a hydrangea bush there, which I probably will let be. But I DO want to add in some plants from this plan:
This plan includes: hydrangeas (4 varieties), a shrub rose, Dwarf mock orange, Irises, Switchgrass, Lilac, and Astilbe. All of these are perennials in my zone (5).
Knowing what zone you live in, helps you determine how much effort will be required to keep plants alive. For example, Endless Summer Hydrangeas are best in zones 4-9. Since I’m zone 5, I’m good! The garden section of BHG will tell you your zone based on your zip code.
Next week I will be digging up the beds, adding in some peat moss (the soil here in Missouri is very clay-y), possibly putting in some bricks around some beds, adding some soil, and removing old plants.
I am in no way being compensated to refer ya’ll to BHG. I just found it to be a HUGE help and it was FREE! Double awesome.
Also, THANK YOU to those who gave me suggestions last week! I will be nixing the idea of a fire pit under the awning (ha ha I’m an idiot)! See? this is why I need you guys! 🙂
I’ll be back Friday with a quick look at my booth space right before opening!
Also, THANK YOU to those who gave me suggestions last week! I will be nixing the idea of a fire pit under the awning (ha ha I’m an idiot)! See? this is why I need you guys! 🙂
I’ll be back Friday with a quick look at my booth space right before opening!
Awesome plan, Rachel! One thing: before you invest a whole lot of time and money, figure out how you’re going to keep the deer away. They eat everything. Even the plants that say “deer resistant.”
Great plans. I live in Missouri and have a blank canvas at our new home too. I will have to check out the BHG site. One thing to keep in mind is planting near your mailbox. The postal service doesn’t like flowering plants as the bees can be a hazard to the mail carriers.