I have an area I will be replanting this year that is in full sun, in the corner between the driveway and the walk to the house. Since visible by everyone, it has to look great.
I have nixed my original plan of an herb garden and now am contemplating a hummingbird garden. Since a large shrub will be removed, it will be easier to amend the soil. So I will have the opportunity to choose plants that thrive in loose, gravelly, well-drained soil (lavender) or ones that require more fertile soil (canna and calibrachoa).
I have been attending several of the classes given by The Growing Place and have been pouring over their 2015 Plant Guide. I love this guide because it gives a lot of concise information about each plant-annual, perennial, rose, shrub, tree, etc.
It’s easy to find plants that grow in full sun, not too big, drought tolerant and attractive to hummingbirds. I’ll make my drawing of my selection of plants, easy to do because at the back of the plant guide are a couple of pages of graph paper. One page will be used to show the width of each plant and the other to show the height of each as they fit into the space I have.
Then I’ll show my plan to one of the very capable staff at The Growing Place and to some of my garden club friends. With their input, I’ll be ready to shop. And maybe, just maybe, my garden club friends will have plants to share!
While waiting for warmer weather, spring chores can begin. A book I rely on is “Month by Month Gardening in Illinois” by James A. Fizzell. Organized by plant types- annuals, shrubs, etc. it is an easy read. Although it is too early to plant annuals, I am reminded that it’s not too early to sow some seeds (cleome, cosmos and snapdragons) directly in the ground. When the soil is dry enough that a handful can be squeezed into a ball before it breaks, it’s time to turn over the flower beds.
Be sure to enjoy the early spring flowers and bulbs planted in your yard. Or visit the Morton Arboretum to see a fabulous view of spring. Start a journal, if you haven’t already, and keep notes about how your garden is doing. Remember to include a wish list, too!
