Gardens Becoming

Four short weeks ago the world was brown and barren. A world of brown sticks and clumps of green bulb foliage that held some promise. 10,000 daffodils and an equal number of minor bulbs have come and gone. That was just a prelude to the garden that is still becoming.



The small bearded iris are first in the next line of succession.



No doubt an attempt has been made to get as many kinds as possible.



Poor memories, poor labeling, no record keeping and a near complete laissez faire attitude towards gardening will forever make each season filled with surprise. That's not a bad thing.



The species tulips look happy, blooming well and multiplying. It would probably be a good idea though to root prune the Lysimachia ciliata away from the tulips. It's a Loosestrife. They have tendencies.



Kind of pretty foliage, more so when it is first emerging. The flowers are yellow and not that showy.



Multiple layers and timed waves packed into half a year offer a different enthusiasm than the steady green backdrop and subtly changing colors of the tropics. Here the big rush is on.



So I must act. Three Giant Panda Bamboo, Fargesia rufa were purchased to begin a select evergreen screening from the scenic byway. This is a cold hardy clumping bamboo that may get to 10 feet tall. The Giant part comes from the fact that it is one of the Panda's favorite bamboos to eat. Because I want to add some pines lower down the hill on the opposite side of the future path through this area, due consideration made it seem wise to select a shorter bamboo that would not unduly shade the canopy of the pines. I also did not want to tempt the utility line clearers and the roadside mow guys with the mower deck on a long hydraulic arm. Still I planted out of harms (easements) way.



I have picked up the trash on this slope at least three times. Each time I think I have gotten it all. More is continually rising to the surface as the garden becomes. More is added on a regular basis from passing slobs as well.



Stepping back a little for the bigger picture. This bamboo may top out at two feet above the road surface. One of them was also planted with the intention to help hide the culvert that rarely passes water.



Of the three bought, two were planted. The intended spot for the third needs some more trees removed first. I'm not 100% sure that is where I want it anyway. I do want some more evergreen screening in this other area, so the trees are going to get more sun in there. When they are gone I can mull over the placement of the bamboo again.

It would be nice if I trusted the Chamaecyparis. There are some fine choices in that genus. All the ones that were in the wild cultivated garden next door were killed dead in the Great Easter Freeze of '07'. I would hate to wait years for screening only to have it be killed in a freak weather event. Pines are safer.