Fall planting flowers.

[leechmann]

My wife and I spent most of the summer landscaping our yard. When I reshaped the yard, I dug up about 200 boulders, and approximately 5 dump truck loads of rocks about as big as basket balls. We have taken all of these rocks and have created a walking path which winds through the rocks which are now shaped into flower beds. We are now busy planting flowers for next spring. I have purchased a couple of hundred tulip bulbs, some daffedils, narcissis, astilbe, hyacincths, irises, allynum, crocuses, daylilies, and sedum. Anyone have any other ideas. Maybe something that is really different. Maybe I'll post a few pictures and show you what it looks like. Let me know what you think. Thanks

[Luvsoutdoors]

How about some perennial grasses?? Placed behind flowers they add depth and interest. Oat grass is one, the really colorful ones are annuals however. That must have been some job but come spring it will be worth it.

[leechmann]

Thanks that sounds like a good idea. I didn't think this project was going to be so extensive but it just kept getting bigger and bigger. I bet we have 400 hours in this deal. As we reshaped the other side of the yard, we made room for 8 new appple trees. Things are really coming around now. The grass is all growing and things are looking good out there. Thanks for the idea.

[nofishfisherman]

How about adding something with winter color. The ornamental grasses are a good idea, they can be left up all winter long and then just cut them back in the spring to allow new growth.

Another idea is Red Twig Dogwood. I just put several in my yard today. They are your basic green bush in the summer but they have a great purplish color in the fall and in the winter the new growth has flame red bark that will last all winter long. It adds a great splash of color in the bleak winter landscape.

You just need to cut them back every few years to keep allowing new growth to keep the red color. This also allows you to manage the size you want them to get.

I just finished my yard for the fall today after a summer long project about the scale of yours.

We bought our house this winter and after the snow melted we found that the homeowners dumped 1 foot of landscape rock over the entire front yard which had a big ugly spruce tree right in the middle. We always planned on removing the tree but we didn't plan on having to shovel 12-14 tons of rock out of the front yard before we could plant grass and relandscape the front. I lost count of the man hours and the blisters. Looks great now though.

[Luvsoutdoors]

Get the Cardinal variety of Red Twig Dogwood if you add it. It was developed by U of M, superior red color in winter. I replaced a hedge with those and they are fast growing and they get Big 8-10 feet. Might need to consider Ivory Halo Dogwood if size is an issue, smaller variegated with green and white foliage, still get red twigs in winter. Had to protect all my dogwoods first winter from rabbits but after that their pruning helped. Don't forget to post picss in the spring!

[leechmann]

Here's a few pictures to give an idea of what I'm trying to describe. Thanks for your suggestions.

[KEN W]

Now is the time to also plant MUMS.Great fall color when everything else has faded.

[Dotch]

I agree Ken. Have one in the office here the wife gave me that needs to be set out yet. Along those same lines a small burning bush (winged euonymus) or two might add a nice touch. That intense red color is dazzling. Heck at this rate, pretty soon we'll have his whole yard covered up with stuff!

[Luvsoutdoors]

Don't forget to plant for the BIRDS. Bee balm will bring in the hummers. If you google flowers for birds- you will have so many choices it will take you all winter to plan! lots of area - you will be able to try a good variety.

[leechmann]

Here's a little update on the landscape project. Last fall I was asking you folks what to plant in our new flower beds. We have done alot of planting and I thought I'd just show you a few pictures of the fall bulbs that came up, along with some perenial plants that some friends gave us. We have also planted a few potted plants this spring. There are lots of plants just starting to break through the soil. [img:center]

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