Tuesday Garden Party: Side Hill Project

Welcome to my garden blog...

It's Tuesday, so here is my post for the Tuesday Garden Party hosted by Jami of An Oregon Cottage (you can participate too - just follow the link to the instructions on her blog).

First - a picture of me in my garden today. Happy because both kids are in school and I have the whole day to work on garden & studio projects, without interruption...

Above is the street view of the "other side hill garden". 

Love the utility boxes… 

They are SO pretty… 

I shouldn't complain: at least they are green and have decent covers.

My sister and I planted some switch grasses in front and to the side of them. 

I May consider replanting them farther away from it in the spring...

The property line falls about 4" to the right of the big square utility box, so the hill is part ours, part our neighbors. 

Some divided clumps of Karl Forester along the property line (more to hold up the walkway along the bottom of the wall for our oil heat delivery guy to use).

This is what they have to see looking out their house. 

My goal is for them to look out and see trees, shrubs and perennials. 

Something that will make them happy and relaxed...

Here is one of my clay studio windows. 

I want the daylight to keep coming in, but want to see something pretty as I peer out...

And the other studio window… 

All that rock is extra that I had the landscapers bring in. 

So happy to have it to play with and make all kinds of garden bed areas...

I wanted one of these broad flowering hydrangeas - 50% off table - sweet!

Wish I had the cash flow to buy all kinds of plants, but we don't… 

So I am making a go of dividing and transplanting plants from the main hill garden. 

Have some rooting hormone too that I think I am going to give a try on some plants (my sister is a school science teacher and wants to try it too) this fall and over the winter for spring plantings.

And more rock that I am slowly moving around…

Lots of design ideas to play with!

I really like the idea of a dry riverbed with plants surrounding it and going through it.

The main "river rock bed". 

This will function to disperse the water runoff from the swale in the backyard that has been adding to the erosion issues we have been dealing with. 

I have ferns & hostas to transplant here. 

May sprinkle some of the iris seeds I gathered last week too.

It was quite bright this morning, so I apologize for the washed out part of this picture...

I am happy that the spiderwort I planted there back in the spring took root and is now re-blooming after that bit of a dry spell this summer. 

I may put some milkweed seeds in the soil over there too. 

It gets nice and sunny and would be ideal for another butterfly garden.

The mix of Nasturtium, Cone Flower and Russian Blue Sage border is thriving. 

I love that these plants provide so much habitat and food for out pollinators...

I think some of them will be making their way into the "other side hill" garden as well. 

So far, so good... Let's keep hoping the weather stays like this (60's at night, 70's during the day). 

And we may have luck with these fall plantings...

Suggestions and advise is always welcome and appreciated!

Thanks for stopping by!

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone