August 25, 2018 – First section of planting new front foundation

         In between the down pours, we have had over the last several days I have been working on the front foundation area.  Previously I described how I had taken out the shrubs and my theories on not replanting with shrubs but with low growing herbaceous perennials.

         Yesterday I dug out a clump of orange tiger lilies and two different colors of iris. In my prowling of the rain and wind damage around my yard, I happened upon a white blooming Liriope – Monroe - that was in an out of the way place and should be up close and personal as the blooms are so beautiful in August.

         Yesterday morning it was cool and overcast and I accomplished a lot.  Once I’d trimmed the leaves on the good pieces of the two different colored iris, I dug up the Plum Tart Gladiolas. They are a wicked purple that is stunning.  I haven’t seen any for sale for many years and I kept every bulb including the baby bulbs for that very reason.  I have them drying for next year’s planting.

         The final project of the day was digging up the established clump of white blooming Liriope and chopping it up into smaller pieces and setting it out around the maple tree at the front of the house.  Due to the rains, the soil was soft and easy digging.  After planting, I watered them in and mulched the area. 

         I’ve set a large black pot to the right side to assess my future design.  Where the black pot is, I am considering planting a maidenhair grass that has that white stripe down the center to play off the trunk and the dark green Liriope leaves.  The grass is cut down once a year, the Liriope is trimmed down once a year and the blooms pulled out a few months after they have bloomed.  I consider that low maintenance.

  

         The half-moon directly in front of the maple screams for spring crocus bulbs.  That is doable as fall is soon approaching.

     

      Six feet of the 42 feet is partially done.  Stay tuned for additional plantings.