Chocolate & Barb--Ajuga is the bane of my existence! When we moved to our current home, there was some planted here already. I have spent the past 15 years trying to get rid of it from my lawn & gardens. Frankly I think I am only just holding even with it. i live in MA. Maybe it is not so invasive elsewhere?
Thank you all for all your complements and comments. I am not a photographer and always tell people I only take snapshots. I also really really don't know what I am doing with gardens but it's been fun creating them. I am impatient with them filling in. They look so barren. Everyone laughs at me. I was surprised by all your positive comments. Cayuga Morning, I Googled Ajuga and it looks like what I have. They call it a ground cover and that's what it's doing. Doesn't all ground cover take over everywhere? That's sort of what I want. Well, I think it is. You all scare me for I really don't know what I am doing. I have been adding little things that only get 1 inch to 3 inches just to cover the flower beds so the weeds don't come as much. Isn't that what they are supposed to do? I don't know if the 1st plant in the 2nd group Hakonechloa grass? I saw it in someones yard at a garage sale and asked them where they got it. They told us and we went from their house to the garden center and got some. I love it but the label is gone now. chocolate, I am not sure if my Ajuga dies back or just lays there under the leaves. It's been there for years. It is under our white pine trees. In the fall we leave all the pine needles there to protect the plants. Then in the Spring we blow them down the hill. Now I am going back and numbering my pictures and labeling them. Barb in Pa.
Ajuga is invasive here also. I started with it in one bed and now it is everywhere..a couple of huge patches of it in the lawn...I was thinking it was time for a weed killer, but if it grows and is drought tolerant, why bother? so I just let it go. maybe some day I will get rid of it, but I do love the flowers it has.
Barb I am sorry for scaring you re the ajuga. If you don't have a lawn, or don't care if it grows into the lawn, then of course it is a ground cover and meant to be one! It is just doing its thing. I guess it is just some folks like me that want to corral plants too much!
Yes they have different groups. There are Miniature, Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large Hosta. I have all kinds, all over the place. I love them. This year I will be splitting then and adding them to that new hidden gardens I made a post about. In Picture 3 and 4 are only mini Hosta. They are full grown. Barb in Pa.
Good morning, I have to take cuttings of my ajuga to get it to spread even slightly, otherwise it just makes a lovely low flowering plant which stays all year, interesting how others in a different land have a problem with it...learning all the time.
Barb, I have been gardening for over 40 years, and I don't think I could have created such a lovely space as you and your husband have made. I sincerely congratulate you! I hope your garden continues to give you great pleasure, and please, share more photos of it with us! It is inspirational, to say the least!
I have some areas that I let get overgrown. That's where I pitch these things that go wild. I feel like at least they are not weeds, sort of. LOL marlingardener, Wow, Thank you. I have been disappointed with it until this year. I really thought it didn't fill in very quickly. This year, about the 4th year, the things are spreading nicely and I can see that in the Summer things will blend well. I THINK! I could take pictures everyday it changes so much. I have many other garden areas but again they are newer and not filled in yet. They actually look uncomfortable to look at. As they fill in I will take pictures of them. They will all be naked soon. Again, Thanks for your comment. Barb in Pa.
Very nice! I love the natural flow you've managed to accomplish. Doesn't even look like brand-new landscaping.... looks like it's always been there! That's a real accomplishment! Good on you!
More pictures as things begin to grow and bloom. #23 Andromeda #24 Lilac #25 Lilac This front garden is so steep, I realized we had to make a place to allow the rainwater to drain. Otherwise our driveway, which is 'j' shaped, would be a frozen pond in the Winter. So we made, what we call, a couple of dry riverbeds. That's where the 3 little bridges are. I will try to take pictures of it today even though the whole garden is not awake yet and looks barren still. Barb in Pa.
Your garden looks terrific Waretop! I love the pathways you have created and the mature trees are magical. Your love of gardening is apparent and I have found through the years of gardening - you learn as you DO and there is SO much to learn! Keep up the great work! Oh, and I LOVE Ajuga! It is a fantastic ground cover here and the blue blooms in spring are an added bonus. It does like to spread, but I don't find it difficult to control.
More pitctures: #26 My Turtle Is Awake #27 Wintercreeper Euonymus- Euonymus fortunei 'Kewensis' #28 Dry Riverbed #29 dry Riverbed #30 Dry Riverbed #31 Dry Riverbed #32 Dry Riverbed The rainwater rushed down the hill before we put the garden in. Then we bordered the garden with rocks and the rain puddled and covered the upper driveway and froze in the Winter. So we created the little dry river bottoms to guide the water through the gardens. Works well, except in one area where we have to make another little river. Hope this whole area will fill in as the Summer comes and looks more normal. Picture #27 Wintercreeper Euonymus- Euonymus fortunei 'Kewensis' is my all time favorite groundcover. Barb in Pa.
What a lovely yard. You've done a great job developing the garden structure.. Can't wait to see follow-up photos as plants fill-in.
