I’m taking a short break from the subjects I’ve been sticking to this month, to touch on one of my hobbies; Gardening and my garden plans. I’ve got about 1600 m2/17000 sq.ft to play with. This year will mostly be about cleaning up after last year’s weed invasion. I have to replant the entire stone bed, about 16 m2/172 sq.ft since it got overgrown by weeds up to 1,5 m/5 ft tall.
I’ll have to dig it up, add a lot of soil and find new plants for it. I’m also removing the overgrown strip below the stone bed, and because of this I’ll have to move the plants I’m keeping to the stone bed itself. I’ll probably have to bribe some male friends with a good meal to get some help with the digging.
I hope to be able to trim the apple tree in March since we only got halfway done last year. The Cherry tree also needs a trim. But if there’s too much snow, it won’t get done. I want to clean up the North side of the property and replant the Northside bed. I also want to create a hearth there. I want to create a spiritual area on the south side, where there’s a rectangular depression.
I’m also hoping that our two Apple tree saplings survived being munched on by deer last autumn. My herb bed will probably stay the same as last year. It’s almost fully populated, except the area where I let Lilith plant something annual each year.
If you’re interested in gardening, I’d love to get some suggestions for plants.
What fits in a stone bed (semi-shade to full sun) and survives up here? We’re up in the mountains, hardiness zone 5.
What would work in a spiritual area (semi-shade to full sun)?
For the stone bed, I would probably like plants with smaller leaves, like my creeping thyme, and possibly some more hardy succulents with a more substantial leaf as a contrast; hen and chicks comes to mind at the outset. You might want something a bit taller… Yarrows in different colors would be another texture and add interest, as well as being useful, like the thyme.
For your spiritual area, look at plants that relate to the Gods/Goddesses with whom you work most often, or which have soothing scents. And you might want to look at the colors of bloom, and plant with the colors you associate with the directions in mind! I would some day like to have a circle in the back that would be comprised of 12 trees that relate to my workings!
I am actually in a bit colder zone than you! We are 4B; the 5A very close, though! Close enough I could easily walk to it… just a couple thousand yards, so not much colder. We’re in the open on a bit of a rise, which does affect planting.
Thanks 🙂 I’ll look into those suggestions. We’re on the side of a mountain, not as open. We rarely get the strongest winds. I can imagine that would make it tricky to get things to thrive. The soil here is a bit on the clay side, which also has its problems.
Would lavenders work? I always think they speak to spirit. Rue is for remembrance. I know you say you already have a herb garden but some herbs are very hardy and beautiful…
Lavenders would work. I’d have to find a taller one than the ones I’ve got in my herb bed though. They’de more ground cover. I’ve never been successful at getting Rue to grow here, unfortunattely.
I think I’m going to definitely pester you for suggestions once I get my own place and garden! 🙂
Sounds like you have a lot of work planned for this year. I like the sound of the spiritual area, and I’m trying to remember which side of your garden is South – is that where we had our campfire?
Please do 🙂 The fire pit is on the North side. The South side is shere we had the ceremony.
Ah alright! That’s a beautiful place indeed, I’m looking forward to the result 🙂
Me too 🙂