We brought Leon’s sculpture studio “home” by erecting a shed on the north side of our property. This involved removing the existing mass of trees, shrubs, and perennials that were there and provided some wide open and sunny spaces for a whole new garden.
I have so many plants I propagated in the last year. Of course, they are a random mix of ornamental and native plants that have no business being planted together. But they also happen to be some of my favorite plants, and the price is right, so I decided to use them as the framework for the garden and build around them. Leon is partial to hollyhocks, and I started a bunch of them from seeds we pilfered at a winery in Lodi last summer. I planted what should ultimately be a wall of hollyhocks close to his studio (Bedrock). They are not native, but they should attract some pollinators. Along the northeast fence line, I tucked in three seedlings of tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) and three small cuttings of red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). These shrubs may take a few years to reach flowering size, but they should grow faster in the ground than in pots. They should attract lots of hummingbirds in early spring.
I had a healthy start of Douglas aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum) and tucked that in a corner where its robust spreading will not cause any problems and its late summer flowers will attract a million native bees and skipper butterflies.
I had two tiny big-leaved lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) seedlings to plant near the front of the garden. Their blue-purple flowers will attract native bumblebees in May.
Nearby, I planted three honey balm (Melittis xRoyal Velvet Distinction), a plant I have been hoping to grow for years, and finally got some starts going last autumn. They are not native here but are said to be good pollinator plants.
I left about a 3-foot blank area near the curb to accommodate parking/passengers. Behind that, I went all-in with fringecups (Tellima grandiflora). I planted two rows of them, with a mixed row of scarlet monkey flower (Erythranthe cardinalis) and blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium idahoense) in front.
I had too many tall phlox plants I started last year, so I popped three of them into this new garden, too. Pollinators love phlox, so they should be lively masses of insects by June/July.
I love taking a “before” photo of a freshly planted garden. They seem so sad, meek, and bleak. I’ll take photos again in June to see how things are doing.
