Saturday, October 8, 2011

Blog is Three Years Old

I had been meaning to look to see what day in October of 2008 I started my blog.  After I did check, I figured out it was 10/1/08, so I missed its birthday/anniversary.  It's kind of funny that the first post's title said it was time for bed.  Time is still an issue with me, and I am frequently scrambling to finish a post so I can get to bed.  There are times I think I should take a break from blogging so that I can catch up on other things I should be doing, but I enjoy it so much, and some evenings, I am too tired to do other things.

I had never heard of a blog until I was in a garden forum with folks who blogged, and I liked how one could put as many photos as they wanted to, and any size they wanted to in their own blog.  I've mentioned the names of the bloggers who told me how to blog before, but don't want to risk leaving anyone out right now.  I still consider them friends, even though I don't keep up with all the blogs I like to read these days.  I wish I would have come up with a different title for the blog, because living on a corner lot is not the same thing as a corner garden, which is gardening in a corner between 2 walls or fences.   It does bring people to my blog in searches for corner gardening, but then, they have to wonder why their search ended here, since I don't have corner gardens.

When I started blogging, I had no idea of how much grass I was actually going to be able to replace with garden beds.  Part of me thinks having the blog may have been a small a factor in getting some of these areas.  This is going to have to be a multiple part post, because I am going to attempt to show the planting areas as they were in October of 2008, and how they look now.  Not all of the angles are going to be similar, and some of the areas don't look a whole lot different, so I may give up on it.  We'll see.  For this one, I'll post about the side yard and curb areas.

This photo is one of those Larry took when I was trying to figure out what to use for my profile photo.


I've mentioned that each time a planting area was created, there was usually some discussion between Larry and me about what size it was going to be, and sometimes, what was going to be planted.  The first planting bed we created was a small area in front of the egress window.  We had it put in before we moved in 13 years ago, because our son was going to have his bedroom in the basement.  I saw that mound of dirt around the window, and envisioned a flower bed.  Larry said he was going to plant grass back in the area.  Then, we saw some false sunflowers, and he agreed I could plant the area if I planted those.  We got 3, and I just kept adding things to the area.  By this time, I had moved the false sunflowers to other areas.  I didn't like how they wilted so badly when it was hot.  I'm not sure why they don't so much in the other areas they are in.  Actually, I think I just have one plant left, which is the offspring of the originals, and some variegated ones in the back yard.


The first planting area ended about 2 feet to north of the egress window.  This must be the year I planted the short toothed mountain mint.  It has grown quite a bit.  We put pots of lavender and other herbs and such in the egress window over the winter.


I don't remember which Mother's Day I asked Larry if we could extend the flower bed to the end of the house.  It must have been a year or two after the first area was planted.  I was surprised when he agreed so quickly.  I'm not sure if it was the next year, or a couple years later, that he agreed to take it across the backyard fence.  I would have liked them to come out about 6 more inches.


This area looks pretty similar to how it looks now.  The 'Witchita Mountains' goldenrod has continued to do well.


I regret planting the Russian sage in front of the bed frame.  It's now too tall, and blocks what is behind it.


I now have bear's breeches in the hole that's in this photo.


The amsonia tabernaemontana and baptisia plants were already nice and tall here.  I don't remember what year this bed was started.  It must have been around 2002 or 2003.


 October of 2011:






The asters have seeded themselves around.  I've only pulled a few out that were in other plants' spaces.



Curb Beds October 2008:

I'm thinking around 2003, our neighbors across the street had to have their water main replaced, which involved digging a hole in our yard.  This is the area where Larry and I had the most conflict over whether and how much more grass would be removed besides what the plumber did so that I could have a new flower bed.  He showed me a photo of some plants he liked that were mostly silver, and requested it look kind of like that.  (He doesn't remember doing that.)  I planted some, and some stayed, and others didn't after a few years.  I never liked the shape of this bed, but Larry won this battle, even though I ended up winning the "war" when the street was resurfaced.   ;o)



The next year, Larry offered the other side of the sidewalk so that the area would be symmetrical.   I planted some of the same plants, and some different.


I have grape hyacinths and several kinds of perennial geraniums  across the front.


After a couple years of the symmetry, Larry had some weeds that did better than the grass, and asked me if I had anything that would grow here.


 October 2011:

This extension was created after I started blogging.  I posted all about the street repairs and new curbs going in.  I had to dig out 18 inches worth of plants all along the front of the house.  The guys let me dig my dirt out and even helped me put it back in, so that I wouldn't have to use other people's dirt that may have weed seeds or chemicals in it.  The areas are still not filled in.  Plus, I have some other holes I am in the process of filling.  Don't pay attention to those awesome marigolds.  They are across the area where a sidewalk would be.  The milkweed plants are very ratty looking, and I'm assuming there won't be more monarch caterpillars, but I have kept them up just in case.  


Yes, the iris is blooming again, with asters to the left, and winter savory on the right.


It's hard to see the stone path, but it's just to the left of the almost finished blooming goldenrod.  It's between the area dug after the curb work and the bed that used to be the shape I didn't like.  We may not have any trees in our yard, but it looks like we'll have some leaves for winter mulch.


I have thinned some of the iris, but need to do some more.


Here's the view from the south and west edge of the yard.


I've been trimming back flowers from the sidewalk for the newspaper and mail deliverers.  I found a couple plant supports for the asters after taking the photos.
 

I think these are New England asters, or at least that's what they used to be called.  Some folks have mentioned the names have been changed.  I am keeping them, even though they get what I think is powdery mildew every year.  I counted 8 monarchs in the yard today, and they seem to feed off of these asters more than the others I have.  Plus there are a number of other butterflies on them, including checkerspots, sulphers, and skippers, and different kinds of bees.  Our grandson told Grandpa that the butterflies and bees share the nectar in the flowers.  Isn't he smart?  Of course, I did point that out to him once.


Some of these holes are because of spring blooms being dormant.


The salvias reseed themselves each year.


I sometimes write too much when I do posts.  I've been trying to limit it, because I myself tend to prefer lots of photos in posts, and sometimes skim the writing.  I guess I'm not succeeding in limiting the writing in this post.  Really, as I've mentioned before, I do not consider myself a writer, but I like to talk.  

I am amazed at the number of gardening friends and acquaintances I have "met" through blogging.  Blotanical is one of the places I met some very nice people whose gardening adventures I enjoy reading about, and seeing what they have blooming or growing to eat.  Since I have so much trouble keeping up, I tend to go to the blogs of those who leave comments on mine, and then read from my blogroll.  I do try to go to blotanical once in awhile, though. 

Well, it is past the time I had planned to go to bed.  If you don't mind, I may do some more reflecting and sharing about the garden beds in other posts.

22 comments:

  1. Congrats. It's amazing how quick the time goes. I look back at my beginning posts and realize that I put too much info in one write and it was too much. I don't always succeed, but I try. I enjoy following your work and look forward to more.

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  2. I just love seeing the changes in people's gardens--it gives me encouragement to keep moving forward with my own. I guess I didn't realize just how long it takes to get a nice garden (doesn't THAT sound stupid!). I love this series. And please-the writing not only gives US the info, it's YOUR record too! So keep on writing!!! Those that find it too much just breeze through--and those of us that want that info have it. It's a win-win!
    :)

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  3. Hi Sue,

    I always enjoy seeing how people's gardens have changed over time and I totally understand what you mean about not considering yourself a writer, yet you like to talk. I'm the same, I just don't have the way with words so I try to keep typing to a minimum because it's usually just me rambling about something. Quite often I'll delete out a lot of what I've typed - it helps just to get it off my chest and then I decide people just don't need to read a crazy woman lol.

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  4. Hi Sue, isn't it fun to look back and see the progression of our gardens. I've learned alot through blogging and celebrated my 3 year blogaversary this past May which I also forgot about. :)

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  5. These digital cameras have been a real boon for gardeners. I consider them a gardening tool just like a hoe or spade.

    I enjoyed seeing your garden's progression over these years. I see you still have lots of color which is wonderful.
    I love the deep purple of the asters.

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  6. Sue, you made me wonder just how old my blogs are. The first blog I started was 2005 and entitled "The adventures of Old Dave" and this blog still gets a post on occasion about other things that happen not garden related. This was the blog I learned about blogging.

    The second one I started was back in 2006 with a blog title "Life and Times of Old Dave". It still exists but I haven't added to it for about a year. The first post in the blog was entitled "In the beginning there was BLOG and it was good". This blog is the one I really cut my teeth on and perfected pictures with writing. I had an old digtal camera my cousin gave me. It weighed about a half a pound and put the pictures directly on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk. The pictures were awful by today's standards but it was a good learning experience.

    The third blog is my current blog, Old Dave's Garden, and it was started in 2009 when I started seriously gardening again. It by far has the most posts and comments of the three blogs. It has become my main blog.

    Blogging to me has been a great outlet for writing. I throughly enjoy writing. Not in a professional way but in a real down to earth way. Blogging just fit into that niche for me. I'm not much of a talker but blogging gives me a chance to express what's going on in my life. The main reason I started blogging was to keep a record of what I've done with life for the grand kids and great grand kids to read about some day. A funny thing happened when I started sending out clips to the relatives through e-mail. They were facinated with it. Imagine that. Who'd a thought that anyone would be interested in the life of an old geezer like me.

    I discovered over the years of blogging that there are many similar writers like me that just enjoy the availability of being able to express their thoughts for like minded folks to enjoy.

    I know time is a precious thing but please keep blogging. I do so enjoy your real life posts. It's great to reflect back on the progress that's been made over the years. Isn't it?

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  7. Congratulations on your anniversary!
    I'm still trying to work out which blogs to visit and how often. I went nuts when I first discovered there were garden blogs on the internet, I bookmarked everything!
    Interesting about your blog name. I never stopped to think a corner garden could be a garden within a corner. A corner garden on a corner block makes perfect sense to me.

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  8. Happy Blogiversary Sue. Your blog was one of the first I discovered when I started blogging and I always enjoy your posts and seeing what is happening in your corner garden.

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  9. Isn't it great to be able to see all the progress in your garden. You have really taken out a lot of lawn. You need my blog subtitle, "removing sod..." That is really nice that they worked with you when putting in the new curbs. Not many contractors would go to all the trouble. Happy blog birthday!!!

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  10. Happy Blogiversary, Sue. Isn't it fun to go back and see how things used to be and how they've changed over the years. I love your "Corner Garden." It never occurred to me that it's officially something else. :)

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  11. Happy 3rd birthday. Been watching the changes in your gardens for a long time, you did a lot of work but it paid off. Everything looks great.

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  12. Congratulations. I'm a fairly new visitor but I like both the pictures and the writing. Love your gardens!

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  13. Happy Blogaversary, Sue! I enjoyed seeing and reading about the way your garden evolved. I think one of the best things about blogging, besides making new friends, is having a journal to show how the garden changes over time. I've never been very good about keeping notes otherwise, and I certainly wouldn't have the photos if it weren't for blogging.

    Your front sidewalk looks so inviting; if I were visiting you, it would take me a good while to get to the front door while I stopped to look at all your plants!

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  14. Happy Anniversary, you made me look at my first post too, which might be just like around yours. I still remember some of your before posts in the past. I can't open this post last night in my laptop at home maybe because it is too heavy for the many photos, now in the office i was able to open already. Okay, happy blogging ahead, and more power.

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  15. Hi Sue,
    Wow! Three years! That's wonderful. I'm so glad I found your blog about a year and half ago. I really love your garden style and your garden. I get ideas all the time. And...don't worry about your name. Corner Garden Sue is perfect.
    David/ Tropical Texana/ Houston :-)

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  16. What a wonderful trip through your blogland! I wish I would have started sooner, but the fear and lack of knowledge on blogging kept me from it - and I want to thank you for all your encouragement and help this year for getting me going. I like looking through my photos and see how much our yard has changed in the 35 yrs we have been here - unfortunately a lot of the photos are not digital...just the 'old fashioned' paper photos.

    I'm 'fighting' Fall and still buying new plantings for the flower beds - - only problem is, it's hard to tell where to plant some of them because so much has died back and gone. My Russian Sage has gone to the garbage...it was just out of control and didn't really add anything to the landscape - so I am anxiously waiting for a Ligularia I have ordered.

    I drove by your place last week on the way to the vet with one of the cats...next time I plan to stop and see how things have changed.

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  17. A lot depends on my mood of how wordy I am on my blog. If I'm in a really good mood I am more likely to write more. Sometimes I just post a pic with few words - I have nothing to say. Anyway I love your blog Sue and I enjoy coming here to check out what you are up to. If I weren't blogging and sharing I prob would not have the gardens I have. I love gardening but now I enjoy it more because I am learning from all of the fine gardeners out there.

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  18. Just look how your garden has grown and filled in. Congrats on your three years of blogging. I have enjoyed your postings and all those native plants you have.

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  19. Happy Blogaversary~ I love your garden and seeing how it's grown and grown! I love how you use prairie plants and other natives. Love reading your posts and feel like I am walking the garden with you~gail

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  20. I love that you keep claiming more and more of the "lawn" for a garden! It really inspires me to rip up my grass and put in more perennials!

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  21. Hi anyone who subscribed to follow up comments here. First, thanks for your well wishes. I think I can claim the prize for the most scatterbrained blogger. Catherine, from A Gardener in Progress recently posted about her blog anniversary, which made me think I had forgotten to. I don't know where I checked, but I didn't find the 2 long posts I did on the subject, so I did a third one! Oh, my! I found these while looking to see what I've posted about the title of my blog, because I found a meme Monica the Garden Faire (sp) put up in December, and I thought I'd join in late, even though I talked about it in this post. I spent a long time exporting photos for it today, so will probably go ahead. I'm putting a little different spin on it. I hope all is well with you!

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I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.