As soon as the deck was constructed we began laying pavers for the path and steps. A few more bags of crushed stone and we're ready to continue planting!
One year later and the planting continues. The Climbing Rose is growing rapidly and by next year should begin to climb over the top of the Arbor.
Although the Sitting Deck was functional, it lacked character. After some thought, I developed a design for a copper Arbor to place over the Sitting Deck with plans for a Wisteria vine to grow up and over it. The actual construction of the copper Arbor began in the spring of 2008, however the project remained unfinished by fall. Hopefully it will be ready to erect in the spring of 2009!
The decision to construct the "Sitting Deck" was inspired by this lovely view of the Blue Ridge Mountains when you're sitting in the gardens.
A closer view of the plantings around the Arbor with Clematis and the yellow Rose (Rosa 'Julia Child') reblooming in September. The lovely plant at the base of the Arbor is a Variegated Bluebeard (Caryopteris divaricata 'Snow Fairy'), a striking perennial which acts like a shrub and blooms profusely in late summer through early fall with delicate blue flowers. Another late bloomer, a Toad Lily (Tricyrtis 'Blue Wonder'), can be seen directly behind the Bluebeard.
A friend's gift of a garden accent, a group of singing frogs, soon had me collecting frogs playing various instruments to accompany them! These are just two members of the "Frog Band" and there are more who are waiting to find their spot in the gardens.
Yes, another project! The area surrounding the Sitting Deck is pleasant but I thought how nice it would be to listen to the sound of running water! If you continue along this path, plans are underway to install a narrow stream which will drop into a small pond - perfect for all the frogs!
This photo was taken after the Arbor was installed, which you can barely see in the distance on the right. The path from the Sitting Deck will cross over the stream, continue around this curve and end at my other "Arbor Project" (which you'll see next)! In the fall of 2008 we planted trees to border the path and more plants will be added as soon as the stream is completed.
Following the path, you'll arrive at this steep slope which drops down from the walkway around the pond. The slope needed steps to provide easy access here from the pond to the arboretum we're developing.
One weekend in October, 2007 when Rick had plans to be away at a photography seminar, I tackled yet another project! I had seen a terrific bargain for an arbor the week before and thought it would be perfect at the top of the steps. As soon as Rick was out the door I was off and running to buy the arbor and pick up the materials to build the steps while he was gone!
Now keep in mind that I'm no carpenter, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve! Two days later, I had cleaned out the area, installed the Arbor and built the steps! I ran into a few problems with the slope and the lower steps aren't nailed yet, but the first set of steps is installed and they're level!
If you look closely, you can see our new pup, Phoebe, under the branches of the potted Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa 'Wolf Eyes') on the left.
I can't resist - Phoebe actually looked like she was posing for the photo so I zoomed in quick and snapped this one! She's a rescue pup who had just joined our family a couple weeks before and she thought she was helping every time she started digging in the soil or falling asleep under the steps!
With the exception of the lower steps, the Arbor is complete and a couple of pots were added on either side to finish the project with Junipers (Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone') and evergreen Spreading Raspberry (Rubus calycinoides) to trail over the edges!
Planting on the slope is scheduled for the spring of 2009 and hopefully will be ready for visitors at our Open House in May.
As you walk down the slope where the new steps and Arbor are located, you enter the open field which borders our gardens and into what is being developed as our Arboretum. Every year visitors to our Open Houses enter through the gate at the top of the field and drive through this area to reach our retail site. Our goal is to continue planting in the Arboretum with the trees and shrubs we offer as well as some specimen plants which we are testing for hardiness in our area.
During the summer of 2003 Rick began work on the Arboretum tilling the beds and preparing the soil. By late fall an assortment of Conifers were planted in the first bed. Most of these were quite small, either 2" liner or quart pots. A year later they're still small but they're growing!