I've been wondering the same thing about spacing bulbs that bloom at different times. I want color throughout the garden month after month. I was planning on crocuses, glads, day lillies, and irises. I just can't figure out how to space them out...

About the watering, I've seen a lot of photos showing soaker hoses...you just want to make sure that you plant things with similar water needs together and route the hose accordingly...i hope that makes sense?

Hi Mystic,

Up until this year, I have always used soaker hoses for my garden. The problem with soaker hoses is that they have to be replaced often, because they get hard and crack or clog. If they clog though you can punch holes in them and that works for a bit too. This year I am watering with a sprinkler from the top...this does cause some damage and black spot on roses and such.

You are talking about 2 different kinds of mulching here. The first kind of mulching is using something like wood chips that will stay permanently in your garden, this is supposed to help control the weeds. The second kind of mulching is for winter protection.....something like straw is used. This is removed in the spring. The only purpose is to help protect the plants for the winter...from the freeze thaw cycle....which usually occurs in the spring. This winter mulch does not control weeds. And no I don't mark any of my plants.

Well plant the perennials first....then fill in around them with the bulbs. There is a problem with this though. Tulips are not really perennial unless you divide them every year or 2. Also once iris get established you will also have to divide them often. Most perennials will also have to be dug and divided every 3 or so years.

Good Luck,

Sierra

OK, for some silly answers!

Some people seem to have a talent of planting a lot of things at once and it works for them. I like to start with a base, or bones, and work from there. I do it a little backwards. By bones, I mean evergreens or feature plants (long blooming, tropicals, etc)

I start most of my beds in the spring or summer with summer blooming/ interest plants. Be sure to start with focal points like a birdbath, a bench, etc. I take pictures every week or two through the seasons. Sometimes I can see in a picture that I need more height, a larger leaf, a different color, texture, etc. during that time of year in a certain spot.

This is fussy, but it's what I do: When I'm looking at the bed in the spring, say March 1 when crocus are blooming, then I put dowel rods dipped in paint in the ground where I want crocus. I color code the stick (about 12") yellow for daffs, pink for tulips, purple for crocus, etc. With the paint on the stick, it doesn't fade through the summer. Then in the fall I plant what my stick tells me to. The sticks are hidden by other plants.

So I'm looking at a picture of my March garden and think, I'd like purple there, so in goes the crocus stick. The year round pictures are important because plants look different in different seasons. A blue juniper may be purplish in the winter and spring. A yellow thread cypress may be bronze in the winter, chartreuse in the spring, hot yellow in the summer, etc.

I shop and visit gardens year round to see what's blooming. I have one bed that is all yellow and purple in March, yellow and orange in April, pink and purple in May, etc. I jam plants together and every week there is some new excitement; gifts from God. There are only a few weeks in late January something isn't happening out there and usually we're snow covered, so that's good!

I water right on top of the leaves, never in the evening. If a plant gets mildew I either find a resistant variety or I find a similar plant. I use my up close and personal watering time to look for damage and disease. I don't want anything happening automatically out there! A timer may be convenient, but it won't find a Japanese beetle.

I don't use standard mulch, I use pine fines and compost. I never take it off. It breaks down and improves the soil. Not like hardwood, waste of money IMHO. My beds have sharp drainage so most of my plants winter over. If I lose something I liked, I buy it again.

I know I'm a tad "into" my garden. But you asked. Enjoy your paradise!

Thanks so much to everyone who replied!! Y'all are soooo important in my decisions... I was hoping that the watering over the foliage thing was ok as I've seen my neighbor doing it but after reading that it was "bad" practice on some sites I was curious what everyone here did....

mickie - it sounds to me like you're a lot like me in how you look at your garden... and I don't think it's backwards :-) You have A LOT of good ideas there and I appreciate the time you took to reply!

Thanks to everyone once again.

ttfn
Mystic.

What do people who don't 'water over the top' do when rain falls?

Nell

Nell, we pray!

Truthfully, it normally isn't an issue in my gardens unless it rains heavily every day for an extended period of time. Which is sort of what's been happening and as a result my Lychnis coronaria is beginning to suffer.

Haha, Yup, A2zmom is right...we pray!

We have been having severe thunderstorms and severe thunderstorm watches lately. We had another one last night and the hard driving rain woke me a few times.......I am afraid to go see my garden this morning. Normal rain is fine in the garden....its when you water from the top in the hot sun.....that can cause some problems. That is why is is best to water in the morning or early evening.

Sierra

I've been thinking about that one myself.. these last few days we've been getting a steady slow drizzle and finally the sun came out but what about all the plants that got drenched? Some are in that hot sun and they have water on the leaves... if it's ok for Mother Nature why are there so many rules that we make that seem to go against what Mother Nature does??

ttfn
Mystic.

I keep thinking I need to mark where I have bulbs so I can figure out where to plant things to fill in the bare spots without digging them up. Do any of you mark yours? What do you use?

I was originally going to plant bulbs in my new bed, but am not so sure after having to fill in all the holes I've had this year. I may try the photo and stick idea.

Sue

There's another thread where it's been mentioned about using painted sticks to mark bulbs, with color coding.

I've used golf tees, a handful of unscented clay cat litter -- when you dig into white stuff, you know there should be a bulb under there; and butter tub tops with the middles cut out so there's just a plastic circle to show where the bulbs are, covered with mulch.

Nell