Ptilda--you have a wonderful collection of hosta and obviously lots of good shade
to make for a woodland feel to your gardens!

Your sister is definitely a 'keeper' for putting in the cobblestone path! If you ever get
tired of her--I sure could use a 'sister', so send her to me!! :o)

I need to make a compost bin like yours. I've heard of doing it like you have, with palettes
and I think that looks like a great idea!

Thank you, so much for sharing with us your collection and a peek at what you're working on!
I think it makes us feel more like 'neighbors' to be able to look into one anothers yards like this!!!

I can't wait to see those hosta in a few years--they will be SO AWESOME!!!!

I like your hostas. My garden is also a work in progress, but isn't it fun? I also had a small compost bin by my house. Luckily it was by a storeroom because, the bin changed the grade. I found water on the floor after a good rain. My bin is now away from my house.
Mary

Looks like a fantastic start, I really love the rocks! I have one concern for you to think of. The compost bin built against the garage, even though made of pallets, will hold moisture against the siding and possibly cause the garage siding to rot out on you. (we do live and learn from our own mistakes don't we---ie.......I've done it myself and had to replace some siding)

A water feature, if possible somewhere would look and sound fantastic.

The compost bin is held away from the garage, and there are boards on the INSIDE of the bin, so that the compost doesn't drop behind.

Sophie,

Here's the water feature. It's a bit green 'cause we need a new pump & there are no fish to eat the algae, but it's a great fertilizer!

These photos were taken RIGHT after this week's hail storm & you can still see hail on the ground.

You can also see some empty space, where I've been taking out the "filler" Undu. Albo's, and putting in iris, lilies and more hosta. But this is a more sunny part of the yard, and the area my mom can best see from the living room window (she doesn't get out much anymore), so I try to fill it with lots of flowers... and bird feeders!

BEHIND the front garden, you can see the front corner yard, which is FULL of trees (mostly oaks) and shade. It is surrounded by an old perennial bed that I put in about 20 years ago. I'm working on fertilizing & mulching the surviving plants, and adding some others. THEN, I will be filling the entire space with plants (hostas & others).

You can also see the tree that was chopped down to make room & sun for the new perennial bed I made last week. And you can see the pile of leaves that is slowly being composted in the new bins (I plan on making 2 more).

I was away for quite a while, only coming back to visit. With going back to school (in my 30's) and helping mom with her health issues, it allows me to spend more time in the old yard. As long as it's "pretty", no one really cares what I do!

In this photo, you can see the beginnings of my expanding the shade gardens across the driveway. Rocks are lining the basic shape & I've planted some ground covers, ferns, hosta, and other things in the rock circle. There's SO much that needs to be done around here, it's a matter of making as much progress as possible.

Any ideas are appreciated!

ptilda-
Your gardens are looking GREAT! Enjoy them!
Good for you for going back to school too......never too late!!

ptilda--you are doing great!!! You are very creative, in your own right! I love it, that
you are concerned to make things nice for your mother to enjoy!! You, obviously, also have
a lot of heart, and character, too!! :o)

God bless you and your gardens--and even if your hosta are holee, the rest of the season, they
will come back 'hail and hearty' next year. Oops, sorry to mention the word 'hail'!! Gulp!!
That really is a heart-breaker and a tremendous disappointment to have happen!!! :o(

Til, I can visualize how great this is going to be. It is already very beautiful and I want to come sit on your bench and enjoy the water--what a great place. Two very low ground covering plants that are quite mannerly and stay put: pulmonaria and ginger--both very beautiful IMHO. As for your deep shade, I have an extremely dark corner and my Blue Umbrellas is doing well there, but have lost many others probably due to lack of light. I am eager to hear other suggestions too. Your family is so lucky to have you and your interest in the gardens.
gramma jan

Every thing you have done so far is really nice, i love the water feature,it seems you have a lot of nice round rocks,love them!
Did you find them on your property?
Is that you in the picture, with the violin?Have you been playing a long time?
My grandson plays the trumpet(he is 12) and very good i might add.:0)I can not play any instrument,but always wanted to play the piano.
Aren't hosta fun,keep up the good work,show more pictures as you come along.
cAROL

Everything looks so inviting and natural-just the kind of garden I love. It's a lovely view for your mother and I hope the windows are open, so she can hear the birdsong. Good for you for going back to school. I went back for my Master's when I was 36 and a single mom. Best thing I ever did (other than being a mom, of course!). Keep following your dreams-in the garden and in life...and keep sharing your wonderful pics! Cynthia

Thanks, everyone, for your great words and encouragement! I've been sneaking into my email on my phone during opera rehearsal, so sometimes I miss stuff.

Carol, the rocks came from a farmer about a mile away. Around here, they BEG you to take the rocks from them! :)

And, no, that's not me with the violin. That's my friend and partner-in-crime (and music). I'm the soprano, he's "just" the violinist (actually, that's a viola in the photo, but when you're 6.2, it's hard to tell the difference!)

THIS is me: http://www.priscillasings.com/

And he and I together: http://www.priscillasings.com/unisound.html

I know, it's strange to think of an opera singer playing in the dirt, but I'm not your normal, every-day opera singer! :)

Cynthia, it's great to hear about others who have gone back to school. After my husband (now ex) and I split up, I decided it was stupid to wait anymore. Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking! I'm in my mid-30's, hanging out with teenagers & 20-somethings. But most of them can't tell I'm 15 years older than them until I tell them. I think it's the gardening that keeps me young!

gramma jan, thanks for the input! I love the ideas that you all give me. I planted some wild ginger this year, so we'll see how it goes for next year. I just won a Nigrescens on ebay, so I'm hoping that I won't be disappointed either with the hosta, or the ebay seller! My hosta acquisitions are currently coming from ebay, because I'm not trading my own hostas right now. Unless someone wants iris or daylilies or something else on my list... ;) And you may sit on my bench any time!