Freeze expected in Milwaukee, as well tonight. I actually cut everything back about 10 days ago. I don’t like the cold so going out to do garden stuff when it’s cold is not my thing. Bert helped and we did the vinegar drench at the sma

houzz is weird.... we did the drench at the same time. Personally, I am relieved growing season is over....it was a tough summer for me. Looking forward to next spring now!

debra

debra..it's been too dry for the plants but we've had some nice working weather for several weeks..I'm so happy that we finished some projects..my hostas are still plugging along..but tomorrow won't help them..

in addition to the world's problems you had your own health issues this year..next year will surely be better..I welcome a break too but I'd be fine with a much shorter winter..like a month or 2..

I made an edit on the post and Houzz deleted my photo..

Glad you got them in! I recall your great set up last year. Pity about the 2 pots but more room. You will probably get some new additions by next season!

peren..when I was making coffee this morning it felt like I was at a garden center Lol..it did make me angry to see the squirrels ruin 2 nice pots 😡..but I'm trying to be practical so I don't plan to replace them..but sometimes plans change haha..

Yes, best laid plans and all lol!

Hey NW, it’s nice to see you rescued those tropicals! I haven’t had any of those lovelies in my garden. I have NO place to store them over the winter, no basement here. I’m lucky I have room in my shed for the potted hosta. I did add a heuchera in a pot, will see if it survives in the shed over the winter. I added a sedum in a pot, going to leave it outside out of the sun and see if that survives. I guess I was in an experimental mood

Sherry

I am traveling so can not control anything. How was it? Did we had much frost?

Sherry..I've had almost all of these for several years..it's so economical to save them..it's an inconvenience to store them but I love them so much..I'm working on storage strategies..remember newhostalady joking about storing pots in her husband's garaged sports car? Lol..

lindalana..I don't know about Chicago but I think our frost was minimal..but still too cold for tropicals..

Yes, we were suppose to drop to 39 but no frost and it seems we return to 60 back. I have several hosta seedpods ripening but decided against bringing them in or cutting it. I collected seed from my begonias and hoping to start seedlings soon.

the new neighbors in back dumped rock all along the back and down one side of their yard..I hate it..I took some logs from another neighbor to create a barrier..I don't want their rocks on my side or my leaves on their side..and the logs help hide my view of their rocks..we had one log that was longer and thinner than most of them..we put it so the center of the log is in the center of the path to walk back there..it bugs my particular husband that it's thinner but I have Royal Standards planted there and once they grow I hope it'll be fine..one of the Krossa Regals still looked good today..the rocks look so much better covered with leaves..none of the neighbors care for this look..we like the natural look..pic#1..before the logs..the rocks look ugly from our side..FYI - I was experimenting..tried pots on the concrete circles..decided against it..the circles aren't staying..pic#2..better with the logs..pic#3..Krossa Regals..pics#4,5,6..ugly rocks..ugly lattice on the fence..ugly solar sunflower decoration..the only pretty thing..the bananas a gift from a neighbor..

Here in CA we have tiny TINY yards. 75 x 125' ( and ours is larger than most!

7' fences are very acceptable here, but being originally from the Chgo suburbs, I understand that that is considered being a bad neighbor. When we moved from Northbrook to Deerfield back in 1971, we put up a 6' stockade fence because we wanted to keep outr kids safe in the back yard. We were the ONLY ones who had a fence, even tho the West fork of the north branch of the Chicago river ran behind our yard., right behind the row of honeysuckles. Put up a visual barrier to ease your mind.

-Babka

The rocks are weird. It creates a formal, pretentious look. Oh well, if it makes them happy. Maybe it will make their yard more like they want it to be. Or maybe they do not like to garden and prefer to look out their window to see a clean fence line.

Babka..I remember CA yards..my Ca yard was very tiny..the new neighbors are puzzling..they move to a wooded neighborhood..remove trees..add a fence, rocks, "tent", ugly garden decor, a second shorter fence inside the main fence..they seem to have zero appreciation for a woodland..in the summer my shrubs and trees do a decent job of shielding us from their ugliness..

utog..I completely agree that the rocks are weird..the neighbors next to the sideyard have it worse than I do..they can't escape the rocks..I have more space between my house and the rocks..I've read lots of complaints about rock..it fills up with weeds..not foot friendly..scatters..sinks..doesn't improve the soil..reflects heat..compacts the soil..it's hard to keep clean..rock has lots of issues..it's nice of you to try to understand what they're thinking..but everyone coming into my backyard since they moved in dislikes their changes..but it's their property and I try to ignore them and enjoy my own property..

I’m guessing those rocks might be their attempt at a no maintenance yard. Wait till the weeds start cropping up in the rocks. I agree with you NW, why buy a house in your lovely setting and do that???

Sherry

Sherry..you're exactly right..I heard they said they don't want to "buy mulch every year"..but they'll find out that what was there was easier to maintain than the commercial space they've created..I went to Lowe's soon after they installed the rock..the parking lot had islands full of rock with sad dry shrubs..it looked just like my neighbors..

I live in an old oak-hickory forest. The neighborhood is named after the oaks. It truly enraged me and my family when our new neighbors cut down all of their trees to plant grass. Why didn’t they just buy a house in the new, treeless neighborhood down the road?!

utog..EXACTLY!..we said the same thing..the house is 40 years old and the property stayed the same all those years..then in less than a year the new owners have destroyed decades old trees..and created an unnatural ugly eyesore 😢..I think they've devalued their property..who wants a yard full of rock?..not me..

Now don't get me going on trees!

I sympathize with your situation nicholsworth. It is irritating to have so many changes to a neighboring property. I agree with you that the rocks are not an asset. The amount of rock and the placement does not look well thought out. I think the rock could have been used (if that's what they like), but what they have done is just over the top.

I understand how neighboring properties can have an effect. A previous immediate neighbor of mine planted a maple tree in their front yard. They moved. The tree is now 7 years old and growing like a weed. (Probably doesn't help that they have underground sprinklers and water regularly.) It irritates me to this day because that tree is going to shade my front yard, not theirs. I already have trees that are providing some shade to my garden there. Now and then I think I should ask the neighbors if they would agree to cut the tree down. I would pay for it and even pay for replacing the tree with something smaller or a tree that grows slower. But then I think they are going to think I am nuts! They are nice people, but it's still frustrating for me.

Where I live, we are not allowed to cut down trees on our property unless they are terminally diseased, a hazard or 90% dead. If your neighborhood had this bylaw, I imagine that the neighbor would not have been able to cut down his trees. It is just this kind of tree removal that makes municipalities impose a bylaw. Then people like me get screwed when they want to take a tree down that doesn't comply with the bylaw. And if anyone doesn't know, I was refused a permit to remove a large maple tree less than 6 metres from my house and in the middle of my patio.

On another note, I commend you for taking in your plants. I know it is a lot work. I just don't have the room to do it as my average sized home with my husband and two adult children use all the space we have!

newhostalady..oh no..I'm sorry..so in addition to being forced to keep your own tree you now have a neighbor's tree causing issues too?..our neighborhood does have covenant rules about removing trees but they're not enforced..you're supposed to ask permission prior to removing trees..but many don't..the ones that ask are never denied..the ones that remove without asking have no repercussions..

you're right..the rocks are "over the top"..especially in person..I love how the fallen leaves are hiding them at the moment..believe me the new neighbors are unpopular and the butt of many jokes..but I'm trying to carry on and do what I can to enjoy my own garden..

we put up with major inconvenience to overwinter these tropicals 🙁..my husband is a saint..a lot of husbands wouldn't allow it and they're not wrong..I'm at my space limit..if I brought just one more plant in hubby would blow up..and I can't blame him..a summer pic before the leaves fell and before the logs..it's worth it to me to save these plants..I love them..I've decided if any of these ever die I won't buy any more..but so far every year they get bigger Lol..see the rocks in the background?..I just don't like them 🙁..the logs did help..if they never clean up the leaves that would be great..

newhostalady..I've always wondered what you use to clean your deck?..it's so clean and I love the silver gray color..ours was stained with Penofin but doesn't look good..I called Penofin and was told to use Oxiclean but I admit I haven't done it..after we moved the plants hubby blew the leaves off..we have a board that's rotting..the fun never ends 😢

In my neighborhood there was a house for sale several years ago. But next door the house was run down. I wondered who would want to buy the house with a neighbor like that! Well, someone did buy it and they had a small brick wall put on their lawn to block the view of that neighbor's house. Then they put cedars in front of the wall. It really looks nice now. I wonder if you would consider planting something that will block your view of your neighbor's rocks eventually? Maybe like some evergreens that would block part of your view all year?

Thanks for the compliment on the deck. Funny you should mention that. Last year I was saying to my husband that the patio looked terrible. Pictures of my hosta were ugly when they included the patio. So this year he painted it. So what you have seen in pictures is a newly painted patio. My husband cleaned the deck in the spring and painted it. Now it looks much better. Not sure if you still want the names of the cleaning product and stain? My husband says he still has the names of the products he used and could look them up.

newhostalady..I'd love a brick wall and cedars to block that view!..that property along the back is easement and contains underground utilities..technically we can't build on it..some neighbors have fences in the easement..I was told that it's a violation but they've done it anyway..the utility companies have the right to remove their fence if they need access..my path isn't that wide now that my hedge has grown..for now edging with logs stops the rock from scattering and we see a little less rock..at least in the summer my existing hedge really helps..

thanks for offering to provide product names but I hate to inconvenience your husband..I'll try Oxiclean as Penofin suggested..if you lived here I'd love to hire your husband to work on our deck Lol..

I’m not a fan of the rock look either plus it looks like a lot of work to me. Some smaller cedars would look nice there

oursteelers..I was sad when a crew of 6 dumped all of that rock 😭..I expect that from now on the rocks will be covered with debris and leaves..cedars would look nice but with buried utilities and not enough room we won't be planting there..

Nw, is there anything evergreen you could put in a container that would survive your winters?

So sorry your view has been marred by the rock your new neighbours put in! They should have used mulch but they will learn the error of their ways. It is so out of place in that setting. They will either spend a lot of time with a leaf blower or let it be covered in leaves. In either case it makes no sense. While I agree it is their yard to do with what they will but as utog said why not buy a place that is treeless. The choices some people make mystifies me. What I do know is that you will find a creative way to block the eyesore despite the utilities!

oursteelers..I've wondered the same thing..I've seen huge concrete planters by restaurants etc and they always do seasonal plantings..junipers for winter..then replanted when the weather warms up..looks nice but costs more and is more work than a permanent planting right?..

peren..*I edited this comment*..my neighbors made a dumb decision in my opinion..they seemed to think rocks are maintenance free..I guess they should've poured concrete!..I do hate the rocks..but the logs have helped disguise and contain the rock..if I plant in front of my existing hedge on my side I could possibly block them..maybe put ALL of my pots along the hedge? Lol..it might work..

If you want to try doing some kind of evergreen planters, then here is a suggestion from a member of our horticultural society:

I have a dozen glazed clay/ceramic pots filled with soil that are left outdoors year-round. These are substantial pots, not the terra-cotta variety, and range in size from 12” x 12” up to 20” x 20”. Some have boxwoods growing in them for over 10 years, others have perennials and some are strictly for planting annuals. The pots have been outdoors for over 25 years and none has ever cracked.

The pots are protected against winter freeze and thaw cycles with 2” thick styrofoam lining the walls and bottoms. The styrofoam is cut into sheets (for square pots) or V-shaped strips (for round pots) and pressed against the side of the pots before filling them with potting soil. Gaps between the strips should be minimized, but this is not an exact tailoring exercise. The styrofoam should come up to just below the top of the soil level (as it is not attractive).

I replace the top few inches of soil every year for annuals, every few years for perennials and boxwoods. When selecting plants for growing year-round, I choose those which are a couple of zones hardier than ours.

newhostalady..thanks for the suggestion..boxwoods growing year round in pots for over 10 years?..that's surprising..styrofoam does insulate well..my neighbor's boxwood didn't last..the pot was a large "foam" pot but had no extra insulation..I don't know anyone personally that has evergreen plants in pots year round in Indianapolis..most people (including me) probably think it's not possible and haven't tried it..

nicholsworth, that's too bad the new neighbors don't seem to like the look of the neighborhood they bought into. The bright white rocks might fit some settings, but they stick out like a sore thumb in yours.

Be prepared for the lovely sound of a leaf blower when they want to blow the leaves off their new rocks.

My thought was that they'll end up spraying to kill the weeds that come up through the landscape fabric underneath the rocks. As we know, those will be impossible to pull, so I'd be worried about herbicide drift into your yard if you plant something too close. But maybe that's borrowing trouble, and I shouldn't go there, lol

They could be thinking one and done and not be the types to mess with it again. So leaves will build up, weeds won't do well in the shade, and it won't look so bad after a while when they don't do anything to clean it up? ....I'm trying to find a bright side. :-)

This reminds me of people that moved onto my street, which is at the edge of a small city and in the foothills. ....So it's a bit wild around here. First thing they did was to put out POISON to get rid of all the animals that come through our yards. They hated that squirrels, raccoons, foxes, etc. are around. Why move to an area like this if they hate the animals that live here!?! And we don't have fences so people's cats, dogs, and occasionally kids might end up in our yards, too. It upset a lot of us. Luckily, they moved away within months, and people who like living with nature moved in.

OTOH, I admire your care for all your tropicals. If something causes me too much trouble, I become less interested. I'm bringing in cannas and calla lilies, but they stay in the basement. You go all out to give your plants a fighting chance. Do you get scale or mealy bugs on them? I gave up my citrus because I couldn't control the scale they would get once inside. I really tried and then decided I can't fight mother nature and citrus doesn't belong here. Sad to let them go, though.

sandyslopes..I had the same thought about weedkiller..and it was upsetting thinking about the runoff..the fall leaves have improved the look..my guess is they'll hire someone to blow the leaves..so why not hire someone to pull weeds, mulch and blow leaves without spreading rocks???..most of my tropicals go dormant..I haven't taken an exact count but I'd guess 10 pots keep growing..3 are small..2 crotons and one aglaonema..I water sparingly..my potting soil has a lot of bark and is on the dry side..I haven't had trouble with knats or scale..I did have minor spider mites last winter..I removed a few leaves..then wiped the rest of the leaves with a damp cotton rag..I read about products to spray them but I didn't..I hate the idea of those products inside the house..it's a wonderful day when I put them back out!..

2 days ago they marked the utilities with flags and paint..we heard there's no excavating but they're replacing underground power lines..they pull the old ones out then the new ones thru..these pics show my back path behind my hedge..my new unfinished log edging to hide the neighbors rocks..you can see there's not much width..and lots of utilities making planting tricky..these pics are also on another post but I'm posting here too..

I am sorry.

thank you..🙂..it's going to be fine..in my opinion the logs help the situation..and if I "thicken" my existing hedge by planting plants in any gaps and putting some pots on my side in the summer I can block my view of them..

I laughed to myself yesterday watching her blowing leaves off the rocks..they're hard to walk on..the leaves covering the rocks didn't help..she looked like a little girl wearing high heels hobbling along..

Regarding utilities---you're lucky because you have lots of other space to plant! My neighbor has a pole in the corner of her backyard. The pole is adjacent to my property. Many times there has been someone with a ladder fixing one of the wires attached to it. (fixing phone wires, internet etc.) And I say thank God that pole is not on my property!

Larger sized river rocks are hard to walk on! Too bad your neighbors didn't think of putting some stepping stones along with the rock. Of course the side plantings would have made it look nicer too.

newhostalady..when I first saw that the utility lines and boxes are on our side of the easement I thought "why does everything have to be on our side?"..but it's not really that terrible..it's in back..I tell myself that I like not having overhead lines and to achieve that you need boxes and underground lines..and in spite of having utilities here I do have enough planting space..so for 15 years I tried to learn to live with it..you're right..much better than poles in the yard..

the rocks look uncomfortable..even squirrels and dogs don't seem to like walking on rocks Lol..from what I've seen these people aren't clever or stylish enough to install functional attractive garden features 😞..

newhostalady..I don't know when but I bet they WILL regret spreading all of those rocks..they are not gardeners and are out very little..the rocks will probably keep them in even more!..who would want to go out and stroll around on hard bumpy rocks?..