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[SG] fall planting

Greetings:

Since Gene asked what people are doing for autumn planting, here's my entry:

I am blessed with a newly trenched front yard location that will become a
perennial border. This is an unexpected bonus along our driveway. The
22x8-foot was created Monday when our sewer had to be replaced.

I hadn't planned on starting a new perennial border, but flowers are better
than grass so a new border it is! My wife says I have too many borders to
care for now. Probably true, but I look at it as less grass to mow and a
much showier front yard to boot.

The border is mostly sun, so this may not be a true topic for the
shadegarden list. There is a small shady spot that will include hosta, plus
impatiens for additional color. Small spring-flowering bulbs also will go in
here.

The remainder of the border gets full sun from late morning on. In here will
go daylilies, coreopsis, Russian sage, a rose or two, monarda, iris, a small
hydrangea, aquilegia, coneflower, aster, obediant plant, tulips, daffodils,
among others. This should provide good color from spring through autumn. I'm
drawing a plan this week. Next week when perennials are one-third or more
off, I'll head to my favorite nursery to obtain some plants. Quite a few
will be transferred from a large backyard perennial bed which needs to be
thinned out.

The September schedule (when it's cooler and less humid) calls for placing
fresh wood chips on all the borders and building wood chip paths in the the
larger ones. Currently, only the largest border has a path, and it doesn't
go through the entire border. This will improve the appearance of this, the
showiest border, and allow folks to enjoy the flowers from various angles
rather than a straight-on view from the front only.

I'll also build a wood chip path from a side border to the large
border. This path will be extra wide. Containers of blooming plants will be
placed on it next spring, providing additional blooms to enjoy. And there'll
be less lawn to mow!

All this should keep me out of trouble for a long while. Now if my time
table and weather cooperate!

John G. Adney
Marion, Iowa (zones 4-5)
johnadney@email.msn.com
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