GARDENS BY THE BAY

LONG GARDEN

The following year, 1993, we decided our next garden would be created along the west side of the property where there were three small evergreen trees in a north-south line separating us from our neighbours. Furthest south was a Norway spruce, in the middle another spruce and furthest north a White pine. We decided to keep to our raised bed theme and went back to the ditches to retrieve more of the same edging rocks. These were laid around a perimeter about 75 feet long and nine feet across. We repeated the split-rail cedar fence running most of the way along its length, slightly west of center. By spring the next year after the bed was made, there were white, yellow, pink and blue edging plants draping over the frontal rocks with additional colour from tulips and daffodils planted further back toward the fence. The trees were still small and there were lots of spaces still to fill. We even added a Butterfly Bush to bring butterflies and hummingbirds flocking to the garden. Move forward a few years to view the same bed, later in the season, when the edgers have faded and given way to many of summer's taller yellow perennials behind. By spring several years later, more edgers and bulbs have been added and the trees have inevitably grown much larger. By the summer of 2001, a new gravel driveway helped to set off the edgers. The trees have become huge in relation to the width of the garden and most perennials have clumped up nicely, creating a much fuller appearance. Thanks to pictures taken by my friend Sheila in mid-summer 2001, I now realize that I need to look up more often from my gardening chores and fully appreciate the view of Georgian Bay beyond the end of this bed. Our first two garden beds, the Corner Garden and the Long Garden, were quite large and kept us busy for several years. Eventually, in 2001, we were ready for more. To follow the progress of our expansion, follow the link to East Garden. UPDATE 2006 In spring 2004 a flood washed our gravel driveway underneath our cottage. A new gravel driveway was installed, but it was high enough that it hid the lower tier of edging rocks in this bed. So our next project would involve raising the front edge of the Long Garden high enough that the lower tier was once again visible. Obviously this would be a long process. With a 75 foot length to redo, we knew it would take a while. By fall of 2006 most of the work was finished, but we hadn't been able to get many good pictures of the bed over the intervening years. The images below are two of just a few taken during this time frame. The image on the left shows the garden from the southeast, with early-blooming, brightly coloured Aubrieta and Phlox subulata as well as white Arabis and blue Veronica whitleyi edgers. The image on the right shows the garden from the north along the west side, with similar edgers including yellow Aurinia saxatilis. Both images show many co-blooming bulbs and perennials as well including Narcissus, Tulipa and both dwarf and mid-sized Iris x germanica. The perennials in both images above were in full bloom before May 24. Is it any wonder why we love perennials when so many of them can provide such early pleasure? The image around this page is an edited version of Pulsatilla vulgaris, formerly known as Anemone pulsatilla. To find suitable companions for all colour forms of this lovely spring-blooming perennial, follow the link to White Perennials & Their Companions. All of our own Gardens By The Bay pages can be accessed by clicking on the links below. HOME GARDEN POETRY  |  GARDEN POETRY MUSE GEORGIAN BAY VIEW BOTANICAL LATIN - BASICS COLOR THEORY THE GARDENS CORNER GARDEN CONSTRUCTION  |  CORNER GARDEN PLANTING  |  LONG GARDEN EAST GARDEN  |  HOSTA GARDEN  |  NORTH GARDEN  |  WINTER GARDENS PLANT PARTNERSHIPS BLUE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Geranium  |  Iris - Vinca BULBS    Allium - Hyacinthus  |  Narcissus only  |  Tulipa only  |  Minor Bulbs BUTTERFLY MAGNETS    Anaphalis - Hemerocallis  |  Liatris - Veronicastrum DAYLILIES      Spider & Unusual Form EDGERS    Arabis - Iris  |  Nepeta - Veronica FOLIAGE PERENNIALS     Alchemilla - Tanacetum HOSTA    Hosta - all HUMMINGBIRD-FRIENDLY PERENNIALS    Alcea - Salvia ORANGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Tulipa ORNAMENTAL GRASSES    Acorus - Imperata |  Miscanthus - Spodiopogon PINK PERENNIALS    Achillea - Lilium  |  Lychnis - Veronica PURPLE PERENNIALS    Aconitum - Liatris  |  Polemonium - Veronica RED PERENNIALS    Achillea - Veronica SHADE PERENNIALS    Aegopodium - Erythronium  |  Ferns - Polemonium  |  Polygonatum - Vinca SILVER FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Cerastium    |    Cornus - Limonium    |    Lunaria - Veronica SIMPLY SPECIAL PERENNIALS    Acanthus - Saxifraga WHITE PERENNIALS    Achillea - Iris  |  Kalimeris - Yucca YELLOW PERENNIALS    Achillea - Hypericum  |  Inula - Verbascum VARIEGATED-FOLIAGE PERENNIALS    Acorus - Erythronium  |  Hakonechloa - Lysimachia  |  Miscanthus - Yucca PLANT PROFILES Dianthus 'Tiny Rubies'  |  Geranium  |  Geum coccineum  |  Kerria japonica  |  Knautia macedonica Paeonia tenuifolia  |  Papaver somniferum  |  Rudbeckia  |  Salvia 'East Friesland' Trollius  |  Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue' PROPAGATION DIVISION - SPRING ONLY  |   DIVISION - FALL ONLY  |   DIVISION - SPRING OR FALL  |   DO NOT DIVIDE FERTILIZATION BULBS  |   ORNAMENTAL GRASSES  |   PERENNIALS  |   SHRUBS  |   VINES LINKS GARDENS  |   LOCAL GARDENS  |   BOTANICAL TERMINOLOGY GARDENING BOOKS  |   NON-GARDENING HOME