There is a little garden located between our neighbours’ house on the north and ours, kind of a no man’s land garden. It has been populated by orange daylilies for many many years. I think daylilies have their place, and they look nice enough during their bloom time, but after that, they are not so attractive at all. I suggested to our neighbour earlier in the season that we could do something more interesting in that space.

Digging the old daylilies out was a challenge. The old soil was hard and the bed was overcrowded with plants. By the time I had removed the daylilies and broke up the cement-like soil, my back was trying to convince me it was time for a extended break.  Instead, we added in some triple mix and some compost, and my neighbour produced some excellent rocks for the new garden. Tuffy P and I had picked out some plants at a local garden centre yesterday, so we were ready to go.

Here is the new garden. I think we’ll call it the hydrant garden, since it features a prominent fire hydrant.

The Hydrant Garden

We’re also putting in some alliums as a surprise for next year. What you see in the garden are:

• a slowmound Mugo pine
• Saphire blue oat grass
• an Ophiopogon planiscapus Nigrescens. This is a spreading perennial grown for its distinctive grass-like purple-black leaves. Dense clusters of lilac flowers in summer are followed by black ornamental fruits.
• Stone Orpine ‘Angelina’
• Campion ‘Druett’s Variegated’
• Moonshine Yarrow
• and a couple pansies for a shot of colour.