Shade Perennials for a New Home Owner

We have had two consultations with a new owner who bought in November. He could clearly tell that garden bed space was non existent. He is successfully growing some healthy looking herbs in pots on his stoop. He’s from the southwest so mint is important to him because he makes Mojitos. He also is growing Oregano and Thyme and Basil and Sage, as enjoys cooking. We can see he is serious about his growing. All his herbs look really healthy. Unfortunately he has very little bed space to plant peppers or lettuce or onions or tomatoes. Because of the shaded plot and no back yard area he’s going to need to rent a garden plot at Chinquapin to successfully grow any vegetables. For some reason the previous owners had Laurel bushes placed in the front beds. Very low maintenance and they most likely wanted it that way. These bushes have grown to an enormous size. There is no bed space left. And two very crowded Hydrangeas are trying to survive. We are going to trim these Laurel bushes way back. Bring them to a manageable size so as to make an attempt to dig the root balls up. He offered them to PFX as a relocate, but they say they don’t need them. Our guess is they are just too large at this point to easily relocate them. So we will dig them up. Then we will amend the beds with some new rich soil and plant a few shade perennials. We’ve provided photos of some we recommend. And its possible to enlarge the beds slightly by removing the little amount of grass that there is on either side of the sidewalk and stoop. It’s certainly what we would do if we lived there. In our next post we will provide photos.  

Our resident wants to plant. And he wants to learn how to create a garden space. So we are going to visit the nursery this week to take a look at some perennials. Here are a few suggestions. He liked them all. So let’s see where this project takes us. It can be fun. It can cost some money and it will take some time. He is definitely up for it.

Shade Flowering Perennials 

Brunnera

Huchera

Mixed Colors of Hosta 

Feathery Ferns

Woodland Phlox and Grape Hyacinth

White Peace Lily

We think a nice variety….and these will add color along with the two smallish Hydrangea bushes already in place. It will be fun to create, and our homeowner is so anxious to pull his project together. We are happy to teach, to watch and to guide.

The General’s House – spring gardening tomorrow at this property (REVISED) Wednesday – 5/18 – 11:18 am –

Your kind attention please!

When we first visited this property it was way overgrown from continuous change over of tenants and an owner who was on continuous travel with the Air Force. We were tasked with removing everything, saving what we could, amending the soil, and cultivating a new green space that could be low maintenance but attractive. Here was where we started this Project a year ago, late summer.  Certainly quite a transformation. Agreed?

And today we are here…..and ready to roll again. Our pleasure for certain.   A beautiful gardening day!

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Today we accomplished a spring clean/up, some transplanting, removing weeds and cutting back,

BEFORE

Today we accomplished a general tidy and spring cleanup,  weeds were everywhere; no wonder with all the rain and wind we have had. We transplanted, trimmed back the woody stalks of the Hydrangea that we cut back last year in late fall. We have bern tasked to provide ongoing maintenance weekly and plant some new spring flowers.  It’s a nicely established bed now so our continued involvement will help keep it presentable. We have arranged to bill by the month and we will include watering during July and August. We will provide updates as we go along.

AFTER

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Tomorrow we return to do some additional spring maintenance. The weeds have been growing, the  Winter Pansies need changing out and we will attend to the Hydrangea that we took a chance on last year, when we completely cleared this bed and cut it back to about fifteen inches. The dead stalks can be cut back now, because lots of new green growth, nearer to dirt has come back. We took a chance and cut it way back in the fall. We heard neighbors expressing horror at our plan. “Chance” can be hard. But it’s showing great promise and within a couple years time itceill be thriving once again. The homeowner had given us permission and said if it died he’d replace it. It was a monster and was so overgrown it wasn’t really producing any blooms.  And the burgundy Peony came back with amazing gusto as did both Azalea bushes. We will pull weeds and add a summer annual for color in the bed, a few pockets  here and there. A fresh summer look. 

This property is a good example of our particular gardening style and our business motto, to care for and cultivate a garden…. and a trusting client all at the same time

Last fall late, we met our client in a quick 20 minute meeting outside his unit. He literally was headed to Texas on assignment in an hour. We made a deal, he provided a $200 deposit and left town. He provided instructions on clearing the entire bed, saving what we could, and we did proceed.  One month later we billed him, payment was mailed to us and the deal was completed.  Sort of….

In FEB we went by to see how things were looking. Clearly the beds needed some spring attention. We txt’d him on Friday last week, with  a proposal. We heard from him immediately and tomorrow  we will execute.  Trust was built.  And a new job will be completed.  It is so rewarding to keep and follow a clients yard, For us, this is what it’s all about.  Good work and a trusting client that we will follow.

Do stay tuned with us as we will post progress and final video….as this spring project unfolds.

This is a win….win for us….and our client.

”Contessa” says….. it’s a good thing

The “ General” was in town from Texas this week and we encouraged him to retain us for a couple hours (2) of “spring tidy.” The above bushes were left in the beds after a huge clean up last summer. Everything came back very well, but the beds needed a little spring attention. It’s now looking clean and fresh again. We invoiced him via txt for two hours work this  afternoon. We’ll check back, in about four weeks just to make sure all is well.

Our distinct pleasure to take care of a rental property for our out-of-state homeowner.

”CONTESSA” says…..it’s a good thing!

Wellington Spring Clean Up and New Plantings.

Our second year at this property. Little by little we introduce new and smaller ideas. This homeowner likes our ideas. Small steps. A few planters with flowers and the purchase of  a pink Azalea bush.  LWe have proposed tackling the area on the slope leading down to the front door. They are receptive now that we’ve done a few things for them. Building trust is important with our clients

On Wed this week our homeowner, after a year long hurdle  over the construction of their cement/brick patio had news that resulted in their lovely patio being torn out….at their cost. So some funds must now be appropriated to reconstruct. But they still want to proceed a little at a time. We are happy to accommodate.

For this spring a few planters and the new bush gave them a lift and a mental boost. They were so appreciative and excited to have even just a little “pretty” and color in a few pots.

Certainly our joy and pleasure to accommodate. It was actually a fun “little project.” We know there is more to come.

“Contessa” says……it’s a good thing!

Repeat Client on Mt Eagle

Our repeat client has a woodland property with prolific undergrowth in a bed we created a couple years ago. No budget had been set aside to proceed with any significant  plantings. But since then we have made two attempts at cultivating some wildflower seed. The area is very shady and located in a yard that has very patchy grass growing with a ton of weeds. Unfortunately they keep invading this bed. Native Wildflowers are generally very small at first. Maybe only about an inch tall. It can take up to three years to mature them. It can be frustrating for someone who has little time for care and cultivation. Having said this we have decided to try one more time. In  the interim we have recommended adding a few perennial plants for some growth and color in the bed. While a cost is involved it provides certain growth for our clients satisfaction. They want plants but have no idea how to really care for them.  

We hand tilled the soil aggressively providing holes in the earth so that the seed would absorb into the soil. We used a bag formula of mixed seeds (wildflower) recommended by a farm nursery in MD.

And we added three hardy and well established perennials. Two Day Lilies, one peach and one yellow, along with a shade lover called Huchera which comes in many gorgeous colors. We pushed for this  to help stabilize the bed and to give our homeowner blooms to look forward to. Not being a gardener…. it’s sometimes difficult to persuade folks to invest in plants. Most typically, real hands-on gardeners are quite comfortable spending about $250 for each spring growing season. So we become an advocate for trying new things and actually beginning the process of filling a bed. It’s fun, rewarding and helps the client learn new plants and how much they nurture and enrich our lives. It’s very satisfying to watch plants grow and mature. But it can take some persuasion on our part to help their confidence in investing and planning a yearly budget for plants. Having  said this….. here are photos of the plants we added and our FINAL VIDEO. We saved all the native Virginia  “Violets” in the bed as they are very prolific and a sweet filler to maintain the woodland “look and feel.”  We do like them and nature provides at no cost. And our homeowner has a “honeysuckle” that overhangs the bed. Very natural, free flowing and a lovely aroma.   

We spread two bags of high quality garden soil which we sprinkled in abundance to help hold the wildflower seed mix  in place and in the end, we lightly mulched the entire bed. It provides a finished look, but it also helps to hold our new seeds in place. We are hopeful for our clients benefit. But with huge overhanging limbs of the trees in this very wooded area, SUN is a sparse contributor. It’s all about trial and error. But it is always good to try. We are happy to accomplished this “try” for our homeowner.

“Contessa” says…it’s a all a good thing.

Merrifield Site Visit/Buying Trip

I’m missing a photo of one large Rudy Red Rose Bush. It’s in our car “boot” but I think you cannot see it with the shade.

Anyway, it was a good trip, we took care of three (3) clients and will proceed to planting tomorrow. The plants have already been delivered to our clients. It is such a joy to visit this nursery. Plentiful supply and helpful staff. We kind of know the “lay of the land” at this point, so we are able to navigate without having to ask for assistance. It is a huge campus so go prepared to do some walking. Do dress comfortably and wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

In our latest PFX Newsletter Ad we included Nursery Site visits, by appointment, as part of our offerings. It’s so worth it to go, if you can book a time. We will pick you up, or meet you there. And we assist you with selection based on your sun and shade. One lovely benefit of going with us is the corporate discount we have established. For example, today we purchased a larger Pink Azalea Bush and our client received a $12 discount on a bush that retailed for $40. Welcome news

Now that the rain is behind us, we can all finally start planting in our gardens. We’ve all been waiting to be outdoors and kick off the warmer season. We do believe it’s finally here. Do remember to enjoy the planting process.

“Contessa” says….. it’s a good thing.

Orchid – 2nd Bloom this year

Three full blooms today – appropriate on Mother’s Day

……and they will bloom for about 5 or 6 weeks…

Look closely at the center of this photo. You will see a tiny “knob” on the stem. This is most likely the beginning of another new stem that will produce blooms. Our first bloom was (six) 6 flowers. So we are hopeful it will bloom once again.

We have it placed on a tall fern stand right near direct light…..but no sun. We water it thoroughly through from the top with the sprayer attachment at the sink. Tepid water, not cold. Let it drain right through. Several minutes. Turn from side to side making sure no water has settled in the bottom. Place on a towel on the counter. Let stand 20 minutes so all water drains off. Place your orchid back in its Cachepot.

Orchids can be pricey but most flower bouquets last about five days in water. Your Orchid blooms a long time and your reward is it will bloom again and again. Three blooming cycles are normal each year. Fertilize once a month with a pitcher of water and commercial fertilizer especially for orchids. Use the pour straight through method just the same as before

We love them and they are so beautiful.
ENJOY!

The Sweetest of all Flowers

…..blooming now in Virginia.  The fragrance is extraordinary even in the rain.

”LILY OF THE VALLEY”

Powerful Consistency

April 24

Philippians 1:27

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

▶︎ LISTEN TO THE DEVOTIONAL

The Apostle Paul longed to hear how these early Christians were conducting themselves. He wanted to hear that they were standing firm. That is a picture of consistency, isn’t it? It means you are not “up” one day and “down” the next. When someone comes to Christ and invites Him to be on the center stage of their lives, they begin to invest all they are in things that matter, things that last forever. There begins to be a consistency in their walk. Their language is different, and they have a different outlook. Their lives are not chronicles of wasted time. Begin each day with Him. And end each day with Him. Do this, and soon people will hear of you – and see in you – the beauty of a consistent daily walk.

…….thank you God

Yesterday I turned the soil in “the Generals” garden.  Weeding it and bringing new rich black soil to the surface. As I turned to begin packing up my car, I heard lovely chirps.  When I turned back to look, two Robins were forcing their beaks into the soil and pulling up nourishment…the spring worms, their favorite. I even talked to them a little. Inquiring if they had come to visit me or the worms. They stayed. Regardless…..it was a “moment.”

…..and soon I was happily on my way.  God is so Good.

• AMEN •

Three Appointments Today – REVISION – FINAL – Tues – 4/26 – 6:44 pm

Today we start with one of our thirty minute FREE gardening consultations. Our potential client lives on Gunston Rd near Greenway Place. Our appointed time is 10:30 am.

REVISION #3 – MONDAY – 4/25 – 4:00 pm 

Our FREE consultation last week realized some advice and gardening information for our potential new client. He will be in touch with the PFX office to learn about Buildium and proceed with placing a ticket to have eight healthy bushes removed from his two beds on either side of his entrance steps. We must say it’s an odd arrangement. They are Laurel. Healthy but need a relocation so he can have a spot in which to plant some perennials. We advised him to use the community Buildium tool to report the issue. It should not be an issue finding a good home for these nice bushes. Once the removal is completed we will consult with him to select some new plants and create pretty garden beds outside his front door. It’s all good…. and a new neighbor who wants to learn about planting. We are happy to teach. Yes!!
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Following our 10:30 consult we proceeded to our Preston Rd appointment. Our repeat client asked us to purchase three (3) new perennials, come to tidy and see if we can revive her mini Evergreens. She admitted her own neglect during March to keep them watered. We’ll see if we can cut back dead growth and fertilize to stimulate some new possibility. While there, we’ll make sure everything else in the beds is looking healthy and secured in the soil. This area has tons of frisky squirrels and they seem to really thrash about in her beds in particular. We’ll spread a good coating of “blood meal” to help prevent them from disturbing her plants. We’ll plant the new items, add a few seasonal annuals. More on Monday. This  project was billed at three (3) hours inclusive of the mulch application. Plus the cost of three bags of mulch/$15, and 3 perennials at $50.

REVISION FINAL  – Tuesday – 4/26 – 6:44 pm 

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At 2 pm we arrived to the 1000 block of Beverley Drive to complete a routine maintenance and tidy. It’s been since February that we were there. We will fill her new larger metal hanging basket with a Coir Liner. We will then use Geraniums and some trailing vines to fill it. And we will place three (3) new Begonias in planters for her Etegere. A fantastic client who gives us the freedom to do the work as we see appropriate. A good two to three hours work here. Five (5) new bushes planted last spring here, doing fantastic. Three (3) Scarlet Red Azaleas and two (2) Cherry Red Knock-Out Rose Bushes. We will fertilize. Redefine the edging on the beds and tidy the Pansies planted last fall.  Very soon they will give themselves up to the hot summer temps and we will replace them with summer annuals.

REVISION #2 – Sat – 4/23 – 4:34 pm

Today we really weeded, saturated every bush with the hose laying near each one as the hot sun was really drying the blossoms. They were very thirsty. We trimmed the Holly Tree  and used the hose to clean the porch under the Portico. So much yellow pollen covering everything. Secured all the plantings and deadheaded spent blossoms. We have been  nurturing a Geranium all winter for this client.  It was huge but very green. We have cut it back to stalks and planted it in a white planter situated in the sun in her garden bed. Once it starts sprouting we will transplant it to her new metal hanging basket, which we found. We have used this technique before to recycle a plant back into a new bloomer. Frankly, it usually blooms even more the second year. We will see how it produces this year. Today was a productive three (3)hours. Monday we will return  to weed and tidy the side bed along the whole length of thus corner property. It’s a “tons if weeds” project. At least another (1) hour.

Stay tuned Monday for our FINAL  progress videos as we are not at completion just yet.

REVISION #3 – MONDAY – 4/25 – 4:00 pm 

All finished at Beverley Drive until time to purchase annuals for planting once thePansies “give it up.”

Most likely Impatiens or Periwinkle will be the replacement. We will be doing the install. Photos to follow once complete, along with pics of the planters on her Etegere and her hanging basket.

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An absolutely perfect day for gardening.
Many shared blessings will be enjoyed, and my heart is filled with gratitude for my gifts and the labor which i love.

MY Lord and Savior God, you are generous with your always timely provisions. Thank you!

Spring came to us in its own time this year….. even so, we are exceedingly grateful.

“CONTESSA”