Preston Revisited… early Fall Tidy

BEFORE/IN PROCESS

AFTER.

•••••••

At our customers request we keep mixing up this bed. We love moving things around. Too many Hostas says our lovely lady. So today we took out the two back center ones. They were carefully removed rootball and all. We placed them on a huge empty plastic mulch bag and are hopeful one of our gardener type residents will adopt them. In their place we added a blooming shade lover that quivers in a breeze and has blooms that look like castle spires. They are ethereal. We love Astilbe. Huge variety of colors available and they cluster. 28 to 24” and bushy near the soil. Very nice. Our homeowner let us pick them out. We made room for three on each side but only purchased one each. She approves…. so when we complete our October Pansy install she wants us to install two more on each side of the centered Hydrangea.

Once again this garden bed is looking pristine. It was a beautiful day to garden and we were in heaven. Outdoors and working and creating and accomplishing. It doesn’t get better. A great four (4) hours here today.

The gaps in our garden bed will be filled in with Pansies and today we added smallish purple and yellow Mums. One each.

“Contessa” says…. It’s all good!

EA is our “lady” Homeowner

7 am Sunday morning and we have arrived at “lady EA’s” place. She has been residing here now for two years and gradually, as her gardener we have transformed a plant-less plot into a very inviting and very well planned out corner property. Roughly a 45 x 45 ft section of the front was a packed Native Ivy Bed. We have…,vine by vine….removed all of it. The pulling process took a solid week and we did it while EA was away. The goud news is the following spring not one Ivy vine returned.

Parkfairfax then planted a small Holly tree at her request. And we began creating a garden space with new bushes to enhance the front center bed. We now have three Crimson Red Azalea bushes, two “Lady Red” Knock Out Rose bushes, two pinkish winter blooming Camellia’s, two sweet smelling Gardenia’s, just planted one week ago and three transplanted Day Lilies which we will yet divide again and create some new plants along the side if the house. EA has a very petit garden Etagere which accommodates five perennial plants potted in colorful planters. And we have  added a metal hanging basket with White and Pink Geraniums, Petunias and white Verbena.

This year….her second season Blue Hydrangea has quite a number of blossoms. The branches are heavy with fairly good sized blossoms for a two year old bush. The stems are still thin but within the next couple years they will strengthen, thicken and mature in size to support larger blossoms each year. It’s a powder blue so we are using a Nutone Hydrangea plant food to strengthen it to produce it’s true blue color. It’s a bit of a “Drama Queen” in terms of playing wilted when it’s warm outdoors, but Hydrangeas do this until they are three or four years established in their “spot.” We are delighted with its growth and it’s size in only two years time. And this year we added right beside and near it ….a beautiful pinkish/purple “Dahlia” tuber.  Beautiful blossoms and it’s also just getting started. They compliment each other beautifully

All in all…, EA’s lovely little end unit has taken on a very established look in a very short time. Often as we are working there…… we can hear complimentary comments at how pretty the property is looking. It’s come a long way and we are only just beginning. People tell us they walk up this way on Beverley Drive,  just to enjoy and see if anything new has been added to EA’s pretty garden.

We now are providing daily tidying and watering service to help keep EA a very happy “lady.”

Indeed our pleasure to garden here.

“Contessa”says…… its all good.

Error

This video doesn’t exist

 

Loppers- Aluminum.

We splurged and purchased new  “Loppers” this week. As a result we were able to trim the Arbor Vitae and the Lilac bush/tree in our newest clients yard. We have needed them for a while. They are light weight and flexible, very sharp and strong. We are pleased. Under $38. 

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

Wellington Spring Clean Up and New Plantings.

Error

This video doesn’t exist

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!

Gardening – Preston Rd – 3rd year – Client

Error

This video doesn’t exist

Our client had a huge limb fall in her garden bed. We purchased garden soil and Blood Meal to deter the squirrels. We accomplished a clearing of all the branche debris from the limb, secured, cut back and added new soil to strengthen her plants. The squirrels devoured three of her Huchera plants in the fall so we will be doing some replacements as soon as the nurseries get plants. But for now she is tidied and we’ve at least secured what she does  have. Her new ferns did very well through the winter and she decided we need to add more of. them. Roughly $15 each, but a perfect perennial for a shaded garden bed. We cut back all the plants down to new growth.

I frequently tell you all about a product called Blood Meal. It is a powdery coffee ground looking products that you sprinkle around plants, once you have put them in the ground. We highly recommend it as it keeps the squirrels “ at bay.”  One bag should last you the summer. It is about $10 and so helpful. We know how frustrating it can be to plant new things and then find them dug up. The critters were at it again. Blood Meal really helps with this problem. We could not garden without it.

And we tell everyone about the garden soil we put in your beds.  Greenstreet Gardens which is close by, sells it and we find it to be one of the most nutritious there is. It’s called Bumper Crop Soil Builder.  Roughly $11 per bag. Please consider good garden soil. Several larger stores sell garden soil that’s less expensive, but it’s mixed with vermiculite (styrofoam) and sad to say,  this ends up in our Chesapeake Bay. Please be kind to your garden beds and our beautiful Bay.

“Contessa says……it’s all good.” 

Preparation of Holiday Wreath Ribbons (Revised 12/7) and white tipping pine cones

Counting out yardage today and practicing making bows for our Holiday Wreath offering. One completed ribbon shown above is a total of 68 inches. We have enough ribbon for 20 wreaths. Hmm! Might be important to purchase additional ribbon…. just in case. We are headed out now to take care of this.

“Contessa” says it’s a very Good thing to do!

Additional Steps Today – 12/07

We have been collecting pine cones in the community from under a very generous Evergreen tree on Valley Drive. Each one has an ever so slight white natural tip, but we are enhancing them a little bit. They will show up so much nicer on our beautiful wreaths. And they have dried  sufficiently from the damp ground, as we’ve had them spread out to dry now for about three weeks.

All we are waiting for is the Forum Newsletter to be delivered to each household. The process seems a little slow this year, but we are patient. It will most  likely be a “Mad dash” at the end ….but gosh it’s Christmas, and that’s how it is with the holidays and preparation. Right!  It’s all about enjoying the process….. and we do!

 

“CONTESSA”

The Garden Contessa Offering “live” Holiday Wreaths

THE GARDEN CONTESSA is offering “live” Frasier Fir Evergreen Door Wreaths for the Holidays. Complete with colorful wide festive ribbon, pine cones, Holly Berries, a string of (50) battery operated “fairy lights” (3 AA batteries included) and complete with a wreath hanging bracket. We will HAND DELIVER direct to your door. $75 complete. Please txt 703-548-1882, or email ContessasHome@gmail.com Order deadline Dec 10th. Payment by check please.

Happy Holidays from CONTESSA!

(Photo to follow when the wreaths arrive)

************************
If you reside in Parkfairfax,  please see our upcoming Ad in the December issue of the Parkfairfax Forum Newsletter.

Thank you,

“CONTESSA”

We’re Back – on Preston Road (Revised 9/30)

Error

This video doesn’t exist

This is a last years video.

We completed work for our client, but as you can see, the bed is sparsely populated and definitely needs our touch. So our client called last week and this morning we visited the garden center to select new plants. We will do our regular clean up and also plant new selections. Our client gave us a generous budget and we purchased plants we think will do well in a very shaded garden bed. We purchased a new blue Hydrangea called Endless Summer and two evergreens and some ferns and a nice selection of  Coral Bells. And we are adding a ground cover for fill in between plants. It’s called Ajuga. 

Before we left this morning to head to the nursery we stopped and took a video of how it currently looks. Definitely, they need our fall spruce up.

Error

This video doesn’t exist

Tomorrow we will begin the work and will post a final video once we finish.

It’s our pleasure as this is a lovely client and she needs our help. Looking forward to it. We think we will be working a full day. Weather suggest some rain, but it’s all good.

”Contessa”

REVISED today 9/29

We have completed our work for our client today. We finished up with a total ofvfive hours today. It’s looking very good. Our lovely client will come home this evening to our final contribution. We are pretty confidant she is going to be pleased. As a courtesy for such great work, we are going to water daily through October 4th, gratis!  New plantings require a boost. We are pleased to provide this little extra. And we have convinced her to have us come once a week in Oct and Nov to keep things tidy

This was a fun project in that we were able to make all the plant selections and execute as we wished. A dream job honestly. Little supervision and a “carte blanche”  to do our thing. Our pleasure.

”Contessa”

FINAL VIDEO

Error

This video doesn’t exist

Beverley Drive – Bushes Selection Complete

Tomorrow we will complete our bushes install. Our bed was full of Ivy and so we have removed it all – over a month ago. We have been waiting to select and plant, because of our intense summer heat. And our homeowner was in Rhode Island for a month. We’ve beautiful bushes and are very excited to get them planted. Then we will tidy up the beds and  finally add a light dressing of bark chip mulch. It should be great. Some bulbs will be installed towards the end of October and some smaller perennials as fillers for the perimeter of the beds. It’s coming together.  We will take a video upon completion. This is the fun and satisfying part of the creation. We have three “Crimson” baby blossom Azaleas, two Berry Red Knock Out Rose bushes and one “Original/Traditional Blue Hydrangea.”

All the bushes were just delivered at the end of August so we have the most recent plants the nursery had in their very plentiful inventory. It’s all a very good thing.” 

“Contessa”

Gardening Today on Wellington/Preston

Bed creation – complete clean out – all new perennials. It is a new beginning. The ground cover up front is called Blue Blanket/Creeping Mazus. It loves full sun. So imagine that the front section of this bed will become a very full look with sweet little bluish/purple blossoms. Two Salvia and one Speedwell are the background. And in the center we are encouraging a very small transplanted Peony. We have planted Morning Glory seeds in the bed and will encourage them to climb up our new metal trellis. On the far left we have planted a larger perennial called Gaura Lindheimeri (Rose Jane) a native hybrid. Slender stems with white/pinkish blooms. Very whimsical. Maturity of 24” to 30”. We like the balance Rose Jane will provide on this side of the bed, across from a very mature white Azalea bush. And on the right-center is a Lithadora “Grace Ward” with Azure blue flowers. Lastly we added four Lobelia (Riviera Rose), all full sun and spaced around to give the bed a nice full balance. Now for everything to grow and fill in. Fresh garden soil about one inch thick has been added to this cleared bed. And because the squirrels “love” to dig up new plantings, we use a product called Blood Meal to deter them from digging up bed. It works. They will not come round to dig up or bury their nuts. They do not like it’s aroma. It is non-toxic, but it does keep them away. New shredded hardwood bark mulch will be our final addition to this bed. It’s taking shape and our homeowner seems very pleased. Watering daily for the first week with new plantings is essential.

A beautiful day so far…..

”contessa”