- We created an old-fashioned garden with plants and shrubs that were special to Teresa's mother. It will also serve as a memorial to her mother.
- We dug up hostas and taxis to create a new, expanded bed filled with hydrangeas, salvia, peonies, hibiscus and a lilac tree. We're especially concentrating on several types of hydrangeas. One is called Endless Summer and it blooms continuously from spring to fall.
- We removed one privet. The others in the yard have done well. One did not because the fir tree has grown enormously and has taken the shade the privet needs to thrive. We replaced the privet with another better variety.
- Teresa and her sisters planted lots of coral geraniums, their mother's favorite annual. We also replaced her beloved lilac bush.
- Finally, we tended to the grape vines in the rear of the yard.
Required Project Time
The Memory Gardening project took us about nine hours.
Dollars and Sense
- We used more than a dozen plants in Hardiness Zone 6.
- The large geraniums were the most expensive part of the play. They cost $255.
- We used large pots and large geraniums to add more color to the yard. One-gallon pots or four-inch geraniums would be less expensive.
- The rest of the plants, including a tree and a lot of hydrangeas cost $570
- The plants cost a bit more because we were planting at the height of the season. Plant at the end of the season and you'll save money, but you might miss out on some of the color.
- Plant prices may vary by zone.
Sensible Tools
These are the tools and garden supplies used on our project by Walter and the DIY team and also given to the homeowners to help care for their new landscape:
- Fiskars Lopers
(www.fiskars.com)
- Fiskars Pruner
(www.fiskars.com)
- Greenlight SuperBloom
- Wonder Soil
(www.wondersoil.com)
- Table and chairs provided by:
(www.patiofurniture.usa.com)
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