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  • A Child's Garden of Virtues: Topiaries and Landscaping
  • From "Weekend Gardening"
    episode WKG-411


    PHOTO

    Figure A
    Six hours into a corner garden transformation finds this enchanted secret garden well under way. A hut built of willow twigs now stands in place at the end of a path flanked by colorful perennials (figure A). Maureen Gilmer is now ready to add two topiary friends to the garden.

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    Time spent so far: 6 hours.

    • Maureen fills fabricated-iron armature with potting soil wrapped with sphagnum moss (figure B); then she punches small holes in the moss and adds tiny plugs of hens and chicks (Echeveria elegans) along the surface of the animals (figure C).
      Photo

      Figure B

      Photo

      Figure C


    • She creates tails for these topiary animals with Crassula Morgan's pink (figure D).

    • Using exterior latex paint, she paints concrete paving stones with the words love, joy, peace and kindness; these words of virtue will soon become part of the path (figure E).
      Photo

      Figure D

      Photo

      Figure E


    • She places recycled rubber tree rings along the path, creating a soft, dry play surface. To create a colorful, artistic look to the path, she fills the centers of the rings with silicone caulk and tops the caulk with colored aquarium gravel (figure F).

    • To conceal the new space, she uses maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis) along the front of the garden (figure G), creating a safe, natural screen.
      Photo

      Figure F

      Photo

      Figure G


      Time spent: 5 hours.

      Time spent so far: 11 hours.


      RESOURCES :

      Ace Hardware Supplies
      To locate the nearest Ace Hardware to your home, click here.
      Ace Hardware
      2200 Kensington Ct.
      Oak Brook, IL 60523-2100
      Toll-free: 866-290-5334
      Website: www.acehardware.com

      Plants from Ball Horticultural Company
      Various plant material
      Ball Horticulture Company
      Website: www.simplybeautifulgardens.com

      Plants from Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
      Monrovia Horticultural Craftsmen
      Website: www.monrovia.com

      DeWalt power tools
      DeWalt
      Website: www.dewalt.com/us/core/

      Landscaping Services by D&J Landscaping
      D & J Landscaping
      E-mail: DJLandscaping@sbcglobal.net

      Plants from Hines Horticulture
      Website: www.hineshort.com

      Soil Amendments
      Soil amendments
      Whitney Farms
      Website: www.whitneyfarms.com

      Willow round-top trellis
      Item #WRT-72; color: Natural; 24"(w)x72"(h)
      Master Garden Products
      Website: www.mastergardenproducts.com

      Willow rods
      Blue Stem Nursery
      Website: www.bluestem.com

      Faux terra-cotta edging
      Item #34-313
      Gardner’s Supply Company
      Website: www.gardeners.com

    • ALSO IN THIS EPISODE: