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