It's been interesting for me to learn about how long it really takes to establish new flower gardens over the past two-three years here at Struan Farm. The Homestead gardens are well established, were planted and loved by John's parents for sixty+ years before us. But we built our new house in a part of the farm that was paddock previously. So all of the lawns and gardens were literally "greenfield."
Since we knew where the house site was long before we built, we were able to plant some fruit trees. Several of the older plum trees got wiped out when we had to fell trees for the power lines, I was told "these things happen." But at least some of the trees had a decent head start.
Sister-in-law Anna cracked in to help me plant that first big flower garden bed that first winter. We chose lots of flowering shrubs, the old fashioned types I love, that should prove lower maintenance over the years. I've filled the gaps in with flowers, perennials and annuals, also splitting things like dahlias from the Homestead gardens and moving some up to the new house. Growing plants from cuttings is easy too.
Three years on, this is the first spring most of these flowering shrubs are looking settled.
We've got a number of different "cercis" trees planted around the front lawn, sometimes they're called "Judas trees." I love the heart-shaped burgundy leaves on this one!
So everybody seems to be settling in for the long haul, John and me included.
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