Viewing post #11355 by LabourofLove

valleylynn said:Kate I am hyperventilating looking at your photos. I have already found your web site. Do I have your permission to post a link here? Do you know you can post a clickable link in your signature line at the bottom of your post?
All I can say is wow, and how fortunate we are to have you join us. I love the way you have set your beds up, what a great way to do it.
Do you ever cover your beds, or are they continually exposed to the elements?

I cover them in the Fall with 80% shadecloth - but only to keep BILLIONS of black locust leaves (the tree with the semps around the base) off. Before I thought to do this I spent 2 weeks every Spring picking the3m out one by one. Tedious beyond belief.

How do you deal with pests in the beds (squirrels, cats, bird and insects etc.)?

So far, the only pests I've had to deal with are moles and voles who don't do much damage because the plants root so shallowly. Every once in a while a dog will chase a squirrel or chipmunk up the tree and do a bit of damage, but they are easily replanted.

Do you use ground cloth under your mulched pathways?

No ground cloth - don't get me started on that subject. I've ripped out hundreds of yards of the stuff on jobs and it always makes more work than the problems it solves. (terrible grammar, but you get the idea)

Also, can I move this to the Tour of Nurseries and Gardens Forum. We would love to see more pictures, even close ups of semps, sedum, companion plants and any outdoor art, anything of interests to gardeners. It would be a mini tour of your place.

Yes, of course you may put it where you think it fits best. Prepare for me to post photos - have hundreds taken at various times during the plus-or-minus 90 day growing season (Zone 3A)

If any of your members would like to visit, my place is open to the public every day during the season. BTW, the Brit spelling of 'labour' is because the American spelling is a common last name in my area.