Summer Garden Paths

There was a cool breeze this morning, a promise of weather changes to come in September. But only a promise. It is HOT out there, and warm mugginess often lingers long into the night. Afternoon thunderstorms may bring temporary cooling. I stuck my camera out the front door and took the following photos during a recent storm. The crepe myrtles are drooping because of the heavy rain:

I'm not doing much planting during these 'dog days' of summer, but I pull a few weeds and do a lot of dreaming. I like to get out and walk the garden paths immediately after a thunderstorm, before the sun returns and turns the moisture to steam. Garden paths are essential to define the spaces and to give humans and animals access to different areas of the garden. I smile when I see wild animals using my garden paths. A few of my paths came from preexisting foot paths and dog trots. I widened and weeded them, limbed up trees so one could easily walk beneath them, and defined some edges with rocks and other natural elements. 

Large oaks and other trees grow along this path:

I put decorative plants, ornaments, and benches beside the paths. Here are views inside the Front Garden. The blue bench sits along the path in front of lavender blooming crepe myrtles. I recently moved the large piece of driftwood from another part of the Front Garden to a side path, shown in the second row, to better define it:

There are a few flowers blooming in the front garden:

Some more recent images of the Front Garden:Top: A mulched path separates the lawn from the Front Garden; Branch structure of a large japanese maple. 2nd row: A white pine , the only survivor of three I originally planted. The others succumbed to pine beetles. I am glad this one was spared; Rosa mutabilis, the butterfly rose, grows in front of the white pine.

 I call this path the hydrangea walk:Top: An overview of the hydrangea walk. The large white hydrangea is 'Limelight'. 2nd row: A closer look at 'Limelight' blooms. 3rd row: As summer has advanced, 'Endless Summer' hydrangea has turned from brilliant blue to a dusty rose; 'Annabelle' hydrangea has turned from white to green. I think both are beautiful

A touch of autumn color is beginning to show in the Lady in Red hydrangeas. These grow along the hydrangea walk and also in the Woodland garden:

Across the road from the Front Garden the Woodland Garden is tucked into a little valley. After a thuderstorm the moss paths are lush:

More images from the Woodland Garden:1st row: Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride' is beginning to bloom; Stromanthe 'Tri-o-star' grows in a pot. 2nd row: Groundcover indigofera still has a few blooms; Flowers of Hosta 'Sum and Substance'. 3rd row: A mossy side path; A very old muscadine vine. 4th row: Variegated hydrangea; A young Southern magnolia borders a woodland path.I always begin a stroll through the garden with anticipation. What will I see?  I almost missed the following little surprises. I was fortunate I had my camera ready!

I hope you enjoyed the tour along my summer garden paths. May August bring you many blessings!  

Deborah

A New Woodland Path

This past spring I noticed some trilliums growing in an area of the woodland garden that was undeveloped:Trillium cuneatum, photo taken March, 2010There was a bit of a trail there, created by dogs and kids who sometimes cut through the woods. I cleared a few vines from the area but didn't do much else until last week. A cool breeze hit me as I stood in the forest, and in the hot, sticky air of August the momentary refreshment brought inspiration.

I would make a new woodland path!

I went to work pulling weeds and more vines till the foot trail was wider and better defined. The new path comes off the moss path in the woodland garden and makes a wide loop before it rejoins the main path in the upper woodlands. Straw falls from pine trees beside the new path and provides a nice carpet underfoot. I planted a few hostas, heuchera, ferns and a climbing hydrangea, but I think I will leave the area essentially wild. As in most of my garden, low maintenance will be important. Nandina and mahonia already grow here, and there is vinca, liriope, and the trilliums, which are dormant this time of year. I must plant some daffodils, of course, and this will be a great place for some Snowflake hydrangeas and some native azaleas and...we will see! 

I was dripping sweat and dirty as an oil rig worker when I finished, but I was pleased with the results. I still need to cut some brush and wild hedges, but further work will wait till cooler weather! Meanwhile, here is what I have so far:
View of wild muscadine vines, to the left of the new path as it comes off the main woodland trailNandina on the left and mahonia on the right at the head of the new woodland path

View of nandina near the beginning of the new path

An enormous poison ivy vine grows on this pine tree. I decided not to touch it.I planted a few hosta and heuchera along this part of the path.1st row: hosta 'Groundmaster', foliage and flower. 2nd row Mahonia; Native climbing hydrangea, Decumaria barbara. 3rd row:Liriope; Nandina domestica. 4th row: Heuchera 'Autumn Bride"; Hosta 'June'.The woodland floor is covered with vica major here beside the new path. I plan to plant daffodils in this area.Here the new trail starts to turn back toward the main woodland path.This is the view to the left, near the end of the new woodland path.The new path rejoins the main trail at the blue bridge.View from blue bridge, back toward new path

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