Mystery garden

Pie · 03-12-2009, 09:53 AM

So, as many of you know, I have a new house. This house has a garden. A garden lovingly tended for many years by the previous owners. We moved into the house in January, when most plants were dormant. Now, spring is arriving and things are starting to wake up.

There are... things... blooming, growing, wanting to be fed. A very few of them, I recognize (Japanese Andromeda, daffodils, rhododendrons, azaleas, vinca, pachysandra. And lots of moss.) The rest are

.

Tonight, I will post some pictures of what is out there. I hope to pull on the vast collective gardening experience of the Dwellars for identification and perhaps some advise.

Right now, I'll ask a shorter question:

What are the critical, can't-do-without gardening and yard maintenance tools?

We have about 0.2 acres, not much grass. Lots of trees, so lots of leaves. It's in Maryland, so that's hardiness zone 6, I think. My track record with gardening is spotty at best, so I'd like to keep it simple.

glatt · 03-12-2009, 10:30 AM

whatever tools you buy, I'd suggest finding a flea market or yard sale type place with used tools. Much better to buy a shovel or garden rake for $5 than $30, and when you are buying 6-8 tools it adds up. Garden tools last decades, so a used one is fine.

I mostly use a long handled shovel, garden rake, leaf rake, mattock (the best dirt digging tool imho. Get one with an axe one on side and adze/hoe on the other. It's great for cutting through roots as you dig. This is an awesome tool.), bypass loppers, pruning saw. I also have an extension pole saw that gets used every year to trim branches that get too close to our power lines while staying safely on the ground.

There's lots of other stuff you can buy that would be useful, but that's what I would start with.

Clodfobble · 03-12-2009, 02:32 PM

This is my favorite yard tool.

Scriveyn · 03-12-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

... Right now, I'll ask a shorter question:

What are the critical, can't-do-without gardening and yard maintenance tools?

..., so I'd like to keep it simple.

A deckchair and a machete.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

This is my favorite yard tool.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:28 PM

This is a vine climbing a trellis covering the dryer exhaust vent. It's also sorta-strangling the Japanese Andromeda next to it. It has little white pop-pom flowers (dried, from last year, apparently). Identification? Should I disentangle it from its prey, or let Darwinian selection rule the day?

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:30 PM

I dunno what this is. Big, vine-y thing, about 5 feet tall.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:31 PM

What is this plant, and does it have a condition I should be worried about?

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:32 PM

Small, shrubby, don't know what it is.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:32 PM

Lots of snowdrops everywhere.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:35 PM

Sorry this is so washed out -- the plant in the foreground has purple flowers that are all hanging their heads. There's a white variety of the same flower elsewhere in the yard. The purple plant in the background looks like it's a goner. Is it?

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:36 PM

?

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:38 PM

Don't know if this dude is a relative of post #7's, but his leaves are much purple-er. He's trying to worm his way under the cedar shingles, so he may be coming out regardless of his species.

Pie · 03-12-2009, 05:39 PM

...and finally, some of our fine moss. I've been thinking about encouraging this, rather than trying to plant grass where it obviously doesn't want to grow.

jinx · 03-12-2009, 07:00 PM

I'm just guessing...

Post #6 looks like a Clematis, #7 looks like Honeysuckle, #9 looks like Forsythia, #14 has a big Hydrangea - my favorite.

03-12-2009, 02:32 PM	#3
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	This is my favorite yard tool. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

03-12-2009, 05:31 PM	#8
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	What is this plant, and does it have a condition I should be worried about? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:32 PM	#10
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Lots of snowdrops everywhere. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:35 PM	#11
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Sorry this is so washed out -- the plant in the foreground has purple flowers that are all hanging their heads. There's a white variety of the same flower elsewhere in the yard. The purple plant in the background looks like it's a goner. Is it? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:36 PM	#12
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 09:53 AM	#1
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Mystery garden So, as many of you know, I have a new house. This house has a garden. A garden lovingly tended for many years by the previous owners. We moved into the house in January, when most plants were dormant. Now, spring is arriving and things are starting to wake up. There are... things... blooming, growing, wanting to be fed. A very few of them, I recognize (Japanese Andromeda, daffodils, rhododendrons, azaleas, vinca, pachysandra. And lots of moss.) The rest are . Tonight, I will post some pictures of what is out there. I hope to pull on the vast collective gardening experience of the Dwellars for identification and perhaps some advise. Right now, I'll ask a shorter question: What are the critical, can't-do-without gardening and yard maintenance tools? We have about 0.2 acres, not much grass. Lots of trees, so lots of leaves. It's in Maryland, so that's hardiness zone 6, I think. My track record with gardening is spotty at best, so I'd like to keep it simple. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not. Last edited by Pie; 03-12-2009 at 10:41 AM. Reason: formatting

03-12-2009, 10:30 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	whatever tools you buy, I'd suggest finding a flea market or yard sale type place with used tools. Much better to buy a shovel or garden rake for $5 than $30, and when you are buying 6-8 tools it adds up. Garden tools last decades, so a used one is fine. I mostly use a long handled shovel, garden rake, leaf rake, mattock (the best dirt digging tool imho. Get one with an axe one on side and adze/hoe on the other. It's great for cutting through roots as you dig. This is an awesome tool.), bypass loppers, pruning saw. I also have an extension pole saw that gets used every year to trim branches that get too close to our power lines while staying safely on the ground. There's lots of other stuff you can buy that would be useful, but that's what I would start with.

03-12-2009, 05:28 PM	#6
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	This is a vine climbing a trellis covering the dryer exhaust vent. It's also sorta-strangling the Japanese Andromeda next to it. It has little white pop-pom flowers (dried, from last year, apparently). Identification? Should I disentangle it from its prey, or let Darwinian selection rule the day? __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:30 PM	#7
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	I dunno what this is. Big, vine-y thing, about 5 feet tall. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:32 PM	#9
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Small, shrubby, don't know what it is. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:38 PM	#13
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	Don't know if this dude is a relative of post #7's, but his leaves are much purple-er. He's trying to worm his way under the cedar shingles, so he may be coming out regardless of his species. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 05:39 PM	#14
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	...and finally, some of our fine moss. I've been thinking about encouraging this, rather than trying to plant grass where it obviously doesn't want to grow. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

03-12-2009, 07:00 PM	#15
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	I'm just guessing... Post #6 looks like a Clematis, #7 looks like Honeysuckle, #9 looks like Forsythia, #14 has a big Hydrangea - my favorite. __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

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