My "Turtle Island" #2: The Schematic

Is this a perennial garden?

-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20

yes.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Beauty! Are you making a path at the top edge of the triangle?

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

I think this is a great beginning … looks like you have things under control. What are some of the plants you are considering? What type of sun do you get in this area?

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

What a great visual, wish I was able to do this.

-- Derbyshire------- English Countryside

the “moon shape” at the top will be a path connecting the two already there.

This is behind our house but to the west of the house a bit so will be almost full sun.

re: plants, I’m not positive yet.
I am considering a sumac bush as one of the tall plants and some beautiful grasses, if I can find some that I know for sure are native to this area.

For the border I am considering a mix of strawberry plants and some native ground cover plants.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Debbie, how long are each of the edges?

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

oooh about that long :)

I was wondering that myself when I was drawing it up… I’ll have to check on that. (I’m bad at estimating)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Hi Debbie I’m in zone 5a too are close to Niagra falls Dolly

Hey :)
I’m a couple hours from Niagara.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

One of the mistakes I’ve made and still make, is that I tend to “over plant”. It’s not so bad with perrenial flowers (so lond as they are not invasive) but bushes, trees are a little harder to move once rooted.

On another note, even sun loving plants love a little shade at some part of the day so whatever “tall” plants you put there, you might consider one that provides a tad os shade.

I have a hard maple that the previous owner planted several years ago. for two years I swear that tree didnt grow an inch. I put a fence up next to it and the tree got about 3 hours of summer shade a day and last year it shot up almost 2 feet. same for all my tiny trees…..........they didnt budge until I put them in pots and under a pergola….......what a difference a little shade made.

I also like annuals because they flower all summer long so I leave spaces where I can plant patches of them.

and on one more note. I love rocks, big rocks, small rocks, for the most part, they are free and they break up a garden, provide a little visual ditraction in a good way.

and on one more note …lol…....I’ve noticed in almost all books and mags, the pictures that is. Is that more often then not, the pictures that make me stop and look have one common thing about them…......the borders through out the yard are the same specie, seems like it provides a sense of continuity.

that said…..........I think any graden is better then no garden at all.

-- Central northish Ontario

lots of information there.. let’s see how i’m doing:

• over-planting: my thought is that each of these “blocks” represent a plant or two but in time I want it all to fill in.
• shade: I hope the sumac bush that I put in the middle will provide that tad of shade that you describe.. and the grasses, once they spread out will provide shade for the plants behind them at least.
• annuals: I might and I might not. having said that, I do usually plant some marigolds so, I’m sure that they will be stuck in there, at least for the next few years while the perennials take hold and start spreading
• rocks: well, I dare say that I am doing my bit with rocks – you can’t see it in the picture but just to the right is a huge pile of rocks that I have yet to distribute amongst the flowerbeds.
• common borders: well, it is my goal to have strawberries as the main border plant. and as for the others, I think I’ll plant them just here and there giving my a variety of native plants… it might end up to be a bad idea, who knows.. If I don’t like it, I can just dig them up and pass them along to other gardeners.

phew… lots to think about; that’s for sure. And I thought I had it tough, just picking out the plants!!

Thanks for the wealth of knowledge re: garden design.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Good advice all around … shade provides a period of rest for the “full sun” plants/trees/shrubs.

-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b

in my order, through salt spring seeds I have some grains that will stand about 4’ high. These will be placed in the “green” patches in the diagram above.

I’ll see how that works out this year and then maybe next year I’ll line a path with them or something..

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Ya know, if you plant barley and hops, I know some recipes to make a great product with those ingredients!

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit

oh yah??? I just can’t imagine what you are referring to (especially after I just read about your Grandpa)

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Now, now…Grandpa liked the distilled product, not the simple fermented type! LOL…

-- Living on the square...Metro Detroit