Islands Are Good, Peninsulas are Better

I was checking through Renegade Gardner's website and I realized he had the solution to my border garden problem.

When I moved to this house 3 summers ago I inherited a lot of the previous owners taste (read problems). She had plunked down shrubs all over the lawn so it looked like a miniature golf course. I spent the first summer digging them up and either replanting them or giving them away. Clearly someone had told her that island gardens are the new "in" thing. She put in a couple that were the size of a coffee table. That is fine if you garden on 1/8 acre. But my property is, quite literally, a golf course.... a huge flat expanse. It was a golf course for the Inn across the street until the late 60's.

I had enlarged the island garden thinking that scale was the problem. It helped a lot, but still not right. I had added a few curves to the border garden to soften the unrelenting straightness of it. Still not quite right. Renegade Gardener suggested attaching the lone island to the rest of the garden with large sweeping curves... invite the island "to the party."

So that is what I did. I have discovered that cheap garden hose doesn't work as well to "draw" a line. It crimps and doesn't curve gracefully. I somehow muddled through and cut the lines. Yesterday and today I have spent digging up the sod to make that connection. You can see the clumps of sod drying in the sun- almost.

I plan on keeping the new planting low so you can still get the straight shot up the garden to the bench. I need to move that veronica before it is swallowed by the Bath's Pinks. They will be nice in this new peninsula. I am really pleased by this development.

I took a break as thunderstorms were rolling in, showered, and grabbed an early glass of celebratory wine. I went out with Henry to survey the day's work. Le boyfriend sneaked this shot through a screened window of me "contemplating." I think the peninsula is thin. I will need to widen it as the curve is too tight for the riding mower and it somehow looks skimpy.

Nevertheless- a good day's work.