"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Friday, March 25, 2011

The shed garden in March.

Somehow we lucked out yet again with another nice day.  It was supposed to rain both yesterday and today, instead we had sun and mild temperatures.  The only rain that fell was during the night.  The Littlest Gardener and I have spent as much time as possible outside soaking in the Vitamin D.  She was busy leaving supplies out for the garden fairies.  I guess they can never have too many small sticks, leaves and pieces of gravel.  Now that she's four and a half she's really fun to have outside with me, her imagination has just taken off.  She routinely looks for signs of fairies in the backyard.  We know they're out there somewhere, but she tells me they are afraid of people.
Last year Sweet Pea and I started what we now call the shed garden.  It had been part of the side yard where we kept yard waste cans and whatever yard junk that had no other place to go.  Since removing the old metal shed and adding a new one last spring this whole area has taken on a whole new look.

It's hard to imagine that this time last year this was all gravel and leftover piles of bricks, plant pots and other junk.  I'm really happy with how it looks just one year later.

Ribes sanguineum 'King Edward VII' was planted in the shed garden last summer.  It has already grown so much and is loaded with blooms.  Everything in the shed garden has to compete with our neighbors huge Cedar trees roots on the other side of the fence.

Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearls' has been in my garden for years, but I moved it to the shed garden last year.  I'm surprised it's already got blooms on it.  (Tina, is yours at about the same stage?)

Some of the tulips I planted last year are loving the sun.  I think things grew overnight, these buds were not this far up last time I looked.

Lewisia that I found at the fruit market last year already has buds.  I read that these can be difficult plants, but it loves it here.  I hope they have more this spring since they were such a great price compared to what I just saw them for at a nursery.

I'm not sure if the Dogwood will bloom this year, but at least there are leaf buds.  This one has never bloomed well.  I love how a row of Foxgloves planted themselves along the fence behind the tree.

This is taken looking out from the shed.  There is still some nice blank planting space left.

To see what this area looked like last year click here.  It's so fun taking an unused and forgotten part of your yard and turning it into a new garden space.  Especially if you have a small yard like we do, the whole yard becomes valuable garden real estate.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress. Pin It

40 comments:

  1. That shed is the cutest thing! I'm hoping to turn ours into something nice like that- I'm considering turning it into a chicken coop, but I'm not sure it's the right part of the yard to have them in- it's right next to the pond, but it is also located way on the other side of the veggie garden. I have a little white dog too- is yours a good garden dog? Joey is, and he enjoys fresh produce as much as I do!

    I don't think I've seen your yard from the shed out- you've got a good sized yard.

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  2. The shed and its garden are perfect! I'm so happy you are having good weather too. Cold here. One day maybe the Littlest Gardener will find herself a fairy. I'm sure they appreciate all of her help.

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  3. Your garden look swonderful! I can't wait until it gets warmer here:)

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  4. The shed garden is doing great. We are still in the cold weather with snow a threat.

    Eileen

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  5. Yesterday and today were such a wonderful unexpected gift! I repotted some seedlings yesterday, but today spent a good few hours out there, still planting, planting, planting. I bought too much, it is getting away from me. It's so lovely outside once it finally cracks 50 degrees.

    Can't wait to see what those foxgloves along the fence look like when they flower. I want to put a bunch along my new fence. I tried direct sowing last year, but nothing came of it.

    I bet that shed garden is so satisfying to look at.

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  6. The shed garden looks very good. Even you dog seems to like it. Those fairies are elusive. It's good to know they have someone looking out for them in your garden.

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  7. Catherine and Sweet Pea, You've done such a good job - I love it! I hope the littlest gardener and you two have a wonderful weekend.

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  9. Your Chardonnay Pearls are looking beautiful. I've been surprised at how soon a lot of plants in my area are blooming this spring. Signs of a lively and bountiful year perhaps? :)

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  10. Your Chardonnay Pearls are looking beautiful. I've been surprised at how soon a lot of plants in my area are blooming this spring. Signs of a lively and bountiful year perhaps? :)

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  11. Your Chardonnay Pearls are looking beautiful. I've been surprised at how soon a lot of plants in my area are blooming this spring. Signs of a lively and bountiful year perhaps? :)

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  12. Great job! I really like what you did with area. Plus your photo of the moon on the your older blog is incredible. I'm impressed with how changed that area for the better.

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  13. Catherine, you have so much space in your beds! And they are soooo clean! Ours are crowded and the weeds are getting a big head start. Yikes! Maybe ours wouldn't look so crowded if the weeds were gone... ;-D
    Your shed is very cute. Fits perfectly in that corner of the garden. How old is your dogwood? They need to be at least four or five years old to bloom, in my experience. And the first year or two, there won't be a lot of blossoms. But they are so worth the wait. What kind of dogwood is it? DH bought a Kousa dogwood for me but when it bloomed we found it was mislabeled. boohoo! We're going to get another one this year, but I want to buy it while it's blooming at the nursery. Just to be sure!
    ~~Rhonda :)

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  14. Things are looking great in the garden.

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  15. Wow, Catherine, your garden responds so quickly to a little sun. Looks wonderful.

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  16. Love the shed and the garden space in front.

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  17. We always have been growing sweet peas in winters here. They are so cute! Love your shed garden in March!

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  18. Aah! True Camelot weather...rain at night, perfect skies during the day!
    When my daughter was a little girl and very much into fairies, I used to write teeny-tiny letters and place them in a hanging basket for her to discover. She loved this! I also hid fairies in the garden and used to move hem around so she had to look for them. We had fairy tea-parties in the garden with tiny little sandwiches and we'd drink out of tiny little China cups.

    Your shed garden is looking truly lovely! A really special little place...isn't it amazing how often the most neglected parts of the garden, once given a facelift and some real love turn out to be our favourite little places to escape to? It's as if the plants (I call my gardens like that, Cinderella Gardens) know they really have to put on a splendid show to please!

    Your whole garden is beautiful, Catherine! You'll have no need to go away for holidays with so much beauty surrounding you. It's a garden to be enjoyed fully...every corner is special! WELL DONE!!!

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  19. Your plants are looking quite lovely! They are really benefiting from the sun.

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  20. I have enjoyed following the progress of this area as well as other areas in your yard...tis looking beautiful! Don't ya just love listening to the Littlest Gardener?

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  21. That is , without a doubt, the cutest little shed! I love it!
    Everything looks so nice.....you've done a wonderful job!

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  22. Wow! I remember when you just finished this shed. Your new side garden looks beautiful! I really enjoyed seeing green growth and blooms. Maybe your little gardener could give me some fairy advice. I need to make some fairy retreats in my garden.

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  23. Nice shed, and you are lucky to still have some space to add new stuffs!

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  24. I think many of us have those eye-sore parts of our garden. We pulled out and recycled an old snap-together plastic shed this winter that the previous owners had left. We didn't use it, it was falling apart, and a great haven for large spiders and scorpions. Just getting rid of it made an enormous difference. Your blue shed looks like it's always been in that spot, even though I know it hasn't, and fits the space perfectly. The garden in front of it has really filled in well in the last year. A splendid transformation of that space!

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  25. Cathrine, your Shed Garden looks so lovely. What a transformation you have achieved in just one year! All the plants really have grown in well. I feel inspired by your post to also get to work in a part of our garden that is not landscaped, yet. Thanks!
    Christina

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  26. Fabulous shed garden. I would love a shed, ha! Tell the littlest gardener that the fairies living in my garden are also afraid of people. I frequently leave them treats and if I watch very carefully I sometimes find surprises. They love acorn caps.

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  27. I love the imagination of young children - it is so refreshing. Have you heard of the Cottingley Fairies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottingley_Fairies your daughter might like them!!

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  28. you are so ambitious! lisa of shower fresh garden and I were talking about that the other day :-)

    the shed garden already looks great! can't wait to watch its progress.

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  29. The Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearls', is a very nice shrub.The color of those leafs are so colorful.
    I have two growing since 2 yrs but very slow and so nice little write flower. I love it.

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  30. I've always admired that shed and the space around it offers so much options for planting!!!
    Don't forget to post those tulips after bloomed and also a photo of the shed (first one) in early summer.
    Your dog is a cutie :)

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  31. Catherine, I really admire how well you've maximized your yard to create gardening space. It is very inspiring.
    My 5 yr old and 3.5 yr old have just recently discovered 'fairies'. It's so cute that your little one is leaving them bits of things and that you are both enjoying wonderful quality time together. Cheers, Jenni

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  32. Love your little shed garden! I wish I had a cute shed like that instead of a plastic one :-) Your flowering currant is well ahead of mine. No flowers opening yet. Half of mine was afflicted last summer by something and only half has come back. So maybe thats why its slow!

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  33. I love the look of your shed and the shed garden looks great! you have a lot of wonderful thing blooming in there. Also love to hear that your littlest is looking out for the fairies. I'm sure the they feel very lucky to be in such great care! too cute.

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  34. what a wonderful garden you have. I love your shed, such a feature (wish i had one like it). Foxgloves are a favourite of mine so look forward to seeing them in flower.

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  35. Between the work you've done on redesigning the front garden and the lovely look of your shed garden, you must be feeling a great sense of garden accomplishment. Of course, all this makes me want to get out and get things accomplished in my own garden, but it's still a bit too soon here. (At this time of year, I use your garden as a kind of visual promise of things to come in my own. Thanks!) -Jean

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  36. Looks so good...I'm especially fond of the Ribes...love those things...and the berries...yum!

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  37. Love looking at your garden pics!

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  38. Adorable Shed.....so fun seeing your garden wake up! xoox

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  39. The shed's color makes me think you opened up a box of crayolas, pulled out periwinkle and "This one!" I love that color.

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