Planting The Junk Garden Border 2017
May 28, 2017
It's so hard to believe that this late May assortment of junk and mixture of bedding plants and perennials becomes a beauty every year.
Many of the perennials in this bed have been here quite a while. (Especially the Asiatic Lilies, Coneflowers and Globe Thistles). Although the perennials don't change much, the junk, however, comes and goes or changes places, and the annuals change as well.
I like red blossoms, darker pinks and yellows and I work in lighter colors and pastels. I don't really follow a lot of rules, other than short in front, medium in the middle and tall in the back, and if a perennial doesn't work move it or lose it.
The old sawhorse is new to the junk garden border this year, however it did appear in a Christmas post in 2016 HERE. Besides holding a repurposed pot/planter, the plan is that a couple of Black Eyed Susan vines will climb up the sawhorse. We shall see.
This old stepladder from a neighbor's estate sale has been in the garden almost every year. I use enamelware or aluminum cooking pots or terracotta pots at times too on the rungs. The top of the ladder and two of the rungs have large machine screws and bolts through the rungs so that a corresponding hole drilled in the pot slides over it. The pots never slip or blow off.
Funnels on broom handle or dowels are fun planters but the broom handles seem to warp and the funnels don't stand up straight for long. Once the flowers fill in, it is not as noticeable.
I actually bought the milk can top at an estate sale. It's a great planter! The tall plants and the the tall junk add so much vertical interest. Vertical interest is one of the keys to a great garden.
Here is the border from back to front. I added a perennial grass this year, Karl Foerster. I like annual grasses, (especially ponytail grass) and I have had blue fescue perennial grass in this bed years ago.
More from the rear.
So this is the "before" pic to hopefully another successful "after" shot in my 2017 garden tour!
If you have never taken one of my garden tours before, and are still scratching your head about the junk, here is the "after" 2016!
And one more from 2016!
Sharing is caring
I just love it all!
ReplyDeleteIt will be fun to watch your garden grow! You always create beauty and whimsy!
ReplyDeleteI am envious! I thought I had a junky garden but I'm way behind you! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and identifying everything - that's a LOT ! Beautiful placement of junk. We're almost done moving 3.5 hrs. away and taking "samples" of plants we have - at least a hundred so the move is coming along ever so slowly. Also taking all the bricks and rocks I've gleaned over the years from construction sites and curb finds. Yeow ! Time consuming and labor intensive once we get to the new house. Seems never ending but we've had neighbors stop in to admire our large front yard - already worth all that work ! Thanks for always being an inspiration, whether reworking junk finds or showing us your garden. So creative !
ReplyDeleteYou are such an inspiration! I love your passion!
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to see how this one turns out! You always inspire me so much. I'm glad you show the shots on how things look when you just plant. That moves me to at least feel I have a chance! Putting plants on the list today... thanks for the shove!
ReplyDeleteLooks great and when they grown it will be terrific. Your garden always looks so good.
ReplyDeleteMary
I love this and am inspired to try putting some of my "junk" into the garden. I'd love to know what state / zone you live in so as to know if the plants would work here (central Florida). I've done several posts about garden / pond tours on my blog that you might enjoy. Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very clever person!
ReplyDelete