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Greg began gardening at a very young age with a vegetable garden in his backyard when he was about 6 or 7. He remembers being fascinated by vegetable gardens in his neighborhood and watching all the flowers in his neighbors gardens growing, especially in the Spring. He had a small strawberry patch too and loved to grow beans and carrots. While in college some elderly neighbors allowed him to plant a small vegetable plot in their yard, and in graduate school he had a plot in a community garden.
Amazingly, Greg didn’t start gardening with perennials until 5 years ago! Greg credits a neighbor who has a wonderful perennial garden with inspiring him to start his own perennials. He also finds Gardenbuddies very educational and helpful.
The garden he currently works on is about 7 years old. From a backyard almost entirely of grass and two small lilac bushes Greg has created a 20 x 20 foot vegetable garden. Gradually the grass is being eliminated and new beds are being developed. Plants like Russian sage and tarragon were donated by the neighbors and other starter plants were daisies, delphiniums and irises. Greg has added more plants every year and loves how the garden grows from basically an empty slate to a full, lush and colorful garden in the middle of summer.
Greg’s favorite plants are his jackmanii clematis, hollyhocks (which he says were extraordinary last year), monarda and Echinacea. Even the plants he’s not in love with like a gallardia and a “Plain Jane” daylilies are tolerated as they provide a good effect. Plans for the coming season are to define the back perennial garden and develop the front gardens. Some clematis will be added to climb the house, and shade tolerant color will be added. A “Pee Gee” hydrangea and lots of bulbs will also be used as Greg feels he needs more Spring color.
Thank you for sharing your garden with us Greg. Cheers!
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| Written by Kniphofia |
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