Hi,
as mentioned in another post, I am fairly new to "real" gardening. Other than throwing a few plants into the flower bed, with no thought on design.
Mostly because, I had usually rented, or moved around quite a bit, and didn't want to bother with stuff that I was just going to leave behind.
I have struggled for 2 years now getting the inside of my house to look the way I want it to, painting and so forth, and am now working on the outside.
I live just outside of austin tx 76574 (zip), and have no clue what zone I am in or even how zoning works, and so on.
I am a wonderful cook, and use a lot of store baught herbs in my daily life. So, I thought it would be nice to do an herb garden (italian herbs mostly with some of my other faves).
Currently, I am working with some mint and some rosemary in pots, and using them sparingly as days pass.
I have found the perfect place in my yard for my garden, and I would like to start breaking ground and getting it all ready for next season. So, I am getting several plants now which I can take clippings of, or move inside for the winter months.
I know, that's a long explination. Now to my real question.
I would like to make this area as nice to look at, as it will be to eat from. I had lived, at one point, with some friends who had planted a wisteria which clung to a sort of archway to their garden, however, I am not so sure that I want to go that rout, just something similar.
The requirements are that they produce some pretty blooms, and that they don't actually overtake anything.
Wisteria was a problem because it grew like crazy and it would start to take over the lawn. I am looking for something that I can train and controll much easier, which also might add a nice floral smell to the air.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Sage
Hi Sage 
It says on your profile that you are zone 8. Are you just guessing?
If this is your zone then you are same as me so let me know how tall, how much sun and soil description. Also are you training over some kind of structure or what do you intend to grow it/them on?
When I know these things I will let you know what you can grow.
It says on your profile that you are zone 8. Are you just guessing?
If this is your zone then you are same as me so let me know how tall, how much sun and soil description. Also are you training over some kind of structure or what do you intend to grow it/them on?
When I know these things I will let you know what you can grow.
Jess,
thanks for the reply,
Actually, in an earlier post, I mentioned not knowing my zone, and later, before this particular post, I found out that it's zone 8.
I was planning on getting a raught iron archway which stand about 7 to 8 feet tall, and is only about 3 feet wide, for the use of this "gateway". Of course, I am totally open to suggestions on that if you have some experience that is different.
The plot that I have planned has some smaller trees to either side of it (east and west). I have sort of calculated about how much light it will recieve, for the most part, early morning sun will be partially blocked by these trees, but not all the way, but about 2 or 3 hours after sun up, will have full view of the sun until almost sun down.
There are some other portions of my area which will get a little bit less light, especially around sundown due to the lack of foliage on the western tree which is dying and may soon be removed.
as far as soil type, I have not gotten it officially checked out, however, the fact that this is mostly an herb garden, leads me to believe that for good drainage, I will need to do a raised bed (which I am actually planning on doing anyway for fun). Which means that, I pretty much will be able to choose the type of soil that I will be using.
I plan eventually to do some of my own composting, as I expect to build other gardens and probably will end up expanding the herb garden as time progresses.
But, if you want some information about the soil that is already on the land, I have to say, it's terrible. The color is very light in nature, leading me to believe that most of the nutreants have been sucked out of it, back when it used to be used as farming land (by previouse owners).
and in the summer I get huge cracks in the soil, as if it was drying clay.
I have recently started adding used coffee grinds and pulvarised eggshell to some of the biggest problem spots in my yard, so as to try to replenish the earth. It's a slow process, but, it's deffinately showing some promise.
Thanks a mill for your help.
Sage
thanks for the reply,
Actually, in an earlier post, I mentioned not knowing my zone, and later, before this particular post, I found out that it's zone 8.
I was planning on getting a raught iron archway which stand about 7 to 8 feet tall, and is only about 3 feet wide, for the use of this "gateway". Of course, I am totally open to suggestions on that if you have some experience that is different.
The plot that I have planned has some smaller trees to either side of it (east and west). I have sort of calculated about how much light it will recieve, for the most part, early morning sun will be partially blocked by these trees, but not all the way, but about 2 or 3 hours after sun up, will have full view of the sun until almost sun down.
There are some other portions of my area which will get a little bit less light, especially around sundown due to the lack of foliage on the western tree which is dying and may soon be removed.
as far as soil type, I have not gotten it officially checked out, however, the fact that this is mostly an herb garden, leads me to believe that for good drainage, I will need to do a raised bed (which I am actually planning on doing anyway for fun). Which means that, I pretty much will be able to choose the type of soil that I will be using.
I plan eventually to do some of my own composting, as I expect to build other gardens and probably will end up expanding the herb garden as time progresses.
But, if you want some information about the soil that is already on the land, I have to say, it's terrible. The color is very light in nature, leading me to believe that most of the nutreants have been sucked out of it, back when it used to be used as farming land (by previouse owners).
and in the summer I get huge cracks in the soil, as if it was drying clay.
I have recently started adding used coffee grinds and pulvarised eggshell to some of the biggest problem spots in my yard, so as to try to replenish the earth. It's a slow process, but, it's deffinately showing some promise.
Thanks a mill for your help.
Sage
The archway you describe sounds lovely. When you have it in place dig big holes either side about 2ft/2ft and fill with compost. Not peat based as this will make it too soggy for planting. I use organic peat free compost.
Then plant either Akebia quinata...evergreen, purple tubular shaped flowers late spring, scented (my fave!) 1 either side of the arch. It grows upto 30ft but is easily kept in check. At the base of it about a foot away plant Rosemary or something similiar that is evergreen as the bottom of the Akebia can look a bit sparse...
Lonicera japonica 'Dart's World'...evergreen, scented, pink flowers in summer that fade to peach. Again 1 either side. They climb up to 20 ft and will need pruning after a while taking out the oldest stems back to a vigorous sideshoot...
Last one but only if it is quite sheltered where the arch is. Trachelospermum jasminoides....evergreen climber with rich, dark green leaves which turn bronze in winter. From mid- to late summer, pure white, fragrant flowers are produced. Grows in well-drained soil so add some grit sand to the planting hole. Again plant one either side.
All of these I think would be in keeping with an entrance to a Herb garden and don't forget to feed,feed,feed during the growing season to get the best from them.
When you do the area for the herb garden make sure again that you use grit sand in the soil as herbs produce the best flavour when grown in sharp draining soil but leave an area that is more moist with some shade to grow things like Angelica and Sweet Cicely to give your herb garden some taller structural plants and you have to grow Bronze fennel amongst it all. It waves around like feathery plumes above everything else.
What are you waiting for?...Get digging!
Then plant either Akebia quinata...evergreen, purple tubular shaped flowers late spring, scented (my fave!) 1 either side of the arch. It grows upto 30ft but is easily kept in check. At the base of it about a foot away plant Rosemary or something similiar that is evergreen as the bottom of the Akebia can look a bit sparse...
Lonicera japonica 'Dart's World'...evergreen, scented, pink flowers in summer that fade to peach. Again 1 either side. They climb up to 20 ft and will need pruning after a while taking out the oldest stems back to a vigorous sideshoot...
Last one but only if it is quite sheltered where the arch is. Trachelospermum jasminoides....evergreen climber with rich, dark green leaves which turn bronze in winter. From mid- to late summer, pure white, fragrant flowers are produced. Grows in well-drained soil so add some grit sand to the planting hole. Again plant one either side.
All of these I think would be in keeping with an entrance to a Herb garden and don't forget to feed,feed,feed during the growing season to get the best from them.
When you do the area for the herb garden make sure again that you use grit sand in the soil as herbs produce the best flavour when grown in sharp draining soil but leave an area that is more moist with some shade to grow things like Angelica and Sweet Cicely to give your herb garden some taller structural plants and you have to grow Bronze fennel amongst it all. It waves around like feathery plumes above everything else.
What are you waiting for?...Get digging!
I love these ideas, Jess.
Perfect. I am going to look at some pictures to figure out which of these choices I really want to use, but, until then, will take your advice and start digging the plant holes for the base of the archway.
I never thought of using rosemary at the base of something to cover up sparsness, but, wow, that is a plan, especially with other evergreens, so that it sort of blends in with what is there. That tip will be saved in my memory bank for later use.
I am assuming that neither of these options produce the effect of wisteria with it's habbit of taking over the garden. Do I need to make a sort of containing border around where it's roots will be to keep it from getting wild?
Thanks again for all the help.
Sage
Perfect. I am going to look at some pictures to figure out which of these choices I really want to use, but, until then, will take your advice and start digging the plant holes for the base of the archway.
I never thought of using rosemary at the base of something to cover up sparsness, but, wow, that is a plan, especially with other evergreens, so that it sort of blends in with what is there. That tip will be saved in my memory bank for later use.
I am assuming that neither of these options produce the effect of wisteria with it's habbit of taking over the garden. Do I need to make a sort of containing border around where it's roots will be to keep it from getting wild?
Thanks again for all the help.
Sage
The only one that may get a little out of control is the Lonicera but I chose one that was not too rampant so it should be easily dealt with especially if you prune properly. Too many I see are left for years so they end up with a big messy ball at the top and no growth at the bottom. Make sure if you decide to use this one that you get the variety I mentioned as not all of them do well in sun.