 pring
is a time of regeneration of new life and sacred beginnings. I love the
spring. I was born on Easter Sunday and always associate my birthday with
bright green grassy hills covered with blue lupine and golden California
poppies. In these beloved hills we would search for Easter eggs. The egg,
like a flower bulb, symbolizes new life emerging from dormancy.
Springtime is so fresh and new it feels like the youngest season. Delicate
blossoms pop from old woody branches. We feel an inner longing for sowing
seeds and falling in love. Potential flows with the warming of the soil
in our garden and the renewal of our own souls. This is a time of celebration,
including dancing around the maypole—the pagan fertility ritual. Even
Mother Nature renews herself with beautiful fresh new leaves and flowers. |
 |
Grand Allée at Monet's Garden, Giverny, France
|
| Instructions
to Create a Petite Allée |
General
Layout
Prepare raised beds 12 to 18 inches high. Use string and stakes to measure
out beds 4 feet wide and 15 feet long with a 3-foot-wide path in between.
Place 3 steel rose arches 5 feet wide and 8 feet high across the path, positioning
the middle one first with the others spaced at 4 feet out from the center
arch. |
Shrubs
and Perennials
First plant a climbing rose at each of the bases of the arches. The asters,
sunflowers and delphiniums should be planted in equal numbers on each side
of the path, with the asters about 2 feet from the inside edge. Plant 15
aubrieta on each outside border in a zigzag pattern, followed by 28 bearded
iris on each side just inside the aubrieta. Plant each leopard's bane near
the roses at the inside base of each arch. Place oriental poppies according
to diagram. |
| These
perennials will generally grow best if planted in the autumn and allowed
to establish themselves before a hard freeze, but planting them in the spring
can also yield hardy plants. |
Spring
Planting for Summer and Autumn Bloom
In May, just when the spring garden is looking its best, it is time to plant
extra color for summer and autumn. The red cactus dahlias should be planted
(8 on each side) only after any danger of frost has passed. The plants will
bloom from August until the first frost of the following season. Remove
the tubers and store them in a dry, dark, cool place over winter. |
| The
sunflowers will be most effective planted by seed in groups of 3 down the
middle of each bed. Plant the nasturtiums, as well, by seed in a zigzag
pattern along the inside edge of the beds. |
| Enlarged
Spring Planting Plan for Summer and Autumn Bloom |
 |
 |
| 1—6 climbing
roses, yellow, red or orange (shrubs) |
2—10
asters in violet and purple (perennials) |
| 3—10
sunflowers (Helianthus multiflorus) (perennials) |
4—16
blue delphiniums (perennials) |
| 5—30
lavender/violet aubrieta (perennials) |
6—56
lavender/purple bearded iris (perennials) |
| 7—4 red
oriental poppies (perennials) |
8—6 yellow
leopard's bane (perennials) |
| D—16
dahlias, the red cactus variety |
E—18
annual sunflowers |
| F—nasturtiums |
Numerical
keys denote perennials; letter keys denote annuals.
|
| A
General introduction to this garden project appears in the Garden Design
section of the Winter Newsletter. |
| A
General Planting Plan for this garden appears in the Garden Design section
of the Summer Newsletter. |
| Instructions
about Autumn planting appear in the Garden Design section of the Autumn
Newsletter. |
From
Elizabeth Murray's Monet's Passion.
|
