Backyard Orchard and Bee/Butterfly/Hummingbird Garden

[PlainJane]

I trim back the David Verity Cuphea each winter else it would get 5 ft. tall.
Here around the Green Ischia fig.

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[PlainJane]

Constantly playing around with combinations of guilds under fruit trees, here it’s salvias and parsley.

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[MissS]

@PlainJane that is a fantastic hummingbird paradise. They should be quite happy in your yard.

[PlainJane]

Total lucky strike at the BBS garden center when we stopped for electrical supplies after breakfast.

I’ve been hunting for Tecoma stans ’Bells of Fire’ for a while now to replace some that didn’t survive transplanting.
Scored 5 nice ones, and noticed they also had ‘Lydia’ which I haven’t grown.
I may go back as the 3 ‘Sparky’ I planted in February were only 3” pots and it’ll be some time before they get to any size.

Hummingbirds and the larger bumblebees love the flowers.

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[PlainJane]

Getting the hardscape to a point nearing completion. It’s been a battle!
Garden wall 99% done, just a few capstones to tweak, level and mortar in place.
Stone bench set.
Phase 1 walkways are done; I’ll work on the last garden path over the summer.

Next on the agenda:
Old cyclone fence to be removed.
New fence installed so as to enclose more of the side yard.
Install raised garden beds and irrigation in the new side yard growing area.
Start on permanent herb garden.

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[Whwoz]

Going to be a real beauty when finished off @PlainJane

[PlainJane]

Thank you@Whwoz.

[PlainJane]

Couple of plants coming into their own are 2 varieties of Tecoma Stans - ‘Sparky’ and ‘Bells of Fire’.
Hummingbirds and bumblebees really like them, no pests that I’ve ever seen, root hardy to zone 8 (and maybe7), very drought tolerant, can take full or part sun and bloom most of the summer.

Sparky

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Bells of Fire

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[PlainJane]

I’m waiting for the experimental low chill cherry to bloom so I underplanted with African Blue Basil and shelly beans.

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[PlainJane]

Another underplanting in a shady area under the Osmanthus is Aristolochia fimbriata. Haven’t seen many pipevine swallowtails yet but if they show up it’s ready.

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[PlainJane]

Lemon tree loaded up. It will get a good thinning out in December once most of those are picked.

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[PlainJane]

Dug the old grass and weeds from the future herb garden.

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[bower]

You're really doing an amazing job with this orchard garden. Beautiful layout, lovely curves in the paths and the wall, and the trees and flowers look very happy so far.... it's inspiring.

[MissS]

Wow it's really coming together and it's going to be so warm and relaxing with your fantastic layout of hardscaping. I love the curves and the way it wanders. You are doing am amazing job.

[PlainJane]

You're really doing an amazing job with this orchard garden. Beautiful layout, lovely curves in the paths and the wall, and the trees and flowers look very happy so far.... it's inspiring.

Wow, thank you!
We’ve been puttering at this for over 4 years with lots of future plans on the drawing board.

[PlainJane]

Wow it's really coming together and it's going to be so warm and relaxing with your fantastic layout of hardscaping. I love the curves and the way it wanders. You are doing am amazing job.

Thank you so much Patti! I’ve got many sheets of graph paper filled with drafts for the next phase.
Lol, one of these days we’ll have to work on the house.

[PlainJane]

Things limp along in the orchard garden from July - September but starting in October it’s like ‘yippee’!
Especially love the dark sunflowers but the bees don’t care.

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Marigold sanctuary.

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Abutilon.

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Salvia.

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Cuphea.

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Strawberry Blond marigolds.

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[MissS]

I love your gardens and all of your stone work. It's beautiful and I enjoy watching your progress.

Do you have any over-wintering hummingbirds there?

[PlainJane]

@MissS thank you for your kind words. It’s been slow off and on progress with us doing most of the work except for the walkways and fence.
Our resident female black chinned seems to have taken off as I haven’t seen her in over a week. We’ve had a migrating male ruby throat hanging out the last few days so we’ll see how long he lingers. Still plenty of nectar available between the Tecoma, Cuphea and various salvias.

Haven’t had hummers stay through yet. The female will be back in March and she takes her job of defending the yard very seriously.

[PlainJane]

The fruit trees are waking up, and have blooms on the lime tree finally. Lemon has been loaded up for a while now.

Will need to replace some salvia and Tecoma stans but everything else made it through the freezes.

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