Nicki’s Chicago Garden

Narrow garden space transformed

Today we ’re visiting Nicki ’s beautiful garden .

I have been gardening my whole sprightliness and in my current suburban Chicago location for 25 years . These exposure show a long planting layer along the west side of my backyard .

When we moved here in 1996 , the garden was a narrow landing strip along the fencing with a few sedate plants in it . Over the next few year I spread out the boundaries and added plant , but it became clear that the heavyclay soilneeded some serious employment . On one splendid day about 15 age ago , most of my extended menage came over and aid us toil out almost every plant in the layer , digger in a truckload ofcomposted manureI had render to our driveway , and replant . Some hoi polloi even brought gift from their own garden . Thanks to my family line ’s incredible unselfishness ( and willingness to get very , very ill-gotten ) , my garden get a new lease on life .

The garden has develop steadily in the twelvemonth since then to accommodate increasinglyshady conditionsas well as young plants and new idea . Even now , I cognize there are a peck of plants in it that would favor more Dominicus . But that ’s a project for another year .

This spring , with blooming horsechestnut ( Aesculus×carnea , Zones 5–8 ) on the left and a garden layer with tricolor beech tree ( Fagussylvatica‘Tricolor ’ , Zones 4–7 ) on the right .

Front bed : hardyGeranium , Heuchera , Hosta , and Japanese forest grass(Hakonechloamacra , Zones 5–9 ) . Middle layer : iris(Irishybrid , bearded radical , Zones 3–9 ) , daylilies(Hemerocallishybrid , Zones 4–9 ) , daffodil(Narcissussp . ) foliage , nodding onion foliage(Alliumcernuum , Zones 4–8 ) , peonies(Paeoniahybrid , Zones 3–8),Phlox , anda tricolor beech in the foreground . In the back is a Japanese maple(Acerpalmatum , Zones 5–9 ) and a climbing rose(Rosahybrid , possibly the assortment ‘ Dr. Huey ’ , Zones 5–9 ) .

In this close-fitting view of the bottom , the Nipponese maple and go up rose take the limelight .

Clematisgrows on the rampart in the background , daylilies come into flush , and the rosiness of betony ( Stachysofficinalis‘Hummelo ’ , Zones 4–8 ) supply a splash of pink .

The daylilies look great against the saturnine leaves of the Nipponese maple , especially joined by the flower flower of speedwell ( Veronicaspicata , Zones 3–8 ) .

As betony blossom with balloon bloom ( Platycodongrandiflorus , Zones 3–8 ) , thenodding onionsare just start up to show their flower buds .

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