September 27, 2008
Creating a little curb appeal
My house isn’t really visible from the street. What you see instead in a rather pathetic looking fence over a lumpy driveway, the top of my carport and the tiny garden outside my gate. Not an impressive first impression. It doesn’t help that the mail carrier runs over the front of the garden six days a week and that neighbors or their guests sometimes park there. The plant at the base of the mailbox post is down to just a few crushed clusters. I’ve always known it by its politically incorrect name of Wandering Jew, but I’ve just looked it up and see that it’s also called Inch Plant or Tradescantia zebrina. It grows to moster proportiions in our tropical climate, but it’s no match for a multi-ton vehicle.
I’ve replanted the area several times in the years I’ve lived here, thinking that people would see the plants and change their habits. Since that hasn’t worked I decided to try something that a few neighbors have done to remedy the same problem. The couple who tend the garden above have done a lovley job with a very limited amount of space, and they’ve managed to keep cars from spoiling their efforts.
Rocks that blend in with the landscaping won’t do. I don’t want someone hitting one in the dark and damaging their car, even if they shouldn’t be parking there. I’m not that petty, and besides, folks around here have been known to go to extreme measures to get even when they feel someone has done them wrong. I spent a good portion of my day today hauling volcanic rocks (which are dense with metals and quite heavy) and then painting them.
While the paint was drying (and after the mail was delivered) I planted three dozen bedding plants. I picked them up over a week ago, then didn’t plant them becuase I needed to get the rocks in place. My back has been giving me fits so I had to wait on that. A couple of the plants weren’t looking too healthy in their little two-inch posts, but hopefuly most will survive. These are Arachis pintol “Golden Glory.” I know nothing about them except that they look like peanut plants and should do well as ground cover on our hot, dry Leeward coast once they’ve gotten over their transplant shock and had a chance to spread their roots. They’ll need a lot of watering and TLC for a few weeks, then should fill all available space with little encouragement or attention.
Here’s a little painting tip while we’re waiting for the paint to dry. I wanted to paint all sides of the rocks so I had to wait for the tops to dry, then flip them over and paint the other side. Since I would be using the brush again within an hour or so I didn’t want to bother with cleaning it, but I didn’t want it to dry out either. I wear disposable gloves while painting. Holding the brush in one hand, I used the other hand to peel that glove off and over the paint brush. I put it in the shed, out of the sun, and it stayed moist and pliable until I was ready to use it again. Most any plastic will do - kitchen wrap, shopping bags - I’ve even used bread bags for this. If there’s gong to be a longer wait, put the wrapped brush in the fridge. It will keep for quite a while - at least several days, in my experience.
Late in the day the rocks were dry and I hauled them out front. I may add some others later to make a solid border - I haven’t decided yet. For right now, these will do to keep cars off of the new plants. Unless someone steals them.
[tags]garden border, gardening, yard work[/tags]
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September 28th, 2008 at 8:15 am, Anele Says:
Ugh, I really hope no one steals them. That would stink!
September 29th, 2008 at 4:44 am, Donna Says:
All the work that you have done looks really nice. And I hope it keeps the cars off your plants.
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:39 pm, valmg Says:
Looks terrific!
How far are you from Waikiki? My Mom’s there now and tells me every day how beautiful is is there and how different things are,
October 4th, 2008 at 7:45 am, skeet Says:
Val, I’m about as far as one can get from Waikiki without falling off of th eisland - far western end of Oahu. And it’s more beautiful than Waikiki.