A New Start

I have been an avid gardener for many years but never have I faced challenges like the ones I am up against in my new garden!

Here is a shot of 4 o'clocks in my old garden, where everything is lush and green.

We moved from an older neighborhood with a nice mix of trees and sun and good rich soil to a barren wasteland of new construction housing. No trees. Compacted clay soil. A slightly sloping yard (which means all our topsoil washed off into the neighbor's yard). Weeds in abundance. And fire ants. Lots of fire ants. No other insect life to speak of.

A trailer full of plants came along with me to our new house--I wasn't about to leave all my heirloom rose bushes and peonies behind! My husband claims I had 400 potted plants, but that includes little cuttings stuck in those six packs annuals come in.

After getting settled somewhat in the house I planned the garden, setting the pots down where I intended to plant things. The first moment my shovel hit the soil I knew I was in trouble!

This section of the garden was a little sand mixed with topsoil, disguising the hard clay underneath, 

but certainly much easier to dig in!

It was quite a sight, me hopping up and down on the shovel like a pogo stick, trying to dig a shallow hole for a 1 quart pot. The soil was rock hard and so compacted I finally gave up and enlisted my husband's help.

 The only shade to speak of, just off the deck. Here are my hostas and hydrangea collection.

Together we got everything in the ground in time for winter. We dig the holes a bit larger and deeper than needed and worked sand, rocks, and anything else we could find to assist with drainage for the larger plants. I kept my fingers crossed my plants would survive until spring when I could try to amend the soil.

Particularly of concern was the lack of insect life in the soil. No earthworms, sowbugs, or even grubs. Not even an ant--at first! They moved in about a month later. Which is a another post!