Lectured in Aiken last week and had a blast! Best of all, Momma and I walked through the beautifully landscaped downtown and sat outside for dinner after the lecture. Otherwise, I’ve been gardening a good bit. Late this afternoon, did regular front yard gardening chores — cut the grass, pulled up dying annuals, swept and planted a few bulbs.

New Garden Chores To-Do List

In my little yard, neglect is the rule. So plants and planning that still looks good offers lots of lessons. Here’s my list of things I’m glad I did and suggest are important for any new garden:

• Installed basic pathways and established circulation routes.
  Planted hedges and trees. 3 gallon Camellia sasanqua planted ten years ago are now a dense privacy hedge. I shear it a few times a year – its covered with flower buds now but more important, lets me garden in the small front yard, without feeling observed by drivers and walkers.
  Defined a very small, oval turf area.
  Planted palms, again from 3 or 5 gallon pots. 3 foot tall windmills are not 18 feet specimens.
  Established a drought tolerant ground cover (Lovegrass) on the very dry, front bank.
  Bought one really nice, huge Italian clay pot.
  Planted some fruit plants: blueberries, figs, pomegranate.

And all of this grew, thrived and looks great with just a hose – no expensive irrigation system! A hose, a hose end sprayer and liquid Miracle Gro!

Low Maintenance Perennials

And here are the perennials that survive and look great – with little care and limited chores!

Cyperus alternifolia Umbrella Sedge Grows up out the liriope every summer to make a 9 tall tropical mass. Such a great plant to share – people are amazed at how it roots upside down in water.
Seteria palmifolia Palm Grass Also erupts from the liriope each summer. Elegant, graceful movement with a tiny breeze.
Aster oblongifolia Fannys Aster Low and dense, almost no weeds come up through it. Purple mound of flowers just starting to open.
Lycoris radiata Red Spider Lily and Lycoris albiflora These fall flowering bulbs take years to establish and flower reliably. Besides the eyelash like flowers, the gray streaked, kelly green leaves look great all winter.
Artemisia ludoviciana Southern Worm Wood Hard to get silver in the south? What a dumb myth. This rivals any silver in any northern perennial border.
Setcrecia pallida Purple Heart. Has come back for 10 years at the incredibly dry, hard as a rock dirt at the base of a palm.
Crinum Bradley Low piles of long, shiny green leaves. Looks good even now – killer with July 3 foot tall, burgundy flowers.

And finally, a few things from the very long list of deader-than-a-doornail: Delosperma, Brunia, Curcuma, Anthriscus, Sambucus Madonna , Hosta, Olea, perennial tulips!