Tingshu’s Low Maintenance Garden in Massachusetts

A gardener turns a grub infestation into an opportunity to create a beautiful and beneficial garden space

Hi GPODers !

Today we ’re looking at a garden undertaking sent in from Tingshu Hu in Dunstable , Massachusetts . Tingshu has share other part of her garden in the past tense , be sure to check out out some of those here : Tingshu ’s Massachusetts Garden , Flowering Trees in Tingshu ’s Garden , Summer in Tingshu ’s Front GardenandSummer in Tingshu ’s Back Garden . In this meekness , they detail a patch of lost lawn that was transformed into a endearing low - alimony garden with the help of some gorgeous solid ground covers .

After lose a patch of lawn to chuck in June 2020 , we decided to supplant it with a low - upkeep garden . Initially , we planted some catmint(Nepetaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8),tall sedum , fresh William(Dianthusbarbatus , Zones 3–9),and maiden green goddess plants(Miscanthussinensis‘Gracillimus ’ , zona 4–9),which were conveniently divide from the backyard , then temporarily covered the bare areas with mulch . Our end was to eventually fill in the crack with carefree and attractive ground covers as a lasting miserable - maintenance result .

We tested several types of ground cover plants in the area . Three years subsequently , two obvious winner emerged : Magic Carpet thyme(Thymusserpyllum‘Magic Carpet ’ , Zones 4–9)and Baby Tears sedum(Sedumalbum chloroticum‘Baby Tears ’ , Zones 4–9).With their fragile look and miniature size of it ( standing at 1 in tall ) , they are exceptionally elusive and carefree : drought - tolerant , pest - resistant , and with no known diseases . to boot , they incubate the primer very tightly , leave no room for weed seeds to get , and eliminate the pauperization for mulch .

For propagation , thyme may need some care and watering after transplanting , but Baby Tears sedum needs none . You simply degenerate sedum leaves or plant sections onto the soil , they will take root and lay down themselves . To make them grow quicker , I dust grunge on top , pushed one end into the soil , and spray a fiddling water system . These two ground cover plants spread steadily and have a comme il faut growth rate , they also have a goodish and carpet - corresponding appearance , providing an ideal background for other showy plant .

In Spring 2023 , I divided the thyme and Baby Tears sedum plants into many part and transplant them to the rest field of the garden . Now , they have almost fill all the gaps . In 4 year , this once damaged lawn has transmute into a beautiful low - maintenance garden that is pest - free , weed - free , and drouth - tolerant .

The photograph above was call for on June 19 , 2020 , 9:30am . An umbrella was placed at the south edge to give the newly planted a short refinement .

The picture above , take on Aug. 2 , 2024 , point a floss flower(Ageratumhoustonianum , annual)in the middle of baby tears sedum . Some other multifariousness of sedums can also be seen in the picture , but they have lost the competition due to wearisome maturation pace . The floss prime is one of my favourite annuals , tidy and hemipteran spare . The dark mound of blossom grows bigger and bigger until icing .

film above was claim on July 31 , 2024 , four years after the lawn was supercede . Almost all gap have been filled with Baby Tears sedum and thyme . Most of the other plant life are perennials , including Nepeta cataria , lady ’s mantle(Alchemillamollis , Zones 3–7),veronica , betony , Russian sage(Perovskiaatriplicifolia , syn . Salvia yangii , Zones 4–9),salvia , blue fescue(Festucaglauca , Zones 4–8),Ben Ledi rock candy rose(Helianthemum‘Ben Ledi ’ , Zones 4–9),different varieties of taller sedum , and several rose bushes . I sum up a few annuals such as canna , dahlia , zinnia and floss flower for long time summer color . Sweet alyssum(Lobularia maritima , Zones 9–11 or as an annual)and sweet William come back every yr by self - seeding .

View from west side ( June 9 ) . In flush are sweet-scented William , catmint , lady ’s mantle , stone arise and thyme . Sweet William has a farsighted blooming menstruum . After cutting the drop flower stems , it grows into a tidy heavyset form and acts as a ground cover .

Veronica , betony andcoreopsisare in bloom ( June 27 ) . The low white blooms are the flower of Baby Tears sedum . The fagged efflorescence can be easily draw aside without pulling up the plants , unlike other sedum flora , for which the spent flowers need to be reduce with scissors .

opinion from the east side ( July 30 ) . In the center field are the lily-white flowers of a dahlia plant .

scene from the southeastward ( July 24 . ) violet flower in the center are dwarf Russian salvia , to its right is salvia with the second rosiness of peak . At the bottom center are veronica with a second kick of blossom . Catmint was thin out back to the crown after the first flush of flowers and has grow back to a round mound , started to blossom again . Far away there is a pile of lotus(Nelumbo nucifera , Zones 4–10),buried to the ground point . I dig out the crowded roots once in a few year . Plant back only a few root and bring up electrocute the rest .

The background covers in the late garden sphere have been copied to other garden bed . The above picture shew a garden area by a paseo ( July 30 ) . We had mouse Jenny(Lysimachianummularia , Zones 3–9)as footing cover for this country . Since the color of creeping Jenny does n’t look very right in full sun and two much bright yellow color can be overwhelming , I replace it with Baby Tears sedum in this April . After clear out the mouse Jenny , I pull some sections of Baby Tears sedum from the premature garden country , sprinkle them on the soil , contribute a thin stratum of soil and watered the surface area a little bit . 3 months subsequently , the interruption have almost all been filled with Baby Tears .

fill up up view ( July 31 ) . The few yellow leaves on top left are some stay creeping Jenny plant . The tiny pinkish flowers at the bottom are creeping sister ’s breath(Gypsophila repens‘Rosea ’ , Zones 2–9 ) . They grow in gaps between rock and pavement and come back every class by ego seeding . Every twelvemonth when I see the Modern seedlings with tiny needle sized leave , I cleared some space around them and ensure they are not cross by bigger plant life .

An early depiction along the walkway ( June 29 ) . In prime are veronica with their first outpouring of flowers , carpet rose , salvia and betony . Filling up the gaps of the paving material are mosses , uninvited but welcome !

give thanks you for sharing this unbelievable garden transformation with us , Tingshu ! It ’s inspiring to see how you overcome a challenge and make something even more beautiful and beneficial in the appendage .

Have photo to portion out ? We ’d have a go at it to see your garden , a particular appeal of plants you enjoy , or a wonderful garden you had the hazard to visit !

To submit , send 5 - 10 photos to[email protected]along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you withdraw the exposure . We ’d love to hear where you are locate , how long you ’ve been garden , success you are proud of , failures you learned from , hopes for the future , preferent plants , or funny storey from your garden .

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