Lespedeza is one of my favorite plants partly because of its old fashion name “kissing by the garden gate”.  You get a lot of bang for your buck with this $12.00 perennial that starts out the size of your hand and grows bigger than you in 3 years.  The pretty pink flowers are shaped like a pea bloom and lasts for months.  The only maintenance is to cut the plant with hedge clippers in June, and then again in February.

Lespedeza

Silver Fleece Vine
This is another inexpensive perennial that grows quickly and holds well to pergolas and other upright garden features.  It isn’t that terrific while not in bloom, but is just great in the fall when you need something pristine looking that hasn’t been fried by summer heat. When it gets too big after 4 years or so, I cut it back drastically and let it start over again.

Silver Fleece Vine

Stony Point Area- Let’s Spruce Up a Steep Bank

This was a challenging project. The clients’ goals were to prevent erosion on this steep bank, while giving it evergreen in the winter and long lasting blooms in the warmer seasons. Low maintenance and low water needs of course also fit into the design.

Before

We used about 20 small boulders to serve two purposes; namely holding the soil in place and creating a garden feature.

We “planted” the boulders and plants; then pinned down straw matting around the plants and stone to hold the dirt when a heavy downpour hit. The straw matting eventually disintegrates but until then, it holds the bank until roots are established. We also left any old tree stumps that we could on the bank to hold the soil as much as possible.

After

Plantings include 3 crape myrtles, abelia, plum yews and the low growing spring blooming phlox.

Quite a change don’t you think?

North Side Off Brook Road- We Do Brick Driveways

This old brick driveway skirt had broken and sunken bricks lay at odd angles.  It had collapsed in some places over the years from heavy use. Both clients (because they share this driveway) wanted it pretty and useful without losing any of the old charm of the original drive.

Before

Voila!  After the project both clients said the work was better than some work inside the house!

After