topic Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone... in Garden

HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:12:23 GMT

You know how we all work at creating what we can to make our front and back yards the places that not only reflect us, but also look pretty nice, too.

Well, when we made our final move into a "new" home for us in a new city, I jumped right in. One of the things I always wanted to create was a riverbed of grape hyacinth with rocky "banks," meandering through our front yard. This year in particular it has looked simply wonderful and many neighbors stop to look at it during daily walks. Put in great border plants, daffodils, tulips, dahlias, peonies, day lilies and the list goes on. They're all lost.

With the horried plumbing issue which surfaces 2.5 weeks ago, the plumbing company had to dig up 3/4 of my front yard and nearly everything is gone. I mean gone. They had to dig down 4.5 feet to get to the pipes.

I'm just sick about this and what doesn't help is that my husband thinks it's great, as he didn't like anything I planted anyway - as if he knows a daisy from a slug.

In my garage are bulbs just received that need to be planted. However, I'm hesitant to do so after the plumbers complete this huge job today, as I know the soil needs to settle big time. If any of you have some advice on planting in recently very, very disturbed soil, please, please do post here and let me know. Thanks so much.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Katrinka23 — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:43:17 GMT

I feel your pain!. 2 years ago the plumber had to dig up nearly 1/2 of my back yard due to sewer problems and their replacement ( won't go into detail but they were here nearly 2 weeks and the cost$$$$$$$). Anyway, after 2 years, I have not done anything to repair that part of the lawn. With all the rain and snow, the ground is still settling but I think they had to dig deeper in my lawn because of my situation. With regard to planting, I suggest you check with a landscaper or nursery and they could help you. Good Luck!

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

fthunt — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:54:28 GMT

Plant them in containers for this year - next year in the ground.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:01:49 GMT

@Katrinka23

Really, really sorry about your backyard. Ours is a sewer issue too.

Need to thank you for the advice to check with a local nursery. Great thought! I'll head over to the one we go to all the time, perhaps tomorrow, and see what they say.

I have bulbs that need to go into the ground now, so will be taking a chance with those and hope all goes well.

Hope you're able to develop your backyard back to a pleasing outdoor feature sometime soon. (Better Homes and Gardens and Martha Stewart both have contests going on for backyard sweetstakes: 25K and 10K. Who knows? Someone has to win.)

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Fressa — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:01:53 GMT

We experienced two events similar to yoiurs involving the sewer line and the gas line at opposite ends of our back yard. UGH!!! The ground does need to settle and you may even notice a "second settle" the next year. We did but our soil tends to be more clay and rock. I would not plant in the exact spot that they dug. I would plant around it to disquise it a bit. I also would add extra dirt on the area. You might also consider those soil additives to the effective area to insure "good dirt" once the ground is settled.

My only other thought is to forget about the in ground planting and use huge planters or a raised garden beds as your focal points. You may need to start from scratch and scale back this first year. It is so disappointing once you have finally acheived the look you want in your gardens. I wish you luck.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:03:54 GMT

@fthunt wrote:
Plant them in containers for this year - next year in the ground.

@fthunt

You know...that's exactly what I just told my husband and he thought I was nuts.

Thank you for your reply. I feel much better now!!!

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:08:48 GMT

@Fressa

Wonderful advice! Thank you so much!

A raised bed, plus containers, sounds really interesting and quite do-able.

So sorry to hear about your experience. Sounds as though its ramifications were rather huge. I'm grateful for your comment, as a result of your experience, expecially the 2nd shift.

Thanks, again.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

2blonde — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 17:06:30 GMT

@sfnative I'm really sorry to hear of your bad experience. I live in a condo, but I had a similar experience. I had many bulbs and perennials planted in front of my condo for many years. Well I had a serious drain problem (water going into my basement sump instead of out through the sewer lines). They had to dig up the whole one side and into the courtyard to replace the drain pipes, so you know what I wound up with. Here's the strange part.....nearly every plant and bulb came back up the next year, and currently I'm looking at a huge bunch of daffodils blooming. They have continued to spread in the couple years since. Even the perennials have come back. Some were in slightly different locations, but not really that much. Don't ask me how this happened!

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

AuntG — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 17:12:42 GMT

That's too bad, but I'd wait a year for the ground to settle. Also, since your husband wasn't keen on what you had previously done, this year off might do you both good. Plan together for next year!

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

JustJazzmom — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 18:40:13 GMT

One thing I would suggest is keep the soil wet so you can tamp it down and not wait a year for it to happen naturally.

Bulbs can be planted at their usual time (in the fall). Keep them in a dry cool place until you decide to replant in the soil.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Lilysmom — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 20:30:08 GMT

@sfnative, what a bummer!

I really like the notion of doing different and beautiful containers with plants. I have seen some gorgeous containers and/or water features that make me want to try something like that. You could use river rock as a base to surround the containers. Makes the upkeep so easy.

Here are a couple of thoughts from Pinterest.

I don’t know if you saw my posts about the loss of two 50’ spruce trees in a nor’easter but that happened to us Christmas Day. When the trees came down, that took a huge piece of the grass and gardens around the trees and completely uprooted it. We did a pretty good job dealing with the trees but are now left with trying to figure out what is anything survived in the garden. This early in Spring we can’t tell. See below. This is the base of the two uprooted trees.

The two photos below include the uprooted garden area.

I now am considering new options for this area. It is an opportunity to create a new vista. In addition, the lighting here is completely different now that the towering spruce are gone.

Have be fun doing your new space. Make it low care. Good luck. I hope you will post some photos of your transformation. I would love to see them! LM

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:21:01 GMT

@2blonde

The experience sounds as though it was quite awful, but then to have your bulbs and plants rebound like that is quite extraordinary. Wonderful!

Lost many of my tulips to the big "ice" we had last year, so need to replenish big time. Soooo glad we didn't plant last fall. That was due to my husband not being able to make up his mind re colors he wanted - he's a Libra through and through. This year I'm not waiting for him.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:23:14 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
That's too bad, but I'd wait a year for the ground to settle. Also, since your husband wasn't keen on what you had previously done, this year off might do you both good. Plan together for next year!

@AuntG

I really appreciate the sentiment. However, all he wants are dinner plate dahlias. That's it.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:34:38 GMT

@Lilysmom

I need to thank you so much for taking the time to venture over to Pinterest in order to provide options and photos for me to view here. The two photos with bubbling fountains REALLY got me thinking, big time.

I love the one with the large river stones around it. This led me to think about the simply dreadful and humongous boxwoods (2) in front really close to the house. One I call "the coffin bush," because it resembles a coffin and the other one simply sits there. Both are huge. Based on your post, I now want these puppies outta there once and for all. Going to replace the coffin bush with a rhodie, as it will hide our A/C unit. Will not replace the 2nd boxwood.

I am now certifiably excited!!! Thank you sooooooo much - and everyone else as well, as I will be containerizing - already have a Martha Stewart basket container with plants which needed to go out front last week, so am behind there.

Thank you, thank you, again - Rebecca

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 01:02:54 GMT

We had to have sewer work done a few years ago (2014). It was pretty disruptive, but needed to be done, although I hated the process. And it was costly.

The gardens are recovering. Can't live in a house without a functioning sewer. We rebuild. I do understand your pain. Nature is resilient. We can take a lesson from her, I guess.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Lilysmom — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 08:51:49 GMT

@sfnative, Rebecca, have some fun with it. I always take that view when a mini disaster hits my gardens for whatever reason. My gardens are mature now so I hardly ever get a fresh slate. Seems like all I do is move stuff around instead of doing new plantings.

If you’re inclined, post photos as go you. Would love to see the new garden. Good luck! LM

PS, think drought resistant and hardy in your plant selection. I am sure you do already, but just a reminder! We never used to get such long hot spells here in Nova Scotia but we do now so I try to be mindful.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

AuntG — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 13:13:09 GMT

Dinner Plate Dahlias! I love the name. Wonder if I could grow them.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

Abrowneyegirl — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 13:26:49 GMT

Ugggghhhhh!!!! This is the worst.

Tips:

Hire a landscaper to prep and fill the yard to minimize years of "settling" or uneven settle- where you have odd low and high spots.

Since we had recently spent $$$$$ landscaping and stonework we supplied the receipts to our homeowners insurance and we were covered for that part of the project. Check with your insurance co.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 17:31:53 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
@sfnative, Rebecca, have some fun with it. I always take that view when a mini disaster hits my gardens for whatever reason. My gardens are mature now so I hardly ever get a fresh slate. Seems like all I do is move stuff around instead of doing new plantings.

If you’re inclined, post photos as go you. Would love to see the new garden. Good luck! LM

PS, think drought resistant and hardy in your plant selection. I am sure you do already, but just a reminder! We never used to get such long hot spells here in Nova Scotia but we do now so I try to be mindful.

@Lilysmom

You've stated it well: have fun with it. It shouldn't be too difficult, as our front yard is rather small, due to the position of our home: the yard is a weird triangle, so must take that into consideration. And, there is a horrible utility access box with lid that is flush with the ground, which measures about 18"x 24." Wish we could just place stones over it.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, generally speaking, spares us from most drought situations, but not always. We live in what I call a "green space," due to rain, light rain, mist, etc., which falls pretty regularly during certain times of the year. Summer in our area, though, can be really hot.

Spent 2 hours on the internet yesterday evening looking for urn-type bubbling fountains such as you found on Pinterest and found just a few really ugly ones. Next job is to reference "water feature" businesses. Might have better luck there.

This morning have been dealing with an ant invasion, due to a disruption of one of their nests, I'm guessing. When I opened my laptop this morning, it was literally full of teeny sugar ants. Ewww!

The first problem we need to tackle, however, is that our beautiful topsoil is now way under ground. Presently, we have clay on top. And, the plumbers mounded the front yard for settling purposes. I dare say it will take at least 2 years for their clay mound to settle. That being said, we must get in there with soil additives, loam, etc., and get that clay broken up.

Thanks, again, for getting my brain going in the right direction.

Re: HUGE plumbing issue this week: now my front yard garden is gone...

sfnative — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 17:40:42 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
Dinner Plate Dahlias! I love the name. Wonder if I could grow them.

@AuntG

Dinner Plate Dahlias are a wonderful centerpiece. We lived in San Francisco and both my grandmother and father had great success growing them to size. My grandmother would cut one and float it in a favorite large dish, then place it in the middle of her dining room table. Always beeautiful. It is the "City Flower" of San Franciso. Up here in Oregon, though they grow really, really well, the dinner plate variety do not grow to size. They always come up short to perhaps 1/2-3/4 size. Beautiful none-the-less, but it would be nice if they were full size.

Don't know where you live, but you might simply check online to see if they will grow in your area. They will grow in sun and sun with partial shade.

Oh, yes, slugs and snails love to eat their leaves, so one has to leave bait out; or, as an alternative break up egg shells and save coffee grounds and place that mixture in a circle around the base of the dahlia.

Good luck!