Recycle?

As part of deciding to let our gardening “start” up north naturalize, I am trying to decide if we should pull the steel raised bed garden frames and use them in the garden at the new (to us) house.

There is currently no garden or landscaping at all at the new house.  It is unusual for me to consider a no garden yard, but I’m excited at the possibilities.  There are both sunny and shade covered areas so my current style of sticking mostly to hostas, daylilies and sedum is the plan.  Some grading will be needed, as there are gutters but no downspouts – another unusual idea for me – but I have read that some folks think it is better to even forego any gutters and just grade and rock away from the house.  For us, the gutters will stay, but whether or not downspouts will be part of the long-term plan is not certain.

During this interesting year, it is very hard to find contractors who are not swamped.  People are apparently keeping quite busy with home projects.  The earliest we can get a contractor out to grade and rock is mid-October.  That means … no landscaping up by the house this year.  What to do?

I have already ordered 9 distinctly different daylilies for the new house (couldn’t resist, and I want them in the ground this fall …).  They are all ones I don’t have in our current gardens.  My pending decision?  I’m thinking of pulling the raised bed garden frames from the overgrown – ahem “naturalized” – gardens up north in September, and starting a border garden along the back edge of the lawn at the new house.  Last year we also bought recycled tin (from an old barn roof) for projects up north, and I could continue the metal vibe in the new house garden next spring if I still like it.

So, being true to us, potentially reusing the unneeded frames, testing on a smaller scale before going wider, and using the recycled tin if we like the metal look down the road are all wins.  Now we’ll see exactly how much work it is to implement.  Maybe there could even be a “take 2” on the hugelkulture test?

All just on paper right now.  Implementation is a month out.  Lots of time to consider all options.

Meanwhile, here, the Rainforest Sunrise hostas (some of my faves) are starting to get their scapes, a lovely red with purple flowers.  Out front they are overcrowded.  They need to come out of there this fall and be divided.  Maybe go in the corner of the yard at the new house, where it gets afternoon shade?