Side Garden Progress

I’ve been re-energized about doing my side garden which I have been using as a storage area and a buffer to my neighbors plain and boring front yard.

Its been a hectic month, but I have been making progress on the yard, clearing out the junk including the junk trees and shrubs and did I mention the various weeds, sleeping grass that just love to cut you to shreds?  Weeding is not my thing and they just come back stronger when you pull out the first batch.

But, I’ve been making progress and have started growing some good barrier plants along the beautiful rock wall dividing the properties.  I have planted apple bananas, big leafed vireyas, bamboo, ti, ginger and heliconias which will eventually fill in the spaces and block the views into the neighbors lot.

 

This is the first plant I planted along the new berm next to the rock wall. Acalypha Inferno Firestorm is beautiful, its our tropical substitute to Japanese Maples and has colorful variegated leaves. Here’s how it looks below when I planted it right next to the rock wall.

 

 

 

Here are a few more newly planted areas along the rock wall that hopefully will grow

large enough to create a separation from the neighbors driveway.

 

This section has a fig tree, a white orchid tree (bauhinia), gingers, ti and crotons and various cuttings that will eventually take root.

 

 

Now the next stage is to develop the ground surface area below the rock wall. This area has a lot of rocks but no soil, what to grow? I’m thinking about some simple groundcovers, any good ideas from anyone? I want to keep this area easy to take care of – there’s too many other high maintenance areas around in the front and back gardens.  I’m open to any suggestions if anyone wants to give me some ideas, please do!