Planting Flowers at the Grotto

The stones at the Grotto will be colored this weekend....the last thing before planting the gardens. I have been planning on what to plant at the Grotto. It's been relatively easy. We will do the landscaping on Tuesday. The first thing was to kill the grass where the gardens will be. The ground will be rototilled and enriched with black dirt, mulch and some other good things. Then the planting can begin. When you approach the Grotto there is an area behind the benches that will be planted. My idea was to plant Wave Petunias. Then a man from building and grounds committee suggested Spirea bushes. We wanted to keep it easy to care for, but he said no problem the grounds people would do that. So we will have Spirea planted across this area with Wave Petunias in between.

On either side of the walls we will plant three, pink, double Knockout Rose bushes. We wanted yellow roses (Sonja's favorite) but found that they weren't as hardy as the pink ones. So my color scheme changed.

I selected two dwarf Norway Spruces...one for either side. They should look really nice with the pink roses.

Not thinking about the full sun, I ordered some hostas. I wanted ones that would stay small and not lop over the edging (to make mowing easy) I selected these Amber Tiara hostas. They will stay small and I thought that the bright green would make a nice contrast with the dark Spruces.

I think that I may have made a mistake in thinking that hostas would do well here. I know that these chartreuse colored ones are the best for a sunny spot as long as they are watered. I have some in full sun, but another variety. I'll have to be there with a hose...all summer I fear. This garden will have to have a lot of care this first summer until things get established. I only hope that the hostas will work...I do love them.

Then next to the Grotto and behind a little bit we will plant two Chanticleer Pear Trees. They don't get really big and bloom with white blossoms in the Spring. A good choice for our area. We have seen them all over our neighborhood, since we selected these. A mulch will be put down...one that matches the mulch used at our Church in other places. I think that a nice mulch shows off the plants so nicely.

Well, we are getting into the final phase of our Grotto building. Tuesday morning these plants will be planted and my life will take on a new job..... tending this garden for the rest of the summer. God willing...it will be beautiful.

Balisha