Tim and Barbara’s ‘ideal’ Foothill garden: One year later

Tim and Barbara’s garden, one year later

If you remember, Tim and Barbara Fruehe of Oakhurst, CA, renovated their entire front and back gardens, installing drip irrigation, gravel paths, garden benches and iron arbors.  It was a huge undertaking, but Tim had it all thought out and he and Barbara knew what they wanted, an eay care garden with paths and interesting features, filled with colorful plants suited to our area here in the Sierra foothills.  When they came into the nursery with their plant list, I was very impressed with their choices.  I knew they’d have success with this list.   And they did, as you will see in this update.

Before

Here is the before, shortly after the plants were installed.

Before, the bones of the garden.

Before, the bones of the garden

 

Before...the newly planted 1 gallon plants.

Before…the newly planted garden, mostly from one gallon plants

After, one year later

I visited the garden exactly one year later and was so happy for this couple, realizing that they had certainly exceeded all their expectations for a beautiful and enjoyable garden, one that was also easy care and easily maintained on little water.

Tim and Barbara in their 1 year old garden

Tim and Barbara in their 1 year old garden

We all agreed that now, we were seeing the plants, like penstemon, Blanket Flower and hummingbird mint in their ideal peak of growth.

Beautiful view of the strolling garden

Beautiful view of the strolling garden…the wood fence on the right disguises the propane tank beautifully.

We commented that Tim had thought ahead and hadn’t planted things too closely, avoiding an over crowded look.  Tim does the main construction and keeps an eye on the drip system and Barbara decorates and fills in the details, with bird baths, and garden art.  She also plants the containers on the deck, changing them with the seasons.

Perennials fill in the rock-lined beds

Colorful and interesting perennials fill in the rock-lined beds

Tim says they have the drip system set to go on every two days for about 20 minutes.

Penstemon, catmint, gaura,salvia and coreopsis

Penstemon, catmint, gaura, salvia and coreopsis shine in the afternoon sun

 

Full grown perennials after just one year.

Full grown perennials after just one year

Yearly maintenance will only be trimming the perennials, cutting each, as you would trimming lavender, to give them a rounded full shape.  Tim and Barbara have deer browsing nearby like many of us, and these plants are obviously not on their menu.  For a full list of plants, see the link below.

 

Dark blue pentemon and coreopsis contrast well.

Dark blue penstemon and coreopsis contrast well

 

Rock edgings and flagstone paths.

Rock edgings and flagstone paths

 

Golf course view past the iron arbor

Golf course view past the iron arbor, freshly painted by Barbara and soon to be covered in honeysuckle.

Birds, bees and butterflies have returned to the garden, filling the birdbaths and bird houses with life.

 

Tim and Barbara can view their garden from their deck.

Tim and Barbara can view their garden from their deck. This view also shows the seating area around the fire pit a place to entertain and enjoy the garden.

 

To catch up on the garden reno, see this:

Tim and Barbara’s Carefree Artist Garden

An ideal plant list for a new Sierra foothill garden

Barbara’s hand-crafted garden

6 comments

  1. Country Mouse -

    Thanks for this follow up – it looks marvelous! I’d love to see it again next year too 🙂 Reminds me: I need to do some follow up posts like this for some garden projects of my own!

    • Sue Langley -

      I was thrilled to see the garden one year later and as happy as the couple themselves,…I can imagine the pleasure they get, strolling through it.

  2. Linda Sadler -

    Barbara and Tim certainly had good insight in their plantings. It’s amazing how everything grew to proper height, texture and color to make a beautiful outdoor area. What a great project and a good partnership in finishing their backyard “idea”.

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks Linda,..the key certainly was that this was the second complete garden redo they had done in this area. They had a lot of experience and success with these plants.

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks, Bernieh, Looking way back at photos of the renovation when there was nothing but dirt and trenches for drainage ready to be filled in with gravel, I could see that half the job took place before the paths were laid out. But oh, so satisfying!

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