The Bare Bones

Bare bones:   

"the basic elements or the essential structure of something"

I just did some winter clean-up of my garden to tidy things up a bit after recent freezes.   I cut most of the perennials to the ground, but left some for winter interest.   Basically my rule of thumb is, if it looks bad, I cut it to the ground.   If it still looks good (such as the ornamental grasses) or maybe has some benefit for wildlife (such as seed heads for the birds), I leave them until mid-February.

I leave some fallen leaves in the shrub/flower beds, but rake or blow any excess leaves onto the lawn and they are mulched with the mower and added to the compost pile.   

In my pond, anything that has turned to mush and has fallen down into the water is cut back and cleaned out of the pond.   The parrots feather that has grown out into the middle of the pond is raked back toward the sides to keep the water flow through the middle wide open.

And what is left behind after all of my trimming, raking, and mulching?  

Why, it's the basic elements and the essential structure of my garden. 

The bare bones.  

For the most part, the only blooms in I have in my garden right now are the pansies and violas in containers.  But I'm okay with that.  I think the garden (and the gardener) deserves a rest now and then :-)   I love this time of year to re-evaluate the bones of my garden to see where it needs tweaking.  Thankfully it just needs a little toe bone added here and there and it isn't in need of hip replacement or spine surgery :-)

Here is my garden all cleaned up...
                                            ...and down to the bare bones 

The backyard:

 

 

The front yard:

Here are a few specifics on my clean-up list:

Perennials cut to the ground:

Mealy Cup Sage/'Henry Duelberg' Salvia (Salvia farinacea)

Mexican Bush Sage (tender perennial -- mulch well)

Summer Phlox

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Loosestrife

Katie's Ruellia

Zexmenia

Mexican Mint Marigold

Turk's Cap

Salvia madrensis (Forsythia Sage)

Chrysanthemum

Lantana

Purple Heart

Canna

Wood Fern and Japanese Painted Fern

Hostas

Tropical Giant Spider Lily

Just gave these a "haircut":

Salvia greggii

Skullcap

Pond Plants:

Umbrella grass, Lizzard Tail - cut down to water level

Pickerel Rush, Water Lily - pulled out mushy stems, but left roots down in water

Iris - cut or pulled browned leaves

Left these alone (for winter interest)

(will prune in February, if necessary):

Ornamental grasses

Daylilies (I will pull dried foliage in the spring)

Roses

Oxalis

Columbine

Leopard Plant (Ligularia/Farfugium)

May Night Salvia

Russian Sage

Dianthus

Calylophus

4-nerve Daisy

'Powis Castle' Artemisia

American Beautyberry

Liriope

Hydrangeas

Pulled up annuals:

Periwinkles

Melampodium (saved seeds)

Holy Basil (saved seeds)

African Blue Basil

Salvia coccinea (scattered seeds back in garden)

Cosmos

Penta

Angelonia

Dragonwing Begonias

Caladiums

Blue Daze

Sweet Potato Vine

You can also check out my Fall "Diggin' in the Dirt" Newsletter for tips on how to care for specific perennials after a freeze.

For a fun look at garden bones, visit Casa Mariposa 

and find out how bony your garden is :-)

Toni :-)