Cumberland Farms Project
The project consists of designing and executing plantings to replace or augment what is presently there: two creeping junipers planted in two half whiskey barrel planters.
Update on the project: the first year
Thank you to our generous donors!
Frost Gardens
Tom Hall
William (Frosty) Frost
The bed is 50′ X 4
Blank sketch plan 8.5 X 14 (legal size)
Useful links:
“Hellstrip” plants (Minnesota)
Salt tolerant plants (Wisconsin) pages 6-8 PDF
Plants on hand as of 8-24-16
Dug, potted and/or “heeled in” ready for planting
- 31 assorted daylilies 24” to 48”
- 18 catmint
- 32 Coneflower, assorted heights from 24 to 40 inches
- 1 Globe Thistle “Blue Glow” 40”
- 1 Sea Holly
- 6 asters (red)
- 10 Siberian Iris
Can’t wait to see it next summer!
During..
Before:

The planter from across Route 5

Looking North

Looking South

North end
I cannot WAIT to get our hands on the “Cumby non-garden”! This non-garden is, for many who drive into town on Bridge, a non-welcome to the Town of Fairlee. Perhaps day lilies?
Some super hardy salt and drought resistant plants are:
Daylilies, Siberian Iris, Catmint, sedum, coneflower. One advantage of daylilies and siberian iris is that they are pretty much free and unkillable. I know I have way too many siberian iris myself.
Do you envision a mixed planting? We could have some annuals mixed in with the irises and lilies, and maybe more bulbs too.
I’m not sure we want to commit to replacing annuals every year. Bulbs would be good but if you go up there and stick your hand in it the mulch is very thick – about 10 inches, I’d say. Dirt is a long way down so we need to consider that. I don’t see us removing all the mulch – where would we put it?
I consulted with my consultants down at Frost Gardens and the consensus was that if we scooped out like a gallon pot’s worth of mulch and replaced with and equal amount of composted manure for each plant – that would work. Then we can scatter the mulch we took out on top.
I’m concentrating on collecting mostly plants that I can get for nothing, although I did go out and buy a Globe Thistle (salt-tolerant and will give some height behind the planter that’s been swallowed by creeping juniper) and a Sea Holly (also salt tolerant).