I went ahead and did my planting in the Norway Spruce stumps. I know it's a bit early to be planting like this since there is the chance of frost and it could kill the flowers, but my bones and experience are telling me the danger of frost has passed. If I'm wrong, oh well, but if I'm right, I'm light years ahead of everyone. And me, be wrong?!? Say it isn't so! After cutting out the center of the two tree stumps, I went ahead and put in some gravel that I had wrapped in landscape fabric to place over the drainage hole. Then followed with some potting soil and finally my choice of plants. I also dug out a little around the stump between the large roots and put some flowers there too. I chose Begonias with the reddish leaf because they are supposed to be more sun tolerant than the regular green ones. I placed 4 pinkish red ones in one stump and 4 white ones in the other stump. Then planted several different color Marigolds around the stumps. Remember, these are fresh from the Nursery and only 2 to 3 inches in height. Over the next month they should do a lot of growing and fill in nicely. I will post more pictures of my stumps at that time. Kind of an overview!
Looking good. I really like marigolds mainly because my favorite colour is orange. I will be looking forward to pics in the coming months. Would you add nasturtium seeds or would that be too crowded with the begonias?
Thanks! I chose both for their being deer resistant. I've watched deer pass Begonias and Marigolds and not give them a second look. I can't say I've ever seen either planted as close together as these, but they don't look half bad as companion plants to each other goes. I added a cracked glass solar light to each planting too. (if someone decides to steal them, I have two more they're welcome to, because I really don't particularly care for them anyway) Now as for adding Nasturtium to the mix, I think they would be a wonderful addition. But since they are edible, I'm sure the deer would find them to be quite tastey and consume not only them but any other plants that might be near them. I couldn't place them in my other flower beds for the same reason, that is unless I would fence everything in. So I'm constantly on the lookout for attractive yet deer resistant plants. Even then, that doesn't mean the deer around here would pass them up. They eat practically everything.
