Happy Monday GPODers!<\/p>\n
We\u2019re starting the week with a jaw-dropping transformation and some serious inspiration. Marty Oostveen moved from New Jersey to Douglassville, Pennsylvania just over 9 years ago, and started her new gardens from a blank slate of clay dirt. While tons of plants made the pilgrimage from New Jersey to her new home in Pennsylvania, it\u2019s still astounding to see what she has accomplished and created in less than a decade.<\/p>\n
Our garden is in Douglassville, PA, and we moved here in May of 2016. It was a new building, with zero garden, just heavy compacted clay as you can see in the picture <\/em>(see the photo below). The first order of business was the addition of a 10K gallon pond for my wet pets, the koi. Once that was in, I started planting the 100+ plants that made the move from my NJ gardens and then added more, and more, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n For my 65th birthday three years ago I had the last bit of front lawn eliminated, a short retaining wall built, and planted the rest of the front garden. By now my garden has become a destination in our development and I have made new gardening friends by giving away excess plants. I have also inspired my neighbors!<\/em><\/p>\n I hope you enjoy the pictures. <\/em> <\/a>Marty was not exaggerating when she said ZERO garden. It\u2019s almost hard to imagine that this is the same space as the lush gardens she has created, and I can only imagine the amount of amending she did along the way.<\/p>\n Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring garden with us, Marty! Moving is almost always a daunting endeavor, and you had an even larger project to attend to than most. But your results show that a strong vision, some creativity, and a lot of planting can create an oasis anywhere.<\/p>\n Do you have any before and after photos of your garden? It can be a full-garden creation like Marty\u2019s, or pots and decor you added to perk up your patio. No matter the space you have or the changes you\u2019ve made, it\u2019s always inspiring to see how anything can be improved with a little love and plants. To submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day<\/em>, follow the directions below to submit via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Have photos to share? We\u2019d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!<\/p>\n To submit, send 5\u201310 photos to\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/span><\/a>\u00a0along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We\u2019d love to hear where you are located, how long you\u2019ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.<\/p>\n Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on\u00a0Facebook,<\/a>\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0with #FineGardening!<\/p>\n
Regards,<\/em>
(ms) Marty Oostveen<\/em><\/p>\n![\"tree](\"https:\/\/www.finegardening.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/06\/GPOD-Oostveen-7-clay-soil-front-yard.jpg\")
<\/a>The American fringe tree<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Chionanthus<\/a> virginicus, Zones 3\u20139)<\/em> in the first picture is a female, which gives me shorter flowers, but also strings of fruit which are enjoyed by the birds. This tree is in a rain garden.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>This is a shot of my pond with the blooming dogwood. Underneath the dogwood I have a collection of miniature hostas.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>A shot of the front garden with the raised bed in the middle. The cobblestones hide a drainage pipe going all the way from the gutter to the sidewalk, watering my garden. Gravel paths run around the beds out to the street and to the front door.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>Spring She shed is the left hand side of the property in front, with a curly willow<\/em> (<\/em>Salix<\/a> matsudana \u2018Tortuosa\u2019<\/em>, Zones 4\u20138)<\/em>, which I grew from a twig. Underneath is another shade garden with hostas, ferns, heucheras, Double Play\u00ae Candy Corn\u00ae spirea<\/em> (<\/em>Spiraea<\/a> japonica \u2018NCSX1\u2019<\/em>, Zones 4\u20138)<\/em>, echinaceas<\/a>, Stella D\u2019oro daylily <\/a><\/em>(<\/em>Hemerocallis<\/a> \u2018Stella de Oro\u2019<\/em>, Zones 5\u20137)<\/em>, and yellow blooming alliums.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>The sedum<\/a> meadow is on the right hand side of the house, next to the driveway and going all the way out to the sidewalk. It is a mix of sedum, and, much to kid\u2019s enjoyment (and mine) a herd of dinosaurs can be seen roaming the meadow.\u00a0<\/em>(You might be able to see the long necks of some dinosaurs peeking out from the sedum, but for a closer look you can check out this great article about Marty\u2019s garden: Berks woman\u2019s backyard oasis<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/a>Lastly, a shot of my back garden. Arborvitae in the background with a variety of hostas, ferns, heucheras, epimediums<\/a> in the shade of a (yellow blooming) magnolia. There is also a yellow smokebush<\/em> (<\/em>Cotinus coggygria \u2018Ancot\u2019<\/em><\/a>, Zones 4\u201310)<\/em>, and outside of the picture, a purple smokebush<\/em> (<\/em>Cotinus coggygria \u2018Royal Purple\u2019<\/em>, Zones 4\u20138)<\/em>, underplanted with more shade lovers. There is a Berry Heavy\u00ae winterberry holly<\/em> (<\/em>Ilex<\/a> verticillata \u2018Spravy\u2019<\/em>, Zones 3\u20139)<\/em>, and a Mr. Poppins\u00ae Winterberry Holly<\/em>\u00a0(<\/em>Ilex verticillata \u2018Spravy\u2019<\/em>, Zones 3\u20139)<\/em> to ensure lots of berries on the Berry Heavy\u00ae holly.<\/em><\/p>\nWe want to see YOUR garden!<\/strong><\/h2>\n