Mexican Petunia Garden aka Purple Showers Take Two

In my September 23, 2012 blog post, Mexican Petunia Garden aka Purple Showers, I shared the view of my first Mexican Petunia Garden in my side yard. "Ah, a garden of Mexican Petunias aka Purple Showers. This fabulous purple perennial is also scientifically known as Ruellia brittoniana and as Britton's wild petunia and the Mexican Bluebell."

After completing all the digging up of the grass and weeds and then planting the garden, I had NO idea that I would WANT to do another such garden project like that this year.

Step 1: Selecting the initial section of yard!

However, as time went on ... a week or so ... I consulted with my neighbor on the other side and shared my vision. Down the middle of the side yard, I placed some plastic edging to show her where I would be digging.

A picture is worth a thousand words they say. I started to dig and finished off a square-like portion in one day. That evening, after my neighbor got home, she saw the dig area as you see in Step 1.

Step 2: Starting the first portion of the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

After resting a few hours from the digging, I opted to head out to Home Depot to get 2 Mexican Petunias, 20 Holland red/gray brick pavers, and 2 bags of Scott's red mulch.

In Step 2, you can see the beginning of the vision for my Mexican Petunia Garden! My second one. I didn't want to do the same type of treatment as I did in my other side yard, but I wanted it to be complimentary.

After putting down the 20 brick pavers, I realized it would take about 40 to edge in the garden area.

Step 3: Finishing the digging area for the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

There was a bit of consultation with my two female neighbors to pin down how far I would go with the dig. And, the addition of the 12-inch red brick patio stones, next to the driveway, was a good idea. The patio stones provide a stepping area and help to firm-in the brick pavers.

The extra area took two separate days to completely dig and clean. I was dealing with a lot of rooty weeds! Timing was important so that the yard guys picked up the bags of yard waste from the digs.

Step 4: Completion of the two areas for the
Mexican Petunia Garden!

In Step 4, you can see the completed Mexican Petunia Garden! What a lot of work. You should have seen all the dirt under my nails. The biggest challenge was making so many trips to Home Depot and Lowe's to carry all the garden supplies in the front seat of my sports car!

At one time, I could carry 2 Mexican Petunias that I would lie down on top of 2 bags of mulch. On the floor, I stacked 20 Holland red/gray brick pavers with a bag of dirt on top. I even had a Lowe's guy say, "I don't know how you are going to do that."

Other trips, I could manage 10-14 of the 12-inch red patio stones. I've yet to tally up the cost of the project along with total woman-hours expended! By the way, in the middle of the two garden sections, I added, on Saturday, the Peter Pan Agapanthus which I had in my back yard.

Another view of the Mexican Petunia Garden!

This is a view of the Mexican Petunia Garden looking towards the street. You can see I added more stones and bricks for access to the side and back yards.

I found that when I finished the job, that the red mulch from Lowe's did not match the Home Depot mulch. You can see in Step 1 the Home Depot mulch. This past Saturday, I raked up that mulch and put it around the Drake Elm in my front yard. Now all the mulch matches!

After I finished this "take two" garden, I found I attracted a mole or two ... so I might be writing about how to capture a mole. Or how to send a mole or two packing!

INSPIRATION! Yes, it is important to have inspiration; to be inspired! And, it is just as important to credit that inspiration ... like proper attribution! You see, since I moved into my house, I have been rather fascinated by the Mexican Petunias that I saw across the street. Living in Jacksonville, Florida, Mexican Petunias thrive! Take a look! Tell me, is that not an inspiring view?

My Inspiration: Mexican Petunia Mailbox

Are you inspired? Have you ever planted Mexican Petunias? Do you have a love for Mexican Petunias? What do you think about my two gardens?