Thursday, June 21, 2012

High Five Baby

I was going through several years worth of pictures of our yard today (when I was supposed to be working).   We began documenting our yard in pics in 2008 - the year we began landscaping our back yard.  What a difference.  This is what it looks like in May 2012:
And this is what it looked like when we first planted this bed in 2008:

What a disaster!  How do you like that pile of loam to the side as well as that gravel pile in the middle of the lawn that was left over from the pool excavation?  When I realized how far we have come, I gave myself a high five.  Luckily I sit in a corner cubicle where my foolish antics are well hidden.   As well as the fact that I am not actually working.
By 2009, it was looking better but still.  Then:
(can you tell the where the propane delivery guy sunk into our new grass? Thanks buddy)

....and now (not the same time period since more blooms in the 'before' picture.  And I no longer have delphiniums.  Damn I miss them!):
In reviewing our yard's history, I found there are several plants that have since met their maker that I miss dearly.... Foxglove, Dianthus, Lupines, some nameless purple phlox-looking flower and most of all Delphiniums:




















  
I know what's on my wish list for next year.  

Monday, June 18, 2012

Let The Moving Begin

June is my favorite month in the garden - everything is fresh, full and blooming.  It's also when I realize that (as usual) I have planted things too close together so now I need to move them around before they are smothered to death.


It's at this point that I remember that I should have cut back some of the plants that tend to fall over but didn't.  Hey, there's always next year.  


Don't forget to stop by Jean's Bloomin Tuesday  and Sidewalk Shoes' Garden Tuesday to see what's going on in other gardens.  


Enough chatting... here are some pics of what's blooming:


This is my favorite container this year with purple and an awesome goldish yellowish orangish calibrochoa with purple sweet potato vine:



Spiderwort:






Lady's Mantle and Fringed Bleeding Heart:










Wine & Roses Weigela:





Spirea ready to bloom a week ago:






and blooming now:







Penstemon (new this year):








Climbing Rose -  'Blaze' maybe? :










Knockout Roses and Sweet William:













Clematis 'Betty Corning' (moved to a new spot this year):






Peachleaf Bellflower with Catmint 'Six Hills Giant' in the background:








My other favorite Calibrochoa this year:






Hummingbird visit:  




Some overall yard pictures: