Before Photos

I took some "before" photos of the garden as it is right now. Later this summer, we'll revisit these photos and see how the garden has grown.

This area is going to look the best based on last year's plantings. I don't need to do much else. Starting from the back: Rose bush, tulips, irises, peonies, arugula, cherry blossom (in the container), autumn joy (sedum), and around the dogwood tree is tulips, lamb's ear, candy tuft (white), and yellow day lilies.


This area has really filled in nicely. Once I have seen how things bloom this summer, I'll shape things up in the fall. I still feel like this area needs more "styling". I was able to thin some plants and spread them around. I am so tired of the chain link fence that I'm going to put up some rolled bamboo this summer.


Since we put in the sprinkler system, everything back here has doubled in size. I shaped the area here nicely except for my plot for the veggie garden. Starting this weekend, I'm going to expand this area and make it some curves. Then I'm thinking of planting a tree and other plants to camouflage the veggie garden.

Patience is a Virtue

Last year, I laid the ground work for my perennial flower garden and was feeling a little down about the way the flower garden looked - plants were small, floppy (from moving/dividing them) and there was no "style". The pictures in BHG haunted me - why can't my garden look like that?!

This spring proved it was worth the wait! The irises are tall and hearty. The roses are tall and bushy. The autumn joy, lamb's ear, candy tuft, and lilies have multiplied 3x their previous size. Even my $2.99 Clematis from Walmart has come back (it died last year). There is so much to go around that I have been dividing them up and planting them in new places in the yard. It's still early enough (in my zone) that dividing and replanting won't prevent this summer's bloom. I found that the key to dividing now is to keep the soil around the roots intact.



Now that I have enough plants to go around, I'm replanting the roses, irises and autumn joy to create some symmetry in the garden bed. I'm massing in color to create a bolder statement especially from afar. Also, I'm planning ahead and thinking about how I can plant things so that there is something blooming throughout the summer.

April is almost over

I can't believe it's the end of April already! I have been diligently working on the house and garden, so I haven't had time to update here. I have lots to share from out trip to Italy. I was so amazed by the container gardening there. I'm trying to catch up in the garden, so here's a quick update:

• cleaned debris
• weeded
• thinned out irises, coral bells, lilies, hostas, autumn joy
• planted tons of peas outdoors
• planted english cucumbers and lemon cucumbers
• planted yellow squash
• still tending to my seedlings
• expanded the garden area
• set up stakes and trellises