A Rainy Day Yard Walk

I was planning on getting lots of gardening in when I got home from work today, but it was raining, so I put my camera in a plastic bag, and took bunches of photos.  I tried not to include many close ups of flowers, since GBBD is coming up.

Front of House, peonies, etc.

Most of the hellebores are against the house.  I won't say I can't grow columbine like I used to, as there are several different colors of them around and about.  I love this purple one.  Coral bells are along the front of the raised part of the bed.

West bed by curb, from when our neighbor had her water main replaced, and they had to dig in our yard:

The red valerian blooms all summer.

I trimmed back the fireworks goldenrod, shown in the upper left, and need to thin the perennial geraniums.

The east curb bed was started the year after the previous one, with the lovely fire hydrant.  Some of the plants are the same, and some have similar shapes to the ones on the other side.

The prairie smoke geum seed head looked good in rain drops.

Back toward the house, the clematis planted last year is growing well.

The stocks and pansies in the wheelbarrow smell great, but haven't filled out yet.

The bed started last June, that was supposed to be mostly for annuals, but with plenty of perennials and bulbs, viewed from the curb beds:

From the east, the daisies are about to bloom, and I'm excited my pink pia hydrangea is coming up:

From the west, the big bushy plant is Queen Anne's Lace:

The view from the front of the house shows the hollyhocks are getting big despite being chewed on by rabbits, and a couple kinds of campenulas I'd moved from other parts of the yard are about to bloom:

Turning around, you see the side yard.  The pants will grow tall enough to hide the meters. I just realized the woodland phlox are hid behind the iris.  I have enjoyed the combinations of plants here.  

The  repeat blooming day lily on the left, also in the previous photo, is a passalong, and looks to bloom before any others.  It looks like I need to thin the spiderwort in the front of the bed.  I have 2 other colors of them, as well.

Moving north:

I think I got this columbine from my sister.  She gave me the pink dame's rocket.  A friend gave me the bushy plant she called water spot.  It  had little light colored balls on it this spring, and I thought they were weird looking flowers, but then I was surprised by the lovely blooms they opened up as.

Further north:

The amsonias are growing quickly.  I just noticed I didn't get a good shot of the hubrichti.

Amsonia almost ready to bloom, with water drops:

Basket of gold in front, baptisia next to ladder, which has a volunteer morning glory under it, mountain mint on the right:

I dug out some of the grass next to the bench, and moved some plants from the yard to fill the space.  Lead plant is next to the hollyhock in the back by the fence.  I'm glad to see the rue, in the lower right, and the others I have in another bed are doing well.  I enjoyed watching caterpillars on them last year.

I skipped the area in front of the veggie garden to post later.  This is the north side of the house, where there was a dog kennel a couple feet away from last year.  I had moved the larger hosta plants that were growing into the kennel, and Heidi was chewing on, and they did not make it in the area I moved them to.  A week or so ago, I moved the smaller hostas to the front of the bed, and planted some hostas I got for a good price from the sale I was so frustrated by.  I am thankful for the good buys I got.  These were $5.00 each.

This is the east side of the back yard, where the kennel had been.  I planted asters, coneflowers, rudbeckias, and goldenrod last year.  They are growing well.

The shed across from the house, where Heidi made a huge trench digging out the plants that I'd moved from other parts of the yard, after watching most of Marley with us:

Facing north still, towards the driveway and veggie garden, there is my other rain barrel, which is waiting for gutters to be put on the shed:

The herb garden on the west side of the back yard:

Here is why Heidi was not in the pics.  She did not want to be out in the rain, and would not come when I called her, until I opened the door for her.

It stopped raining long enough to get some planting done, and then I enjoyed working in a light rain, and got Heidi to stay out awhile before retreating back to the cover of the deck.  I went through my pics and made this post while watching The Biggest Loser,which I'd been recording while in the yard.  Now, I'm up too late, and did not get blogs read tonight!  

I have the day off tomorrow, and will be watching our grandson, who has a light case of chicken pox.  I plan to take him to the grocery store, and maybe a garden center.  Hopefully, I can get some blogs read, and see what gardening others are getting done.  I hope you are healthy and enjoying outside time!