Where the Tree Used to Be

Things have grown quite a bit since I last posted about this area, but many still have a ways to go to reach full size.  Like I mentioned in a previous post, I've been telling people the yard has been hungry (for plants) and I keep feeding it, but it is staying hungry for more.  I had planted lots of annuals for color, and have since planted perennials, many native in between them, knowing that the perennials will grow and need more space next year. I believe I am finished for awhile, though.

I took over 100 photos for this post, and only managed to narrow it down to 37, so I will keep some of them small.

I wish I could remember the name of the sweet william or dianthus of some kind.  These are adding lots of color to the area.

Many of the plants were chosen with butterflies and bees in mind.  I am enjoying the lantanas, too. 

We are facing south, on the west side of the front of the area.  We will head south to see what's going on.  The white blooming plant is culver's root, and the blue next to it is a delphinium.  The spiky plant is a kniphodia.   Inulas, asters, liatris, statice and others are also doing what they can to grow in this area, which I figured out is in the shade by 2:00 p.m.

The lisianthus flowers are adding their own beauty.

This euphorbia is not getting as bushy as the one of a different variety on the east where there is more sun.  Still, it's pretty.  I should probably pinch the tip off to see if that will help.

This sedum, 'Black Jack' was given to me by Judy, from the blog, Through My Garden Window.  She's a new blogger, so go check it out.  I am so excited that there is another local blogger.  She found me through my husband on Facebook, but also through the article in the paper about my gardening and blogging.  She started leaving comments, but even though she had a blog, she hadn't posted yet.  I've mentioned we did a plant exchange on a very hot day with another friend of mine.  Since then, she's done a number of posts, and I have enjoyed them all.  Well, Black Jack has evidently rooted, because it is no longer sulking.  When I went to Judy's blog to make sure I had the name right, I saw where she had written that the color is determined by how much sun it gets.  I better take some from the top of this plant and put it where it will get more sun.

I don't remember if this daylily had a tag or not.  It was one of the first things I planted, after folks mentioned daylilies are good anchors to keep soil in place.  I like the orange blooms.

The cage is around a liatris to protect it from rabbits.  There are also betony, silene, gentian, phlox and other plants in here.  The small plant with red in some of the leaves is a persicaria of some kind.

 The agastaches are starting to bloom.  I see liatris, nasturtium, a euphorbia, statice, and lantana.

I am also needing to protect the phlox pilosa plants from rabbits.

This is an heirloom marigold that I planted from seed.  I will look for the two packages to see if I can figure out which kind it is.

We made it to the east side of the bed, where the spirea bushes were already planted.  There is a clematis making its way up the trellis.  This is its second summer.

The view to the west:

We are heading north, to the upper part of the yard.

The thundbergia, black eyed Susan vine is growing well.

The Dalea purpurea, 'Stephanie' blooms are pretty.  I also planted a couple plain purple prairie clovers.  This plant is called a selection of  the native prairie clover, whatever that means.  I think I need to read the book I bought awhile ago on botany for gardeners.  The big leaves on the left, behind the liatris are a nicotiana sylvestris. 

A taller variety of  liatris is blooming, too.

This liatris aspera has survived some grazing by rabbits.  I recently removed the screen I had around it.

Heading north, the flowers blooming are one of the new hybrids of black eyed Susans, gomphrenas, and alyssum.

This is facing west and a bit south.  The white blooms near the path are 'Diamond Frost' euhorbia.  The grass to the right of it is panicum 'Prairie Wind'.  It can get up to 7 feet tall.  There is also one on the other side of the path.  The red blooms are nicotiana, and lobelia is around the edge here.  The big green in front are statice plants, and there is one bloom stem coming up.  Squirrels keep knocking the bloom stems down.  I got the bird decorations from a flea market put on by Deborah, of hegebee 57's daughter, who lives in the same city I do.  In fact, she lives less than a mile from me.  Deborah lives a little over an hour away.  I just met them this spring, so I am pleased that there are 2 more Nebraska bloggers.  Her daughter's blog is Nelly's Nest.  This blog is about antiques, but she has some cool ideas on there for gardeners, like using old spoons for markers.

Wild Quinine, one of my Nebraska Arboretum purchases, will bush out and get taller if it lives through the winter.

This is back to the south side of the front.  The big plant is a Mexican sunflower.  There are a few smaller ones, too.  They are planted for the monarch butterflies, which love them.  The plant in front of it is Ratibida pinnata, Gray-headed coneflower. There are 4 of them planted around the area.  There are 3 Little Bluestem grass plants, also.  The 2 plants on the edge between the farthest spaced stepping disks are red blooming yarrow that I moved from the curb bed a few days ago.  Oh, and the plant close to the disk is one of the several prairie smoke geums I moved from the curb bed.

Walking to the west, a closer view of above:

This is a wild senna that I got from the arboretum after seeing it at Benjamin's, from The Deep Middle, whose garden was on an Audobon garden tour on Father's Day.  It should get 5 or more feet tall.

Benjamin had some plants to give away.  We did not get there at the beginning of the tour,  but I was there in time to get the last one, which was a wild senna.  See, Benjamin, I got it planted.  I am excited for all of these little plants to grow.

While I was in the mood for plant moving, I dug out a couple sections of my  'Paprika' yarrow, and planted them by the stump and bench.

This is the west side of the bed, facing south.  The 2 beautyberry and 1 butterfly bush were already here.  I put some of the volunteer love lies bleeding and kiss me over the garden gate plants in the area, and some annual black eyed Susans in the area.  The cypress vine is back up to the trellis after having been eaten down by a rabbit.  The 2 scarlet runner bean plants look very sturdy.

I put a lead plant in next to the kiss me over the garden gate plants.  It is a slow one to grow, but will get a nice a few feet tall in a few years.

Larry helped me put the coleus on the sidewalk, and bring the gooseneck loosestrife into the sitting area.

This is rudbeckia maxima.  It can get up to 8 feet tall!  I hope it likes this spot, and does well.

Facing back east:

Turning to the south from the same spot:

Back to the north and east:

I look out the front door multiple times a day.  I love the view, and like to check for butterflies and such.

I need to figure out what kind of perennials to plant in the planter box in front of the house.  Any suggestions, if you made it this far?  I need to work on having shorter posts.  It is full sun, and on the dry side.  I've been throwing what water, tea, or coffee is left from our glasses on the couple of hellebores still there.  I plan to move them now that I know the others survived being transplanted.

This post was several days in the making.  My dad is in the hospital with pneumonia.  He is being tested for a bunch of other things as well.  He needs to be on oxygen, and was not able to walk on his own until this morning.  He was already not steady on his feet, and was using a cane off and on.

Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day!  Thanks to all who have or are serving our country or have family members who are.