East Front Yard Bed

We've had rain the last couple of days, but it has eased up enough to go on yard walks after work.  Today, I took some photos of the east front bed.  Most of the plants are up.  The hibiscus, kiss me over the garden gates, milkweeds, and celosias are not up yet.  At the rate other things are coming up, it shouldn't be long before they join the party.

Here's the view from the front porch.  The green in the corner is a dwarf sage.  Sage doesn't always live over our Nebraska winters.  This winter was mild, but I'm thinking it was its second winter.

This is facing east and a little south.  I should have trimmed back the lavender more than I did.  Maybe I still will in a couple days.  The daylilies and drumstick alliums are looking like they think it is well into spring.

The meadow rue I purchased at our arboretum looks good.  I have another that is smaller.

I am protecting the phlox pilosa 'happy traveler' from the rabbits.

This hellebore is 'Royal Heritage'.

I'm pretty sure this is the 'party dress' that I moved from the planter in front of the house last year.

The mums will need to be thinned.

This is facing north and east.

The poppies and pineleaf penstemon are doing well.

Here's a better view of the hellebore I think is 'party dress'.  The clematis on the ground is 'sweet autumn' that came up from seeds birds must have planted.  I have decided to pull it out, but haven't done it yet.

We are now facing west.  I didn't get these irises thinned at the right time last year, although I'm not sure when the right time is, since these are repeat bloomers.  I went ahead and got some out the other day to give a hellebore and meadow rue more room.  A neighbor lady was willing to give them a home.  I think I'll go ahead and take more out when the soil gets warm enough for the health of the ones that are here. 

 The surprise lilies are looking good.  I need to thin the verbena.

Have I mentioned that I love hellebores? The tulips look like they will be sending up flower stalks soon.

Last year, I planted pansies and a number of other annuals in this basket.  They looked great until it got hot, and I missed a watering or two.  I stuck some sedums in there, which survived the winter.  Last week I added a couple kinds of hens and chicks from other places.  I want to add a taller sedum of some kind, or one that will spill over the basket.  One that blooms would be good, too.  Any suggestions?
 

In the past, I was not able to get delphiniums to last more than a season or two.  This one has been here since the bed was started, I think, in 2007.  Maybe I'll get that looked up.

The rattlesnake master is one of my favorites.

The north side of the bed, facing west looks a little sparse, but will be full of tall plants this summer.

Facing back to the south, I am looking forward to seeing all the growth the warm weather, and now rain will bring.

I wonder which kind of agastache this is.

OK, kiss me over the garden gate, this is where I need you to come up again, and add your height and lovely blooms to the garden.

 Welcome spring!  I am so pleased you are here!