West Side of Front Yard

So far, I have posted spring photos of the curb beds and the east front yard.  After work today, I bought some native plants for the front yard where the tree used to be.  A few things in there are not native, but they are plants that are insect and bird friendly.  It was supposed to rain, but didn't.  We have had quite a cool down, and are having more seasonal temperatures instead of the upper 80s we had been experiencing.

Here is the view from the front door.  The east bed has grown a lot since I posted photos of it.

There is still a lot of dirt showing, and I was tempted to put plants in places where they would be crowded later in the season.  Larry told me he thought there was too much stuff in the area, and it looked crowded.  I took some things out, and he told me this bird feeder a friend gave me looked better in this spot.  When the plants get larger, it may get moved.

This is  heuchera richardsonii.  I like coral bells, but this native is just as pretty to me.  The switchgrass, maybe 'North Wind' will get pretty tall, and provide some privacy to the sitting area.

I fell in love with this clematis, hexapetala 'Mongolian Snowflakes' that I also got from the arboretum.  It grows to about 3 feet tall with a 3 feet spread, and is more of a bush.  I didn't realize until after I bought it that it is a native of China, not the U.S.  I will probably let it grow in this spot for the summer, and if I have moved the few other non-natives from this area, will find another spot for it in the yard.

This is the left, south side of this part of the bed. 

I am assuming the zizia aureas will grow taller, even though they have started to bloom.  They are supposed to get 3 feet tall.

I added several more wild quinine plants to the garden, and they are all doing well.

A few days ago, I was able to dig a clump of ironweed from the curb bed to add here.

 

I also moved this zigzag goldenrod from the east bed.

I don't remember what this is.  I'm assuming it is something I planted last year.  Do you know what it is?

I just checked, and figured out that helenium 'hoopesii' is not native to Nebraska, but the states to the west of us.  I don't think I am organized or enough of a purist to only grow plants native to my area.

We are heading to the west.

I am happy that the salvia 'black and blue' and agastaches I can't remember the name of have survived the winter.  These were the favorites of the hummingbirds that spent a few weeks in the area last year.  The big leaves in front are a goldenrod of some kind, and the back ones are coneflowers.

The beautyberry bushes are leafing out, as is the butterfly bush here.

I am enjoying the wild columbine. It did not seed itself around in this bed, but I think there are a few plants of it on the east side of the house.  The pansies our 4 year old grandson picked out and planted in the tub are blooming well.

This agastache, 'golden jubilee' was one of the last plants to come up.  I thought it wasn't going to make it, but once it popped up, it started growing nicely.

Purple milkweed is one of the last to come up, too.

I planted some strawberries under the bench, and am pleased they are spreading some, and blooming.  I wonder who will get the berries first, the critters, or us.  I haven't decided the fate of the lamiums and lamb's ears that were already in front of the planter before the tree was cut down.

The pitcher's clematis is looking good.  It is supposed to get up to 10 feet.

The gooseneck loosestrife in the tub survived the winter.

The peonies and lilies of the valley that were planted by my mother-in-law over 20 years ago are getting ready to bloom.  There is also some painter's pallet in this area.

I divided the outhouse flower, I can't remember which rudbeckia, my friend, Jo gave me last year, and planted 3 clumps in this bed, where I had moved most of the shade preferring plants that were in it.  The two hellebores in it survived, and I am hoping the shade provided by the taller blooming plants will keep them healthy this summer.  The small plants between the pansies are a red blooming helenium that I divided from the east bed.

This columbine was already here.  I don't remember what kind it is.  I want to check to see if it can be divided, so I can put another couple in the bed.

Here is the rudbeckia.  It will get about 5 feet tall.

I divided some liatris from the curb bed, which are probably not native.  They are pretty tall, too.

Here is the view from the west side, including the area on the south side of the fence, where I put most of the plants I got today.  I will do a post on that area next time.

I don't know if any of you are from the Dallas area, but my heart goes out to that area, and any other place that has experienced the bad storms and tornadoes.  Watching the videos on the tornadoes was pretty scary.  I can't imagine being in the midst of it.

I hope it is spring for you northerners by now.  I have gotten ever further behind in my blog reading.  Happy gardening!