Tuesday, August 13, 2013

View of the Front Yard from the West

I was taking photos of some pots the other day, then noticed the yard in the background, and decided to take photos of it from where I was, on the sidewalk at the west edge of our property.  I don't often post photos from this side.

This wash tub on legs is one of my favorites.  The lantana was slow growing, and I'm not sure why it's not blooming now, maybe because it's not getting as much water as it prefers.  There are a couple sweet potato vines in there, too, the kind that are sold for eating.


The black eyed susan cultivars kept drying up, so I cut them back.  I planted coreopsis palmata in this tub, because I wanted to try growing it, but was afraid it may spread too far in the ground.  That's a beauty berry shrub on the other side of the tub, with Switchgrass, 'Northwind' behind it.  Painters palette and my mother-in-law's peonies are on the left.


I think the plant in the tub is American germander.  It's something that I had planted at church, and spread rampantly.  The area is surrounded by concrete, so it can't take over the whole property, and I decided to try some in a tub.  The Joe Pye weed that I moved from another spot in the yard, maybe 2 years ago, is doing well.


Here's a closer view of the bloom I think is American germander.  Do you think that's what it is?


I think this is ginger mint.  It is one of the first to bloom, so I try to get tea made from it early in the season.  Once they bloom, it's hard to make tea, because the blooms come loose into the tea.


I'm glad I bought the trellis bench on sale awhile back.  The aster next to it is 'Jim Crockett'.  The reason I remember it is because it was named after the host of Victory Garden.  I miss that show!


I decided to swing back to the left to show the Wild senna looking so cool.  Can you see the bee?


The vine on the trellis is Clematis  pitcheri.  I can't remember if it's the native one or a cultivar.  I love the bell shaped blooms and cool seedheads.  It's fun to see the bumblebees going up into them to feed on the nectar.


I am excited to see the Prairie dock getting ready to bloom.  I planted it last year, and I'm thinking it didn't bloom.

The green plant is Pitcher sage.  I'm glad to have some flowers that will bloom later in the season.  The Rattlesnake master is one I moved from the east front area.  It is not as tall yet as the other one, but is larger than last year.


I don't remember what kind of Liatris this is, but I will probably move it in the spring when it first comes up, because a Purple milkweed plant popped up about a foot away from its parent, and will need more room next year.  You can see its seedhead in the photo.


I sure have lots of yellow!  I'm seeing Grayheaded coneflowers, Cup plant, and my second Wild senna plant.


I don't know how to tell when the Rudbeckia maxima seeds are ripe.


I moved some of the Agastache the hummingbirds like into the wheelbarrow.  The red blooms, I think, are a Salvia of some kind.  In looking at older photos from when the tree was cut down the other day, I realized these are offspring of something I had planted on the other side of the fence in the ground the first year.


I'm not sure why I have this photo, because it's similar to a previous one, but maybe it's because it shows the chair and the path.


In the same tub with the red Salvia are some Gooseneck loosestrife plants that survived winter in the tub.  I've seen them blooming already in others' yards, but they haven't bloomed here yet this season.


I moved this lavender here from the yard this spring.  It looks a bit rough after being deadheaded.


We made it to the last tub.  I deadheaded the Culver's root plant on the right of the fence.  I'm hoping it and the other one bloom again.


I think the creamy colored blooms are on a vetch of some kind.  It's one I bought, then decided to put in a tub to contain the spread of it.


Here's a bloom from the Beautyberry shrub that is on the other side of it.  I had three planted before the tree had to come down.  I tried transplanting one to across the street, but it did not make it.


I think this is a white blooming Baptisia.  It sure is a slow grower.  Salvia 'black and blue' is to the right of it.  It's supposed to be an annual here, but this is its third season.


This area is the favorite of the hummingbirds.  I hope to see them soon.  They love the Agastache.


The hummers also love the Salvia 'black and blue', which should be blooming soon.


I don't remember if I planted this Liatris or if the birds did.


This should look more familiar, because I do seem to show this view from time to time.  The grass is Switchgrass, 'heavy metal'.


I've had lots going on, and have not had time to garden much in the last couple of weeks.  I have mentioned I retired last spring.  I was hired back to be a substitute before school was even out.  I have to be careful about how many days I work until 180 days from my last day of work.  I can't believe how many calls I've had already!  I had to turn some down, then figure out how to block some days.  My first day is next Monday, but I could have worked a couple days this week already.  Anyway, I am hoping to get out there the next couple of days and do some catching up.  I hope you are finding time to be in your gardens!

5 comments:

  1. Your gardens are such happy, colorful spaces, packed out with much to see and enjoy.

    FlowerLady

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  2. Sue, your flowers are always beautiful. It's such a pleasure to see all your photos and read about the way you put your flowers together. Your garden beds have a some what planned wild look to them. I like it. It's a refreshing change from just green grass.

    I know what you mean about retirement. I do more work now than ever before retirement. I at least have the opportunity to say no but (big sigh) usually don't. Mine is helping others with their yard and house projects not being called back to where I used to work.

    Have a great day in the garden.

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  3. You sure have a lot of plants and that you remember most of them is very impressive.

    I may have told you already but I will repeat it in case. I have two Black and Blue salvias and they are huge! One is probably 4x4 or more. You may have to move yours to a less crowded area. I planted my kerria next to one of the B & B and I think it may overpower the B & B. I didn't realize it was a spreader too.

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  4. Incredible--I don't know how you keep track of it all! I wonder if that Liatris is L. aspira--Rough Blazing Star?

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  5. Your red blooming plant looks like the Texas Hummingbird Sage I have. It reseeds itself so I always have an abundance. I enjoy seeing your flowers. Thank you for sharing.

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