Side Yard

The rain eased up again after work yesterday, so I went on my hunt for what is up, how much things have grown, and what is blooming.  The east side of the house has some things coming up that I am very pleased about. 

I see I need to be cutting back the quaking grass.  I didn't take it with rest of the old growth, because if there are seeds in it, they will sprout. 

Soon, this comfrey will hide the meter from view.

The pasque flowers are blooming.

The different salvias are up and looking healthy.

This is the third season for the zigzag goldenrod.  When I first planted it, it was a tiny bit of a plant that I was concerned may not make it.  I may sneak a bit of it out to put into the front yard bed somewhere, since it's native in Nebraska.

I want to move some of the woodland phlox to the front yard, too, but I'll have to continue to protect it from the rabbits, as it seems to be one of their favorites.  It is phlox divaricata, also called wild phlox.  I brought it over from our other house 13 years ago in a wash tub, where it continues to grow, even with violets trying to compete for the space. 

The asters, goldenrods, amsonia, mountain mint and other plants will fill this area in soon.

Heading north, the rudbeckia, 'Herbstonne' in the back left seems to have grown a few inches a day since it came up.

I was going to save the trillium coming up for Wildflower Wednesday, but I am too excited to wait.

The Virginia bluebells have spread a little.  They are one of my favorites.

The hellebores are doing well this year.  The Virgina waterleaf is a native plant that I deadhead to prevent from spreading too much.  I moved some of the rudbeckia, 'goldquelle' to the front flowerbed before the rains started, and one would not know they had been transplanted.

The bleeding hearts have also grown fast, and are getting ready to bloom.

These pasque flowers are a different kind from the others I have, but I didn't save the tags, so don't know what kind they are.

Yesterday was the first day I noticed growth on the coreopsis that may be 'Zagreb', and gets about 15 to 17 inches tall.

Looking back toward the front of the yard:

Now, heading north, to the back:

The tulips will be blooming soon.

I hope the bear's breeches bloom this year.  This will be the third season, with no blooms so far.

Yesterday was also the first day I've been able to see new growth on the amsonia tabernaimontana.

The clump with all the old growth on it yet is the amsonia.

The clump on the left is what my friend, Jo called, "outhouse flower" when she gave it to me last year.  It looks to be Rudbeckia laciniata 'Hortensia'.  I'm tickled it has come back this spring.  I'm pretty sure she originally got it from her grandmother.  To the right is the lead plant that is one of the last each spring to leaf out.  I cut it back each year so it won't get leggy.

I've been trying to get some globe thistle to grow a bit closer to the fence, but it seems to like this spot better.

The daylilies closest to the shed were planted by my mother-in-law when she was alive, so they have been there over 20 years.  The goldenrod in the front left was moved from the side of the shed when we had to have it repaired a number of years ago.  I had planted it for my father-in-law when he lived here.  Can you see the hellebore near the wheelbarrow?

It sure is lovely!

The Virginia mountain mint survived the winter in the tub, as did the volunteer rough goldenrod.  I need to find a spot for that in the front yard.

You can see the east front bed, and the neighbors' house across the street in this long view.

Heidi says thanks for stopping by!  In a few days, it will be dry enough to move some more plants around and do some more tweaking.  Have a great weekend!

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!

It's Time for Yard Walks

For the past I'm not sure how many years, spring has come later than normal in SE Nebraska.  This year, it is early.  Some think we may still get freezing temps, but there was no leaving the leaves on the flower beds.  As it was, it was hard getting them off some of the plants, because they were up so much.  I am having so much fun going on my yard walks, seeing what has come up, and what is blooming.  I decided it was time to start my posts on what's going on in the different planting areas.

Today, I took some photos of the curb beds.  I just checked, and my first post on the area last year was the first week of April.  The plants are further along now than they were then.  There is not a lot to see, but I like to see the progress as time goes by.

I started with the east side, because I like this photo with Heidi in it, and two blooming plants are in it.  I need to thin the iris.  

I went over to the west side of the front yard, and took more as I walked back to the east.

One of these days, I may start keeping track of the names of what I plant.  This hyacinth doesn't seem to mind, though.

I don't think this clearance shelf rose came with a tag.  I meant to take a cutting to the nursery last year to see what it is.  I would like another one.  I wonder if I could get some cuttings to root.  I pruned about 6 inches off of it a couple weeks ago, because I don't want it to get much taller.

The heucheras that I moved from the front of the house after the tree was cut down seem to like their new spots.

I need to thin my goldenrod, 'Fireworks'.

Facing east:

I planted 3 different kinds of this 'Autumn Joy' type of sedums.  Two of them actually are 'Autumn Joy'.  They get more shade from a neighboring tree than I realized, and get a little leggy, but now that the clumps are thicker, maybe they will do better.

The different clematis plants around the yard are just showing new growth today.  This is the one with blue bell shaped blooms, and is not a climber.  I think it's my favorite, but I found some Fremont clematis plants last year, and one appears to be growing.  That may become my favorite.

I planted groups of 3 daylilies, with tulips in the middle.  Not all of the tulips survived.

I was thinking I had planted more of the hellebores from in front of the house in this bed, but maybe I didn't.  I figured out at least a couple of them are in the east front bed.

This clump will be open by tomorrow.

Here's the view from the sidewalk, facing west.

 This is facing back toward the north and west.  There are several kinds of perennial geraniums along the curb.  The rose moss should be coming up from seed  in the open spots when it warms up enough.

This is to the east of the sidewalk.



 While I am enjoying seeing all the newly emerging plants, I am looking forward to seeing less dirt, and more blooms.

Milkweeds are one of the last to come up, and I see this butterfly milkweed is making its appearance.

I am returning to work after having last week off for spring break.  I am looking forward to the rain we have forecast.  The plants need it, and my house needs some attention from me.