Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Rainy Day Yard Walk

I was planning on getting lots of gardening in when I got home from work today, but it was raining, so I put my camera in a plastic bag, and took bunches of photos.  I tried not to include many close ups of flowers, since GBBD is coming up.

Front of House, peonies, etc.



Most of the hellebores are against the house.  I won't say I can't grow columbine like I used to, as there are several different colors of them around and about.  I love this purple one.  Coral bells are along the front of the raised part of the bed.



West bed by curb, from when our neighbor had her water main replaced, and they had to dig in our yard:



The red valerian blooms all summer.



I trimmed back the fireworks goldenrod, shown in the upper left, and need to thin the perennial geraniums.



The east curb bed was started the year after the previous one, with the lovely fire hydrant.  Some of the plants are the same, and some have similar shapes to the ones on the other side.


The prairie smoke geum seed head looked good in rain drops.


Back toward the house, the clematis planted last year is growing well.


The stocks and pansies in the wheelbarrow smell great, but haven't filled out yet.



The bed started last June, that was supposed to be mostly for annuals, but with plenty of perennials and bulbs, viewed from the curb beds:



From the east, the daisies are about to bloom, and I'm excited my pink pia hydrangea is coming up:


From the west, the big bushy plant is Queen Anne's Lace:


The view from the front of the house shows the hollyhocks are getting big despite being chewed on by rabbits, and a couple kinds of campenulas I'd moved from other parts of the yard are about to bloom:


Turning around, you see the side yard.  The pants will grow tall enough to hide the meters. I just realized the woodland phlox are hid behind the iris.  I have enjoyed the combinations of plants here.  



The  repeat blooming day lily on the left, also in the previous photo, is a passalong, and looks to bloom before any others.  It looks like I need to thin the spiderwort in the front of the bed.  I have 2 other colors of them, as well.



Moving north:



I think I got this columbine from my sister.  She gave me the pink dame's rocket.  A friend gave me the bushy plant she called water spot.  It  had little light colored balls on it this spring, and I thought they were weird looking flowers, but then I was surprised by the lovely blooms they opened up as.



Further north:


The amsonias are growing quickly.  I just noticed I didn't get a good shot of the hubrichti.



Amsonia almost ready to bloom, with water drops:



Basket of gold in front, baptisia next to ladder, which has a volunteer morning glory under it, mountain mint on the right:


I dug out some of the grass next to the bench, and moved some plants from the yard to fill the space.  Lead plant is next to the hollyhock in the back by the fence.  I'm glad to see the rue, in the lower right, and the others I have in another bed are doing well.  I enjoyed watching caterpillars on them last year.



I skipped the area in front of the veggie garden to post later.  This is the north side of the house, where there was a dog kennel a couple feet away from last year.  I had moved the larger hosta plants that were growing into the kennel, and Heidi was chewing on, and they did not make it in the area I moved them to.  A week or so ago, I moved the smaller hostas to the front of the bed, and planted some hostas I got for a good price from the sale I was so frustrated by.  I am thankful for the good buys I got.  These were $5.00 each.



This is the east side of the back yard, where the kennel had been.  I planted asters, coneflowers, rudbeckias, and goldenrod last year.  They are growing well.



The shed across from the house, where Heidi made a huge trench digging out the plants that I'd moved from other parts of the yard, after watching most of Marley with us:



Facing north still, towards the driveway and veggie garden, there is my other rain barrel, which is waiting for gutters to be put on the shed:



The herb garden on the west side of the back yard:



Here is why Heidi was not in the pics.  She did not want to be out in the rain, and would not come when I called her, until I opened the door for her.



It stopped raining long enough to get some planting done, and then I enjoyed working in a light rain, and got Heidi to stay out awhile before retreating back to the cover of the deck.  I went through my pics and made this post while watching The Biggest Loser,which I'd been recording while in the yard.  Now, I'm up too late, and did not get blogs read tonight!  

I have the day off tomorrow, and will be watching our grandson, who has a light case of chicken pox.  I plan to take him to the grocery store, and maybe a garden center.  Hopefully, I can get some blogs read, and see what gardening others are getting done.  I hope you are healthy and enjoying outside time!

16 comments:

  1. Sue ~ Even in the rain your gardens look good, and pretty soon they'll be full of color. I love your different beds, you've done a great job with them all.

    FlowerLady

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  2. Don't you love this time of year? Everything looks so fresh and new. So much potential with all the different plants you're growing too.

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  3. Your garden is looking great even in the rain.

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  4. Your garden looks great! I love the Prairie Smoke. Do you know the name of the peach-colored iris?

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  5. Aaaah! My head is spinning! I couldn't choose which plant or photo I love the most - it all looks great. I love the wheelbarrow, which I'm sure would be overflowing soon.
    The prairie smoke gum seed with the raindrops looks amazing - so unearthly!
    The basket shaped support for your clematis is a great choice.
    I love the combinations that you come up with. I always prefer a garden that contains plants in various combinations rather than a bed of a single variety in rows or columns...
    What can I say, Great post, Sue!

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  6. your gardens look great..love the ladybug...Heidi is so cute

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  7. Susan, you have some nice raindrop pictures. Seeing the picture of the Stocks you have planted, reminded me of my Mother, she always had them in her garden, and I am also remember the fragrance. I must go and buy some to put in my garden.

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  8. Your gardens are growing wonderfully! I love the tours that you take us on. I so remember the Chicken Pox!!

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  9. Wow Sue! You have been busy! And who's ever heard of a Lab that doesn't like to come out in the rain? I love the pic of Heidi - it makes me miss my old lab so much. I'm quite jealous of your rainy day though - yesterday was our first light rain in over a month and it barely made a dent in our rain deficit.

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  10. All of your gardens are growing so well. It is exciting seeing all the different blooms. Lots of work but worth it! Always nice when Mother Nature does the watering!
    Happy gardening,
    Sherry

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  11. It's really filling in quickly for you! I bet you are happy to see how close to getting even more you are. I love red valerian to, mine is at about the same stage as yours. Glad you gave us a tour!

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  12. Sue, Thanks for going out in the rain to capture these photos for us! Your gardens are full of beautiful plants...I can see that amsonia would be your signature plant! They are fantastic! gail

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  13. wow sue your garden(s) are coming along beautifully. i so wish i had the time to garden like you do and enjoy the beauty that it brings. i haven't even tended to trimming and cleaning my herb garden.
    do have a wonderful thursday.

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  14. Thanks for all the nice comments! Most of my irises are passalongs, and I don't know the names for them. I got a bunch of irises and day lilies about 6 years ago from a man who had a used book sale in a little house next to his that was about to be torn down and an apartment put in. I asked him about the plants, and he let me dig some iris and day lilies up for a donation. He said he used to have a business selling them, so he couldn't sell those, but they were good ones. They have turned out to be quite lovely!

    If there is water standing anywhere, mucky or clean, Heidi will be in it, unless it's rain or the shower. LOL

    Thanks again, and I am still behind in reading your blogs. Thanks for checking in with me!

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  15. Sue !!!
    Your blog is lloking great girl !
    I share so many of the same plants and the idea of a dedicated bed for hellebore is something I thought of this year (my areas are much smaller than yours though)
    I love how you combine your plants .. and I have had Prairie Smoke geum on my wish list !
    I planted Dames Rocket a long time ago and it disappeared .. might think that one again ..
    I love the picture of Heidi .. sweet loving face she has : )
    It all looks wonderful Sue !

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  16. Hi Sue, those are amazing photos from being taken inside a plastic bag! You have a grand assortment of plants and places to plant them too, in spite of sweet Heidi! :-)
    Frances

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