Thursday, July 8, 2010

Flowers From Across the Street

I have a flower bed across the street, at the same neighbors' where I have a vegetable garden that the rabbits think is for them.  I need to do some work there, and will soon.  I am in the process of cleaning out the room in the house that is full of clutter.  I have made progress, but it's very difficult and emotional.  There have been tears of frustration, and some items I've come across bring back good and not as good memories.  I am pleased to have found the remote to the TV, some shorts that fit, and the last several years' of bone density scores to compare to the most recent one, when I find it.  Plus, I can walk on most of the floor now.

I did go out this morning to take some photos to post for Tootsie's Flaunt Your Flowers/Fertilizer Friday.

Here is the view from our dining room window:


Before the current neighbors moved in, this area was overgrown with trees and weeds that overtook the smoke tree that had been there before.  I started this bed last summer, at the same time I started the vegetable garden, which is on the other side of the garage.  Most of the plants are from my yard, but some I bought last year.  I only added three daylilies this year.  Some of the plants that I thought were annuals, came back this year.  I am still battling weeds and the trees still want to grow.  The green to the left of the knautia is a group of trees I've been clipping back.


Yes, the knautia is from my yard.


The butterfly bushes were supposed to be dwarf, and they are smaller than some, but they are larger than they got last year.


I got one of these to put in the garbage can area, too, where it is about the same size as these.  I don't remember their name.  I wonder if they are 'Blue Chip'.  I found that by looking up dwarf butterfly bushes.


I am going to have to move the 'Fireworks' goldenrod  (from my yard) closest to the smoke tree, because when I told the owner of the home that it was coming up, he asked me to let it grow.  I was glad to, because I always liked it.


I wonder how long it will take for the smoke tree to get big again.  I sure like the color!


Here's the view from the side.  These daylilies are from my yard.






There's a locust tree trying to grow here.  This is from a different plant than the similar bloom above.


Here's the view from the house side.  I need to get a plant support for one of the rudbeckias that's falling over.


The black-eyed Susans are blooming a bit sooner here than where I dug them out from last year at our house.


These rudbeckias may be 'Prairie Sun'.  They were sold as annuals.  I hope they come back next year.  The coneflowers may be 'Ruby Star'.


I don't remember if this liatris is from my yard, or if I found it somewhere for a good price.


I bought three daylilies this spring from a sale put on by our local community garden group.  The tag on this said it was red.  It's more orange, but I like it.


The tag on this said, 'Strawberry Candy'.  I looked up images, and it does look like them.  I'll have to get a start from it in the spring for my yard.  The third one hasn't bloomed yet.



The catmint came from our yard, too.   The small plant in the middle is a snapdragon that came up from last year.


This bed gets minimal care, and I did not water it much last year.  It's rained a lot this year, so I haven't watered it at all, except for the new daylilies, which only got watered a few times after being planted.  I'd say it looks pretty good for a two year old bed.


I've cut back the couple clumps of boltonia, and they keep growing back tallish.  They will add lots of blooms later in the summer.


When I walk back across the street, if I have my camera, I always take photos of our house and yard.


I will be back upstairs, working to get rid of the clutter tomorrow.  I would appreciate prayers for me to make good use of my time, and make good decisions about what to do with things.

If I had Tootsie's energy, I'd be finished by now.  Be sure to see what's going on her way, and see who else has linked in this week.  Oh, and be sure to read her Tuesday post.  That woman is more creative than anyone I know!






9 comments:

  1. All the flowers really look great! It's hard to believe that you just started it last summer.
    I love your house, it's so pretty. Good luck with your cleaning. I need to do some cleaning out of kids toys soon. It can be hard to let go of certain things, but I bet you'll do great :)

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  2. What a wonderful garden you have created and shared at your neighbor's house! Take care of yourself with all that work you're doing.

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  3. How nice that you are sharing your garden with the neighbors.

    I love the color of smokebush, too. I planted two of them about two years ago. I want them to get tall to hide an unsightly view.


    We have a lot of the same flowers, but yours are a few weeks ahead of mine in bloom time.

    I am looking forward to seeing the boltonia bloom because I have never heard of that flower. Maybe I just know it by a different name.

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  4. Good luck with cleaning out your cluttered room. That bed is looking really good, that is definitely Liatris (15th pic) and your Buddleia does resemble the Blue Chip from what I remember. Those Coneflowers with the yellowish green centers are really pretty. :)

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  5. Everything is so pretty and colorful -- your coneflowers look great, too! Good luck with your cleaning and organizing. I always have such a hard time starting and staying focused..I'll get distracted by stuff I find and on to a new project. Oops! :)

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  6. I really like the lilies combined with the Rudbeckias.
    Good luck with the clutter. You ever heard of Flylady? Look her up sometime. She has some serious methods going on for de-cluttering! It changed how I shop.

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  7. everything outside looks fantastic! I'm glad you're making progress inside too. It's hard sometimes to try to cut through the stuff and find old things. You end up sitting and reading old papers and all. It's definitely a process right? My husband is in Florida right now visiting his brother. He found some letters that he wrote his grandmother about 20 years ago from boot camp. He also found some letters his grandmother (who has passed away) wrote him that were never mailed. Can you imagine what a gift that is?!

    Anyway, good for you and my thoughts will be with you to be efficient, organized, and energetic!

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  8. EVERYTHING IS SOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL.....I wish I had half your green thumb....I will be Praying for you tomorrow...
    Prayers, Bo

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  9. Nice shots! you have a great yard. Wish I can also have a yard like that. Thanks for sharing.

    -yumi-

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