Monday, August 29, 2011

Front Yard New Bed Update for Bloomin' Tuesday

A few days ago, I took some photos of the front yard to do an update, then decided to save them for Jean's Bloomin' Tuesday.  This afternoon, I saw lots of butterflies, and retook the photos so I could include them, but then, they weren't so cooperative, so I decided to go ahead and post the photos I took the other day, then include a few from today.



This is facing the north and east:


I planted several kinds of lantana, and they are blooming nicely.


I was hoping some of these plants would grow tall to provide an illusion of privacy.  I think it worked, but I look forward to some of the perennials getting taller next year.


 The lisianthus plants of different sizes are continuing to bloom.


I am excited for the liatris plants to get larger.  I forgot how many varieties I planted, but there are at least 3 kinds planted across the front area, and winding around the top area as well.


A close up of a Mexican sunflower bloom:


 I have several kinds of persecarias.  I don't remember what kind this one is, but I'm pleased it is blooming a little.


Here's a view from the middle looking west:


Looking east from the same spot:


The dahlias sure are blooming well!  After making me look at bare dirt waiting for them to come up, they are doing their best to get me to change my mind about not growing them next year.  Plus, the butterflies are enjoying them.



Facing west:


The new clematis planted last summer had a second flush of blooms.


Lots of flowers are still blooming.


No dirt is showing here!


We've gone up the steps, and are facing west.


Heading north, I've been cutting the gomphrena plants to keep them from taking over the space of other plants, and they keep growing more.  I better not complain, though.


Facing back south and west, the lovely white flowers in the middle belong to wild quinine, one of my new favorite plants.  The grass is a switchgrass, I think, 'Prairie Wind'.  Both of these plants were only a few inches tall when I planted them.  My, how they have grown!


Facing west, there is another switchgrss across the path.


I love how tall the dahlias have gotten.


The blooms on this plant are not as full as the ones on the other plant from the same package, still, they are attractive to the insects.


A taller lisianthis:


Facing south:


South and west:


This is the wild senna I got from the arboretum.  It has dropped its lower leaves.  I hope it's OK.  It does turn a different color in the fall.


This is the one I got from Benjamin of The Deep Middle.  It was about an inch tall when I planted it.  I am so pleased it has grown so much, and is now larger than the other one.


This is a close up of the one sunflower plant I am growing.


This is a purple coneflower.


Facing north, I am pleased with the kiss me over the garden gate and love lies bleeding plants that I transplanted here from the bed across the sidewalk.  I think all the rain we had helped them get quite tall.


Agastache, 'Golden Jubilee':


This 'Jim Crocket' aster is the first of the asters to bloom, and this is its first season in the garden.


Facing west, I hope I'm not showing too many repeat views.


Facing west and north:


Turning to the east from the northwest corner of the area, the love lies bleeding plants I purchased and planted to provide shade for the front planting area, did not get as tall as the volunteers.


 This is back to the north and east edge of the area.


Here are the photos from today.  Can you see the skipper looking at us from the lantana?


I almost pulled the red salvia plants out because they struggled for weeks after being planted.  I am so glad I spared them.  I have seen a hummingbird twice, or else 2 different hummingbirds enjoying these and the black and blue salvias, as well as the agastache plants near them.  That's a 'Jack Black' sedum blooming.  I got it from Judy, from Through my Garden Window this spring.  She and Benjamin both live in the same city I do.


 I have seen a few Eastern Tailed Blue Butterflies around, but not as many as usual.


 Saturday, we bought a bird bath at the farmer's market.  It's not level, so we'll have to fix that.


 Look how much the sunflower has opened since a few days ago!


This is like one from the other day, but I am including this because the love lies bleeding looks so lovely, and it didn't make it in the one with the similar view.


What perennials should I plant in this sunny dry bed next year?  I wonder what it would be like to put grasses in there.
 

I like this part of the garden.


I normally pick the statice blooms to dry, but will leave some for the insects now that I know they like them.


I'll close with the view from the house.


I am glad Irene is gone, and wasn't as bad as it could have been, but there was plenty of loss, and it will take awhile for many to clean up and rebuild what was lost.  My heart goes out to folks affected, and I am still praying for you, and also for those affected by drought. 

24 comments:

  1. I love your lush landscape. Your plants look great!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's always a delight to visit your garden. Thank you for sharing all those beautiful photos.
    I hope you have a lovely day.

    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That really is a gorgeous Love Lies Bleeding, Sue. Your Kiss Mes are also doing beautifully, aren't they? There really is so much to see in your garden. I hope we have several more weeks of good weather to enjoy this.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the feel of your garden and how you've incorporated found objects to display some of your plants! The wrought iron work, pans and pitchers...all a pleasure to see. I especially love the round wood stepping stones. Are they cedar or from a tree in your yard perhaps?
    I have a huge cedar that fell-- I suppose those would make wonderful stepping stones?

    everything is so lush, a pleasant change from our burned up "HOT MESS"!

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  5. You showed 2 plants today that I've been considering for next year--Kiss me over the garden gate, and Love lies bleeding. The catalogs only show the blooms, not the whole plant-but now that you've shown them in their entirety-I'm getting them! Lovely!!
    If you have dry sun-have you considered Russian Sage? That is my most bee-friendly plant along with Cleome. I didn't have luck with it in Illinois-the soil was too clayish, but if you lighten it with sand, it would look fantastic in your yard.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful garden, beautiful pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sue, I always love to visit your garden.

    One warning about some grasses, they self-seed and then it looks like you have grass growing among the flowers! My eragrostis has done that. I may eliminate it.


    If you want some fast privacy consider your persicaria polymorpha. I have a row of them screening the kitchen garden. They get about 5 feet tall tall and 4 feet wide pretty fast.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your front garden is really pretty, Sue. I love the kiss me over the garden gate, your arbor, your tub, your dahlias. You do a great job with your garden. It's beautiful!
    Hugs, Beth

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful Sue. Your place is running over with plants and blooms. Yea! I know it is beautiful from the street and bet you get slow drivers taking a look.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sue how lucky you are to have such pretty blooms as the summer winds down. You have done a wonderful job in your garden, everything is so lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  11. How stunning! I bet you just love walking up that path to the house. The new garden beds have really come along. And next year will be even better, right?! Wow!

    ReplyDelete
  12. You have a cottage garden to be proud. I noticed your Yard of the Month Sign. Congratulations!
    I still miss your shady tree out front. Are you going to plant a new one or keep to the sunny cottage garden look?
    Happy Gardening.
    David/ Tropical Texana/ Houston :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I really enjoyed all the views and look at the whole garden. I love the walk to your front door, it has such a romantic look with the spilling flowers and arch.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Man, that senna is taking off! I think it had 6 leaves when you got it from me. And I LOVE that bird bath. Which market did you get it from?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your garden is just beautiful! I'm amazed at how much you still have bloming. Some of my plants have rebloomed now that it's cooler. Jean

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful post, Sue...it must be so uplifting to walk up the sidewalk to your front door, surrounded by so much beauty! Love the new birdbath...we recently built and installed an arbor and it's leaning a bit too...drat!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for all the encouraging comments.

    The stepping rings are from the silver maple tree that was no longer safe, and had to be cut down. We can't sink them because of the roots that are close to the surface. We had a couple storms this summer, where trees were uprooted and fell on houses and garages, so I'm glad the tree wasn't there. The main branch that was unsafe was over the house, so even though we do miss it, it is best that it is gone. I've heard that you shouldn't plant another tree for 5 years, and it should be 5 feet away from where the previous one was. It would also need to be 8 feet from where a sidewalk would be, so I'm thinking we won't have a good spot for another tree. There are lots of huge trees in the neighborhood, so we can enjoy them, and rake their leaves in the fall.

    I have some Russian sage that is not in a good spot. I wonder if it could be transplanted in the spring. I like the idea of having it in front of the house.

    I have persicaria in a spot where it will provide screening from the east.

    We got the bird bath at the Haymarket Farmer's Market from the people who have brightly painted items made from farm implements. They are on the south and west side of the main area. I noticed rust in the bowl of it. Larry said he thinks it was already there before they put a seal on it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. So much color in your garden, Sue--lovely! Your dahlias are expecially beautiful; I've never had much luck with them here, but perhaps I should try again. Your garden must be filled with butterflies enjoying so many tempting treats.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Such wonderful colour goin on in your September garden. Great overall shots, Sue, so lovely to see them.

    Have a wonderful weekend,

    Diane

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fantastic garden tour, Sue! Gorgeous blossoms! I'm just green with envy over that iron fence!

    ReplyDelete
  21. wow, that's a lot of photos and a lot of beauty shared. I love your house and gardens!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Sue, beautiful picutres as always! Your flowers insipire me. It has beeen so awfully dry here, that even my established perennials are struggling horribly. We FINALLY received a half inch of rain yeasterday, which I think was our first good rain in a couple of months. Keep up your great work!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I missed this post earlier. What a delight it has been to share in this extensive stroll around your garden. So much beauty and such a difference from the way it was at the end of your winter! Your new beds have done so well! I suspect you hardly missed your tree? It's so good to see the logs and disks you saved from her. They really do add to your garden design!

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.