Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Garden

The red peonies are open, and they are gorgeous.

Obviously, they're staying.

I'm happy with most of what's around the big landscape rock in the front yard. Yes, the rock looks like an alligator (or a crocodile). I do NOT like the cement head at the tip of it. It gives me the willies and if I could find somebody to take it away, it would be out of here. I like the Deutzia at the left. I've planted a river grass (Chasmanthium River Mist) to the right of the rock, and added three Dusty Millers and a Columbine in front of the rock. Most of the flowers in the front yard seem to be pink or purple - colors that attract hummingbirds, so I'm going to stay with that theme. I'm glad the pink front door fits in!

In front of all the other stuff though, it's a different story. The wild thyme that filled this space has mostly died because of all the road salt used last winter. Not much I can do to prevent that. I'll have to see if it comes back, otherwise I'll have to find something else to put there.

To enter my house through the side you pass under the carport. I've placed a collection of pots to one side to make it interesting (and also to prevent visitors from walking into the wind chimes.)

These are mostly different Coral Bells (Heucheras), but the pot in the upper right has a Hosta, some Phlox, a Pulmonaria and a Brunnera. The giant white Irises are behind these pots.

I've filled in all the holes in the Shade Garden, and I removed the garden cloth. I was worried it was preventing the soil around the plants from getting any water and drying out. They already look better.  There are fifty plants here, Heucheras, Hostas, Carex, Lamium, Columbine, Phlox, and some others whose names I can't remember.

And I got a gas grill (situated quite nicely next to a big patch of rhubarb),

because all this work builds up quite an appetite.


6 comments:

Saku said...

I love Heucheras, they come in so many varieties and colors. I'm curious, will you be able to over winter these in the pots, or will they have to be planted somewhere/

The shade garden looks great!

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

Rhubarb! How wonderful! You've got the start of a marvelous garden. And, yes, that head is utterly creepy.

Megan said...

Looking terrific, Lynne, and it will be even better as the new plants get settled in and start to spread.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

Just Ducky said...

Lots of good work. Can you dig around the head and get it out and trash it? Mum found a cement pig here, along with a good deal other junk.

Look to see if you can find some salt tolerant plants or shrubs for near the road.

Quiltdivajulie said...

Maybe someone who is in need of working out some anger could take a sledge hammer to the "head" end of the boulder and change the shape a bit? (just kidding, but maybe not - would be easier than digging it out).

Laurel Strand said...

What kind of peony is that? I've never seen one like that. The ones I'm familiar with have many more petals, look "fluffier".