A Few Little Additons, & 4 Big Ones

 

I decided 2 of my containers needed a little something more:

 

This one was looking a little bare between those petunias:

[Before]

So I added a few Asparagus sprengeri.

 

 

[After]

Aah, much better.

 

I have no pictures to show for this one, but I also added another sedum to the succulent boat.

A Sedum acre 'Aureum', (Golden Carpet). It looks good. Trust me.

 

I also added Ipomea, petunias, and lobelia to the front flowerbeds, and portulaca to the back.

 

* * * * * *  * * * *

As for our big additions, my husband had mentioned to me a couple of times that the top part of the slope above the garden needed a little . . . something. It has some big bushy lupines, a scattering of daisies, and the rest weedy grass.

 

So I got 4 big shrubs to put up there, all of them American Highbush Cranberry, or Viburnum trilobum. (Our first choice was staghorn sumac, but the ones at the nursery looked so ratty I just couldn't bring myself to buy them.)

 

Can you see how steep the slope is right here?

We dug them in deep and far, slipping and sliding all over the place, but it still looks like it's about to slide right on down the hill.

 If they survive (this is sometimes called the Hill of Death, after all), they should grow up to 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide. I don't know that I would let them get them that tall, but not to worry, they can pruned to control size and shape.

They are supposed to adapt well to a most soils, and bear edible berries in the fall--although not the same cranberries as are sold commercially, I found out. Not even the same species!

Deep red fall color, with red berries persisting over winter.

I'm not completely sold on eating the berries, but I'm hoping these shrubs will add some much-needed structure, color, and interest to that part of the slope.

 

If they survive.

I'm really trying not to get too attached at this stage in the game; I have learned by sad experience with this slope. I have been watering them, and I'm hoping the rain we had last night will do them a whole lot of good.

Flowerbed Tour: Shade & slope

Shade Garden, May 5:

 

Overview: from the far end down

 

Brunnera leafing out, with a few mini daffodils.

Lady's mantle and heuchera slowly getting bigger.

 I finally ripped out that sickly fern.

This columbine was from a neighbor--they were going to rototill the spot where it was at and offered it to me. I knew columbines could live back here, so I gladly took it!

 

One of the heuchera's from VW Garden. 

 

Heuchera and columbine.

I love that electric pink color back here in the shade.

It lights up the whole bed!

 

Red-twig dogwood, also taking its time to leaf out.

  

Overview: this time from the yard end down.

 

May 23:

 

Overview: everything filling in, including slope grass encroaching!

 

Columbine in bloom.

The one the left must be a doubled form--it hardly looks like a columbine.

I love how the one on the right has 2 different colors of flowers on the same plant.

Pulmonaria ("lungwort") also a gift from the neighbor's.

It settled in very quickly and has already grown new leaves.

You can also see the hosta starting to leaf out.

Heuchera and violas.

Those little violas are from last year's plants.

Awesome!

The lilac bush.

Still no blooms, but it looks healthier this year than it has in the past. 

 

Slope: May 5

 

Tulips along the top of the garden wall.

 

Daffodils between the garden and the aspen.

 

and...May 23:

 

So cheerful. Glad they came back this year.

Frosting, part 2

We've had several days and nights now of icy fog, with temperatures cold enough that the frost hasn't melted off. I just couldn't help myself--I had to take a few more pictures.

Incidentally, I don't know that I've ever said that in January.

 

(neighbor's yard)

raspberry patch

blueberry bush

grassy slope

aspen tree, looking toward the house from the back slope

the biggest aspen

grass and chain link

blackberry vine against the chain link

tree across the street

hardy hydrangea

spirea

my back yard

Frosting

Before we get to the good stuff (pictures, as always), let's talk about the weather.

The first week and a half of this year we had rain almost every day, with daytime temps in the 40's and 50's. At first I thought this was a totally strange trend, but looking back to last year, apparently there was a similar warm snap late December. So maybe it's an annual phenomenon.

In any case, here we are with no snow. In January.

Obviously, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around that.

I have snowflake decorations that are languishing in the box, because it seems a little odd to have snowflakes inside but not out.

Anyway.

 

Ice fog creates some beautifully frosty scenery.

And I am never one to turn down frosting, of any kind.

 

I ran out right after church to take some pictures, but it turns out I didn't need to hurry.

It wasn't going anywhere.

 

Front flowerbeds

 

Hydrangea and daphne

corkscrew rush

echinacea

 potentilla

 

English laurel

boxwood

Echinacea seed heads

Oregon grape

 

Back slope & shade bed

Even the weeds look pretty with some frosting on them!

back slope

children wondering if Mom is crazy

red-twig dogwood

heuchera

grass on the slope

Winter wonderland, indeed.

Happy January, friends!



Flowerbed Tour

Mostly this is of the back flowerbed, along the house:

 

April 2 & 3

I put this one in to help me remember where that patch of tulips is, so I can move them before next spring. I couldn't remember for sure when I planted the potentilla.

They are definitely crowding each other, but there's a big bare spot just to the right that would work nicely for the relocation. 

 

Looking toward deck. 

 

 Earliest mini daffodils blooming, tulips just coming up.

 

Some white mini's peeking out.

Love the 3 to a stem variety--will have to look up the name.

 

back slope (shady side) crocuses, plus a tulip coming up

I'm quite happy with how things are shaping up, in the back flowerbed particularly.

I plan to get a few annuals to fill in after the daffodils are gone, as well as a few more perennials to fill in between the shrubs for summer/fall color.