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.

Beauty all around: Garden Blogger's Bloom Day

Welcome friends!

I garden and live in Eastern Washington state, zone 5b.

We are in the middle of a May heat wave this week, with weather in the '70's.

I am surrounded by beautiful flowers today, and loving every minute of it!

 

'Mariette' tulips and 'Prairie Smoke' geum

When I put the geum in last summer, I didn't realize they would bloom at the same time as the tulips. I am pleased--I think they complement each other well.

I don't have this labeled anywhere.

Anyone recognize it?

 

Geum 'Totally Tangerine'

One advantage of our lawn being under construction for the 2nd year is that I get to enjoy these dandelions as much as I want to. And, I'm not trying to brag or anything, but our dandelions are some of the best I've seen. They have huge, vibrant 2-3 inch blooms, packed tightly together.

Yay dandelions! (for now....)

 I put in these tulips along the top of the garden wall just last fall, thinking they would give me a boost while I was waiting for vegetables to grow and fill in.

I was right.

Our neighbor said they look fake--they're too perfect. Ha!

I'm loving them up there.

I hope they come back again next year.

 



Brunnera, in the shade bed.

Daphne 'Carol Mackie' and daffodils

Those tiny pink flowers smell heavenly.

 

 I discovered these tulips when I started pulling everything out of this bed under the windows. They didn't bloom last year; must have been too choked out by the weeds.

I am planning to move them to the front flowerbed.

More tulips and daffodils.

[sigh] I love spring.

Mini tulips, with corkscrew rush in the background.

English laurel with blooms just beginning to pop.

 

Creeping phlox, muscari, and a few more mini daffodils.

The phlox was an addition last fall.

Candytuft and daffodils, front flowerbed.

 Deep purple columbine with more of those 'Mariette' tulips in the background.

 



Apple blossoms!

My son counted 21 apple blossoms this year.

I'm hoping that far fewer blooms will mean that some apples will actually grow to maturity this year. I know. Hope springs eternal.

 

Speaking of eternal hope...we've got all kinds of construction projects about half-way done right now--deck, garden expansion, shed porch, etc. Here's hoping they all get done in the next few months!

 

April Flowerbeds: Shade

 April 14

 

Things perking up a little back here in the shade bed.

 

The brunnera is putting on some growth.

Columbine and heuchera going strong.

Still mostly quiet, with little splashes of red.

Shade Bed

First, I should say that this is a mix of pictures: some taken 3 weeks ago (before frost), and the more colorful foliage from 1 week ago.

 

Red-twig dogwood, looking lovely this fall.

I love the variegated colors of the leaves.

Such a good-looking shrub.

 

On the left, columbine, added from VW Gardens.

Actually, all the additions to this bed were gifts from her.

Thanks, again friend!

 

 Neither of my dicentras came back this year.

Of the 3 ferns I had planted, only 1 has survived.

So I added another columbine to the right of the pink heuchera.

Also, this little hosta replacing one of the ferns.

 

These 2 hostas were already here from last year, as was 1 tiarella, and the brunnera, hanging on.

I added the 2 purple heucheras, plus 1 lady's mantle.

I even managed to cut back the grass threatening to overtake the bed.

This has been my most neglected flowerbed this year.

I tried to get back to water it during the hottest parts of the summer, but for the most part, it just chugged along on its own steam...or not, in the case of the ferns.

I'm excited about the added color from the heucheras.

Also, that I know they are tough and should survive.

 

I had forgotten how the hostas change colors in the fall.

That banana yellow next to the heuchera is so pretty!

I can see them from my kitchen window, and it's such a bright little spot back there in the shade.

These 2 aren't quite as yellow, but still set off the other foliage quite nicely.

 

Maybe next year I will spend a little more time back here.

There is hope, since the front terraces are all filled in now.

Irises, Dandelions, & Forget-me-nots: May GBBD

After about 10 days of pretend summer, we're back to the usual May temps in the 60's.

I'm not complaining!

It's perfect weather for working and playing outside.

 

What's blooming this month in my garden?

Let's take a look...

 

Front Flowerbed

A shy forget-me-not peeking out from behind the daisies.

I thought I had moved all of these to the back.

Oops!

 

Candytuft

 

Back Flowerbed

Irises

I always forget how tall these are in bloom.

Long-range plan is to move them out of this bed and plant them in front. I can just picture how elegant their long-stemmed blooms will look against the retaining wall up there.

 

Dwarf flowering almond

Just planted last fall. It's supposed to grow 4-6 feet tall and wide.

These blooms look like tiny pom-poms.

 

 

Back slope

 

Although tulips are done in the back flowerbed, these ones on the slope are still looking vibrant and beautiful.

Nice crop of dandelions this year.

 

Shade Bed

 

Violas still blooming, along with a few mini daffodils and another forget-me-not.

And of course, more dandelions.

 This little forget-me-not has my vote for favorite blooms of the moment.

 



Very glad I didn't kill off this Brunnera last summer.

I am charmed by the airy, diminuitive blooms on this plant.

The foliage really stands out, as well.

I would like to add another if I can find the space for it.