Front Flowerbeds: Pockets of Pretty

 

With the unusually hot June and July we've had, the front flowerbeds have started dying off in some places. It's easy to tell which flowers are the more self-sufficient types!

I have tried to get out and water once or twice a week, but for some that hasn't been nearly enough.

So I have little pockets of pretty here and there.

Hey, I'll take it!

 

Mums started blooming early, and the coneflowers certainly don't mind the heat.

My potentilla is as tough as nails--don't let those diminutive dainty flowers fool you!

The purple bellflower, which hasn't done much for the last 2 years, finally perked up and started filling in its spot.

We've got a glimpse of phlox, a little bit of salvia, and those coneflowers in the background.

See, from this angle it's lovely! 

I'm not sure what's going on right here FRONT AND CENTER, but the dead corkscrew rush and dying peony are not what I want to see in the spotlight!

 

This is a strange angle, in an attempt to get a picture of my William Shakespeare rose blooming again.

This pocket is more interesting than pretty, with the coneflower heads and dried drumstick alliums.

This salvia, which I'm fairly certain is the 'Rose Queen' variety, is kind of a thug. However, it's so pretty and long-lasting, that for now I'm letting it do its thing.

The seedlings are easy to pull out come spring. 

Lamb's ears with dead columbine.

Just keeping it real.

Oooh, look!

We found another little pocket of pretty!

Burgundy guillardia in the front with a few more coneflowers in the back.

Heat? What heat?

[Water? What water?... wait--that's my cue!]

Despite the catmint blooms being mostly seedheads by now, the bees are still determinedly going about their business. Next year I will probably cut it back much sooner.

Ah yes. The 'Quickfire' Hydrangea.

A little loveliness all by itself.

 

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!

 

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!



Front Flowerbed Tour

I'll start by the front steps, then go on around.

Which means most of the new stuff will be at the end.

 

My Dutch iris blooming behind the salvia.

Not pictured: the daylily transplant (just to the left of this shot) which is now blooming in a deep red-orange.

Dilemma! Everything else in this bed has burgundy/purple hues.

The lily actually looks really pretty against the purple salvia right where it is, but it definitely doesn't fit in with the rest of the color scheme.

I guess that leaves me 2 options: move it to the back, or plant some more of that same color throughout to make it look intentional. I still don't know which option I'm going to take.

 

 New addition: corkscrew rush

Juncus effusis 'Spiralis'

Planted 2 of these, one on each end of the peony grouping.

I really love their "bad hair day" look, and that they'll stay green all summer.

Doesn't hurt that they are quite different from the usual leaf shapes either.

 

* * * * * * * * *

 

Moving into the newly planted part, now.

Most of what I planted here are repeats of others in the flowerbed already, to provide some continuity. Also, I bought mostly small, 4" plants this time to save money, so everything looks very far apart. But they will grow to fill in the spaces.

 

Since these pictures were taken, I have mulched the bed.

 

The columbine on the left is new.

I actually bought it for the shade bed, then read on the tag that it needed full to part sun. What? I didn't know there were some cultivars that liked sun.

Hence, it's new home.

 

Also,there is a new Echinacea 'Magnus' in back, next to the wall.

 

Going around the corner:

clockwise from back left:

transplanted daisy

Salvia 'May Night'

lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina)

Gaillardia 'Burgundy'

 



Burgundy Iceberg Rose (floribunda)

This has put out a couple of blooms since planted, and they are a deep violet purple with white edges. Very pretty. 

 

Knautia macedonica

Little pincushion flowers on slender stalks.

It's in front of the Iceberg rose.

'Stella D'Oro' Daylily

Echinacea 'Magnus' in the background

 

Clockwise from bush in upper left corner:

Sem False Spirea (Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem'):

pinkish red, fernlike foliage in spring, creamy white flowers in summer,

3-4' tall & wide

This one is not supposed to be invasive like its parent. It is vigorous, though. I have already noticed new shoots coming up a few inches away.

 

Asiatic Lily 'Tiny' series (deep burgundy) x 2, + 1 pink

I can't seem to stick with all one color, though the pink may get moved to the back flowerbed if it looks too odd there.

 

Another Gaillardia 'Burgundy' (front), supposed to grow about 2 feet tall and wide.

 

Salvia 'May Night'

 

 * * * * * * *

I'm hoping these grow quickly and start filling in by next summer.

I left some space along the wall and interspersed to add spring bulbs, as well.

 

Now we need to prepare the rest of the soil on this terrace for planting fruit trees this fall.