Flowerbed Tour: Front Beds

 

June 12:

 

Middle Terrace

 

This time I started at the East side and worked my way around towards the driveway.

Some of these shots I will also post for Garden Blogger's Bloom Day, but I thought it would be worth it to see the progression. 

 

wild daisies

 

Sem False Spirea and salvia

I love that bright green on the false spirea.

 

Coming around the corner, burgundy iceberg rose, knautia.

The big empty space in front is where the burgundy blanket flowers were.

They didn't get enough sun here, and were very floppy.

I dug them out and gave them to a friend.

salvia starting to crowded out by lamb's ears

Hmmm...one of those may have to move, or the lamb's ears may need to be cut back next year.

 

Coming on around, you can see the oriental lilies at the bottom of the picture, with dianthus, daylilies, and Shasta daisies just coming into bud at the top.

I love this time of year with these terraces!

 

Just past the daisies, we have the pink salvia, more dianthus, some purple salvia, and you can just see the peony at the top of the picture.

 

A bit more salvia and that gorgeous peony.

 

closeup of the peony 'Top Brass.'

 

That's where I stopped as far as going bit by bit along the whole terrace, but here's the view from across the street of all 3 terraces.

Once again, I've arranged the pictures left to right, if you're looking at the house.

 

 

 The part-shade corner

Middle

I really like the repeated colors.

The barberry on bottom echoes the dianthus, which repeats down the bed as well.

Here's a little closer view of about the same place, in the middle.

 

 

Then coming on around a bit.

 

For some reason, the view from the mailbox and driveway was completely neglected this time around.  Maybe I'll catch it next time. 



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.