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.

 

End of May Views: Irises & Peonies

 

Welcome friends!

I garden in Eastern Washington state, zone 5.

 

Usually there is a lull in my garden around this time of year: the spring bulbs have all finished and the roses have yet to start. This year has been a little different. A warm spring has brought about early roses blooming, and my poppies really stepped it up this year to fill in that gap.

 

Must have more poppies! 

 

p.s. Just heard a loud thunderclap. Guess I won't have to water tomorrow! Yes!

 

Back Flowerbed

Back bed overview, deck looking to fence.

'Yellow Topaz' rose blooming early

I love the scent of these roses, but they shatter so easily that I don't try to pick them any more.

Mockorange starting to open up.

Back bed overview, looking toward deck.

These penstemon right in front are bee magnets!

They are always humming every time I walk by.

I haven't seen any hummingbirds sipping from them, though I've heard they attractive to hummingbirds. Maybe I don't have enough planted.

The poppies always look really orange in pictures.

In person they're more of a peachy pink.

Either way I'm loving them!

 

Back Slope

For anyone new here, my back slope has terraced vegetable garden beds, then the rest is pretty much weedy grass, some wildflowers, and aspen trees.

These geraniums are not wild--I moved them from the back bed after we moved here a few years back. They are thriving in the dry shade on this side of the slope.

I don't even pick out the long weed grass that comes up between them anymore.

Or the dandelions, as you can see.

Wild daisies and lupines.

Isn't this one pretty?

I think my wild lupines back here are hybridizing.

I've never seen a bicolor like this one blooming back here before.

I just planted several pink ones, hoping that they will be able to live in the clay soil like their wild counterparts. (And also hoping to get some more hybrids!)

 

East-side Terrace

 

Ninebark blooms.

I didn't realize that this pretty little shrub would bloom. Bonus!

 

 Front Terraced Flowerbeds

Have you noticed how everything is terraced?

Welcome to my world!

 

The potentilla in front is always a pretty little accent to the stars of the show: the irises!

I added the alliums last summer, so I'm glad to see them blooming.

Not sure what variety they are, since they were a pass-along.

Peonies in back: 'Top Brass' (the white) and 'Paula Fay' (pink).

The white ones smell exquisite, while the scent of the pink is faintly reminiscent of a rotten potato.

Up front, the pink salvia is a volunteer from the other side of the flowerbed! 

The purple doesn't seem to mind so I'm leaving it for now.

 

Close-up of the 'Top Brass' peony.

This flower is sort of funny-looking, and I mean that in the nicest way.

White skirt, poofy yellow middle, then that awesomely ridiculous little fluff of pink on the very top. It's like a cupcake decorated by a 3 year old!

It makes me smile every time I see it!

Geranium 'Rozanne' (I think)

Front corner.

 

Now for those gorgeous irises!

 

 

More of the alliums I put in last summer.

I just love these flowers!

 

I'm not sure which variety of iris these little white ones are.

They were also a pass-along, so if you know, do tell!

{sigh}

Love it.

 

Street view.

'Rose Glow' barberry adding some color to this part of the terrace.

 

Columbine, wild daisies (yes, in my flowerbed!), and the sorbaria playing so well together.

 

Front Porch Bed 

 

 Last but not least, I've been enjoying the subtler colors and patterns of this little flowerbed, whenever I can tear my eyes away from the irises, that is!

 

Heuchera and euonymous

 

spirea in bloom

I like how the white on green echoes the foliage of the euonymous right now.

No, I did not get the both in the same picture.

Next time!

 

Thanks for taking a look around with me!

Check out other gardens at: The Patient Gardener

I hope to hear from you again soon!

Flowerbed Tour: Front

These front beds make me so happy.

I like to walk along the walls often to see what's blooming.

 

These were taken on May 23:

 

Overview, right side

I can hardly believe how tall the peonies have grown this year! (middle terrace)

They are twice the height they were last year, and all three loaded with buds!

 

Overview, middle

I like the contrast of the barberry on the bottom and the elderberry on top.

 

Overview, left (part-shade) side

I need to add compost to all the shrubs up front.

That little barberry is just a nub!

A pretty little nub, but still...

 

top terrace, looking toward driveway

 

I'm so tickled with this snowball bush!

Covered with blooms in its first year!

 

top terrace, looking toward elderberry

 

This was actually from May 16, I think.

Back when these tulips were blooming.

 

Middle terrace, May 23

Everything filling in, a few tulips.

 

Lamb's ears getting huge!

Plus, tulips, salvia, and columbine.

The tulips on this corner must get the most shade: they are last to open and last to be done.

 

middle terrace, part-shade side

I had to cut the 'Burgundy Iceberg' rose way back this spring.

I was afraid I had lost it at first.

I hope once the rest of the pine tree gets cut down up top, it will get enough sun to really thrive on this corner.

 

Bottom terrace, corner view

 

 A few more mini daffodils blooming at the same time as the English laurel. 

 

 closeup of the potentilla

I don't remember it even blooming last year.

I think it must be much happier in this new location.

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!