Flowerbed Tour: Shade Bed

June 12:

 

I need to figure out some kind of edging for the back of this bed.

By this time of summer, the weed grass is just about taking over.

 

columbine

 

hardy geranium amidst the grass

Heuchera, daisies, and lots of grass

fence side looking East

dogwood, heuchera, and violas

Those little violas self-seeded from last year!

Yes!

 

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.

March Flowerbeds: Shade

By the fence, looking out toward yard. 

 

Heuchera and fern 

 

Heuchera and red-twigged dogwood

New Growth:

 



Lady's mantle

Heuchera 'Georgia Peach'

 

 

March 15:

 still pretty quiet back in the shade garden

 

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.

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.