Fall Colors out Front

My front flowerbeds are filled with delightful colors, even once the flowers have gone.

 

The front porch bed.

Oakleaf hydrangea, I knew I could count on you for some gorgeous fall leaves!

Snowball bush, with peony and Echinacea seedheads in the background.

Love it!

Boxwood, rose, and other foliage

Barberry

The guillardia are hanging on, and those lovely red tones blend in just fine.

Catmint seedheads, with purple ninebark in the background.

 

 

Plus a bonus: strawberry foliage up in the garden

 

If our winter is as mild as the weatherman claims it will be, we will be enjoying these colors for a few more months!

May Bloom Day: Geums and snowballs

Welcome, Bloom Day friends!

I don't know about you, but my list of spring chores just keeps growing, while my time to do them stays about the same.

 

I love the month of May!

Everything is so green and beautiful flowers are bursting open every day.

 

Here's a peek at my garden:

 

Back flowerbed:

 

My geum 'Totally Tangerine' really sparkles this month.

In fact, it pretty much carries the bed between tulip die-off and rose bloom.

Every year I think I need to fit a few more in back there.

 

Do you see what I see?

Huge fuzzy poppy buds! I'm so excited!

I watched a little girl the other day who, unbeknownst to me, picked some off. No doubt she was also delighted with their fuzziness. I was very sad when I found the buds on the deck later.

I have not yet reached poppy abundance, where the loss of a few buds doesn't matter, but I hope to get there someday!

Dwarf iris 'Bubbles' just starting to bloom, with hardy geranium in front.

Back flowerbed, long view looking toward deck.

The lilies in the foreground were a Mother's Day gift.

I can't remember the name offhand.

I'll have to check the tag and get back to you.

This iris is not supposed to be in the back flowerbed.

They all got moved up front, except this one.

I have no memory of deciding to leave it or plant it here.

Ah well. Now that it's blooming I guess it can stay for a few more weeks, at least.

Fruits and Veggies:

 



Strawberry blossoms.

June is coming!!

 

 

(above and below)

Tulips on the back slope.

They're all bent over following a rainstorm we had.

 

 Front flowerbeds:

 

Sem False Spirea (Sorbaria sorbifolia) with columbine.

The colors echo so nicely, it almost looks planned!

Front tulips, lamb's ears, and candytuft in the background.

These flowerbeds face north, so the bulbs here are about 2 weeks later than in back.

I like it--I get to enjoy the tulips longer this way.

Snowballs in spring.

This shrub is quickly becoming a favorite.

I'm impressed with how heavily it blooms here in its second spring.

 

A few mini daffodils.

I'm not sure which variety this is, but it is the latest to bloom of all my daffodils, by at least 10 days.

Wide view of front beds.

Okay, I had to include this shot, because you can see the iris buds better.

So close to blooming!

Any day now...

Front bed, next to the house:

My dicentra is still going strong.

It's right next to the front porch, so I get to check in on it several times a day.

 

Lovely little heuchera ('Sweet Tart', I think), with oakleaf hydrangea, astilbe, and euonymous foliage in the background.

 

I didn't include the shade bed this time, but I may get out there to take pictures for a separate post.

I have a volunteer forget-me-not blooming right now, which is just delightful!

 

To see what else is blooming around the world right now, click over to

May Dreams Gardens.

 

Thanks for visiting! See you again soon! 

Fall Colors

So my last post was all about how I'm ready to be done done done with the vegetable garden.

My flowerbeds, on the other hand, just continue to delight me.

 

Check out the fall colors I'm enjoying out front!

 

That lovely orange is a peony.

I know!

I don't remember it doing that before!

Maybe I had already cut it down in years past?

I feel sure I would have remembered that gorgeous color.

 

These mums provide a nice spot of pink right as I pull up to the house.

Closeup of the peony.

Snowball bush on the top terrace.

So pretty!

Add them all together, with the green from the boxwood and the deep brown of the Echinacea and wow! I could stare at it all day!

When I planted these I didn't realize how much I would enjoy them in the fall.

Plus, there is no work involved for me at this point, just enjoyment.

Makes it even better!

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.

Early May Flowerbeds: Front

So much in bloom, I had to do another flowerbed tour, even though I just finished the last one about 10 days ago! 

 

Top Terrace:

 

 

elderberry

 

Snowball bush forming buds!

I didn't expect it to bloom this year.

 

Middle Terrace:

 

tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils

  

 peony stalks shooting up add a vibrant color

 

Peony buds!

I can hardly wait for the show!

 

candytuft and more tulips

lamb's ear and columbine filling out



 

part-shade corner

 

One of three new columbines added to this corner of the terrace.



 

part-shade side tulips and daffodils

 

Sem False Spirea

I am loving this shrub!

The multi-colored foliage really brightens up this shady corner, and the fine texture is a great contrast to the spring bulbs' strappy leaves nearby.

 

Bottom terrace:

 



 In the bottom corner, grape hyacinths, iris foliage, and laurel provide a pleasing contrast.
 

daffodils behind the laurels

daffodils in the bottom terrace

 

by the mailbox