General Progress, Warm Nights Ahead.

Our overnight temps are going to remain steady near 50 this week, so some serious growing will be going on in the garden. I can't wait! I spent some of the nights this week putting the finishing touch on some of my garden beds. I thought I'd share--these should make fine before-pictures in just a short time.

I dug out some sod along our new fence on Mother's Day, and plugged in some roses. Day before yesterday I tucked in some annuals around the roses, and added some mulch. I added petunias. I know I'm going to regret this, but I had to try it. I've mentioned before that petunias drive me crazy, dying mid-summer and looking down-right garbage-y after the rain. But they impact of the huge white flowers is unmatched by any other annual that maintains a low growth habit beneath the roses. Many of the roses I've planted here I have not had in the garden before, and thus have not seen their color. Having a nice neutral annual beneath was my desired goal. Additionally, I added some annuals I grew from seed in the house, including snapdragons and celosia "red velvet,' as well as ice plant (proper name is just slipping my mind right now).
As of last spring this space below was lawn with a burning bush in the middle. I started with a small kidney bean shape up front, filled with lilies, bee balm, hostas, lamb's ear, bleeding heart, and daisies. last fall I extended the bed back, and this spring, after the fence was put in, I extended it all the way back to the fence. Lawn is overrated. LOL. This picture is front the front sidewalk:




This is from the middle of the bed, still facing the backyard. Poor 'distant drums' is surrounded by bare root roses for now. She looks loney, but there's another rose, 'proud land' about to bloom in this bed soon.

This is from the picket fence looking toward the sidewalk.

Another shot of rose, "distant drums,' with campanula 'blue-eyed blonde' and spirea 'firelight' at her base, and hosta 'sum and substance' and 'fried bananas' to her side, as well as weeping norway spruce (a $33 healthy walmart find) to her rear.

I've made some progress on this portion of the yard, too. I moved this arbor from a different spot in the yard. I've added one Peace rose at the base and 3 climbing roses, 'Gertrude Jekyll,' 'Cl. Queen Elizabeth,' and 'Cl. Blaze,' with two clematis, one multi-blue and one unknown --but blooming soon, so we'll know. These bright red non-stop begonias have been supplying the eye candy until the roses and clematis take off. I underplanted with sedum, primrose, johnny jump up, dafs, hyancinth, delphium, peony, and coleus. You can't see it all yet, but you should be able to soon. I can see this arbor so well from my living room and dining room, so I'm particularly anxious for it to bloom! I had to stick in this stepping stone, as I kept slipping in the mud from the hose. LOL.

I've found the birds love having this arbor here; its near some birdhouses, and also their feeders, so there's always a bird perched on this thing. Love that.