Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Our huge plants

Last weekend we did some planting of annuals, weeded, and mulched.  It was exhausting!  While we worked, I was thinking about how different the planting areas look this year compared to 2009, when we planted most of the shrubs and perennials.  Check it.
Front in 2009:
Front in 2012 (yep, we swapped the barberry and euonymus):
Sunjoy Gold Pillars in 2009:
Sunjoy Gold Pillars today:
Roses we planted last summer:
And today:
The first rose of the season - so beautiful!
Hostas in 2009:
Hostas today:
We had quite an issue with these Endless Summer hydrangeas...the right one didn't like being in the sun back in 2009:
So we moved it back against the neighbor's garage last summer:
And now the one we moved is totally doing better.  Seriously?  I think they just like to mess with me.
I was so excited to get a Dappled Willow when we first started planting, here it is looking like a peanut in 2009:
And here is the monster now!  
I have no idea what happened to the Sedum next to the wine barrel planter...it looked great last summer:
And now, it's all puny compared to the others, when they were all planted at the same time.  What the heck?
When I planted this Knockout Rose in 2010, I had a feeling it would take over the Salvia in no time....
That is absolutely what happened, but the roses are so pretty, I don't really care.  Plus, Salvia stinks like cat pee.  Is that just me?
This ugly Buckthorn was an impulse buy in 2009. It has slowly died back over the last few years, and this summer we finally kissed it goodbye.  Thank goodness.  
In it's place, we planted a 'Golden Spirit' Smoke Bush.  I've always wanted one of these, and the foliage is gorgeous!  I plan to plant some contrasting annuals around the edge of the planting area until it fills this space out - it can grow up to 8 feet wide.   
One of my favorite things about this time of year is my neighbor's perennial garden next to our patio.  But I'm sort of terrified of the poppies....they look very 'Feed Me Seymour!'
I got to see one shed it's shell today.  Creepy.
Another perennial I am always excited to see is my prized large leaf hosta...everyone wants it, but it's mine.  All mine.   
While the Annabelle hydrangea we moved last summer hasn't gotten much bigger, it is looking really healthy and I think it's going to thrive in the new location.  This was taken right after the move:
And today:
Now we just need to do something about that awful flexible downspout.  And all the other random junk laying around our yard.  Hopefully I can get it all done before baby appears.  Wait, never mind....that is what my husband is for!  PS - this hose is awesome:    
We got it at Menards for $35 and it's worth every penny, it winds and unwinds smoothly and really doesn't kink!  Plus it color-coordinates with many of our shrubs.  That is important, you know.

12 comments:

  1. beautiful! i love all your plants! we bought some tiny on sale roses and one of the plants already has a few blooms! i am so excited!

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  2. I wish I could grow hydrangeas, but they don't do well in this Texas zone. They are beautiful though.

    Have you thought of putting a rain barrel where the down spout is? I've done this, and I never have to use my "regular" hose for watering my plants (only for running the sprinkler).

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  3. Wow -- they've grown so much and look beautiful! It's so hard being patient for that stuff!!!Your yard looks great!

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  4. You are so funny! Love reading your blogs because your humor and sarcasm are top notch. You make me smile. Heck, you make me laugh out loud!!

    Your baby will love you!

    B.

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  5. Wow it all looks so great! I'm impressed you know all the names too. I call my plants things like, "the spikey one", "the one with the little purple flowers", or "the grassy one"!

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  6. I am extremely jealous! It all looks great!!

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  7. OK I'm seriously taking my but to Lowes / home Depot and buying pretty plants and flowers for our backyard! I was planning on only buying a few but i'm loving all the pretty colors in your backyard, side areas etc! Thank you for the extra motivation I've been needing to plan MORE :)

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  8. Everything looks great! I love seeing the progress of gardens over the years. Perennials are the best.

    Also, I think I need that hose. Ours is terrible.

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  9. A black daphne would look great under your smokebush. I've been eyeing that Cotinus as well but don't have room for another tree.

    Everything looks great! (And salvias definitely smell like pee.)

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  10. I'm jealous! I just kill plants. We got a bunch for incredibly cheap at a plant sale last weekend, and I'm trying really REALLY hard to keep them all alive this year. Wish me luck.

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  11. It looks great! Loving all the greenery. I planted a few things myself in the front yard. Just some plain ol' annuals but most of them are already dried out. Damn you Florida heat!! :(

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  12. Congratulations to you and soon to born baby. Cheers!

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Thanks so much for reading....your comments mean a lot to me!
Sara