Well this was a really a busy weekend for us, very little time to be outside in the yard. Most of it has been spent driving to and from soccer games for Sweet Pea. Her team made it all the way to the semi-finals which was pretty exciting for them. They have never made it that far before in a tournament. The other thing that prevented me from the yard was the wind and rain we've had. Our rain gauge was well over the 2 inch mark for just two days. Going outside today I could notice the plants standing a bit straighter and looking a little more green, even if they were all covered in more pine needles.
I finally found a spot to plant a Beautyberry bush (Callicarpa) 'Profusion'. It was extremely pot bound and was requiring constant watering. After all the rain it is looking really good, it came with lots of purple berries on it.
Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' which I planted to grow on the new arbor surprised me with a little flower.
A view down the freshly swept and cleaned path area. When we finally got outside today Sweet Pea and I spent lots of time raking and sweeping up a new pile of pine needles. We filled the yard waste container, the compost bin and another garbage can full. There will be lots more to come the next big wind we have. I would love any suggestions for plants along the right side of the path. In early spring the geraniums bloom and once they are done I don't have much going on.
Looking down from the other end of the path I really noticed how green it's gotten since the rain and cooler weather have been here.
The first little Japanese Anemone to bloom. I think this is 'Prince Henry' if I remember right. They spread everywhere, but don't get as tall as they should. I'm hoping that some make it to at least 2 feet tall!
I'm glad I was able to make it out for at least a couple of hours today. There's a lot of work to be done outside and I hope I'll find some time this week to get out there and do some real labor!
Hi Catherine, Congrats to Sweet Pea and her team! I can remember how my day did not feel complete until I could spend some time in the garden checking on the progress of everything. Glad you had a chance to get out this afternoon. Everything is looking very pretty. Hope you have some sunny afternoons to get out again this week.
ReplyDeleteThat path is so lovely. I think I'd plant some impatiens along side it and let them self seed at will each year. They are so lush and full and would look romantic there. You are just planting a beautyberry and I just dug one up to give away. I had two and one had to go-it was huge but came out to a new home. The berries are so pretty this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI love your view through the trellis!
ReplyDeleteBeautyberries are great plants! I'm thrilled with ours this year. You could try some heucheras on the side of your path. There are all kinds of neat varieties.
ReplyDeleteI love love love your pathway!!! Great welcome into your garden. I have Callicarpa americana and C. japonica--both are quite large...about 6-8 ft. x 5- 6 ft. Does your variety get big?
ReplyDeleteYour Beautyberry looks great with all of those purple berries. I'm thrilled mine is getting berries for the 2nd time this year.
ReplyDeleteI agree - I love Heucheras and they would look good there. I'm in love with Plum Pudding and planted 3 of them.
Tell Sweet Pea 'way to go' and congrats!
Some weather we're having but it's still a good thing. I just thought we could spread the rain out a bit more rather than get the whole winters rain in 2 days! ;-)
Hi Catherine~~ We had the wild weather too--a nice break from hauling the hose around.
ReplyDeleteYour gardens look fabulous. Absolutely inviting and peaceful. You must have been on your belly for that Anemone shot. LOL
A suggestion to extend the bloom beside the path: hardy Geraniums that bloom all season. 'Rozanne' and its lookalike, 'Jolly Bee' would shine. 'Patricia' is also a winner but grows fast and would probably need dividing every year
or so. Not such a bad thing since you'd have more. :] These geraniums don't quit until frost and don't mind part shade.
Kudos to Sweet Pea and to her dedicated mama.
Your garden looks lovely, Catherine. The paved path with garden lights on one side, and big pots on the other...looks quite nice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else..your path is beautiful. I love Candytuft for a ground cover....beautiful stand out white blooms and it's an evergreen here..
ReplyDeleteYour path with the new archway looks real pretty.
ReplyDeleteSome rain and slightly cooler temperatures do wonders for the garden, don't they? Everything is lookin' good at your house.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, as a soccer mom of four from kindergarten through college, a hearty congrats to Sweet Pea and her team! Your decking with the pots attracted my eye, what a nice height to sit and fiddle about with the plantings. I envy all those pine needles. Not the sweeping and raking, but the having. Dave's idea for heucheras is a good one. I might add some low evergreen sedums like Angelina for color contrast to red leaves too. :-)
ReplyDeleteFrances
Hi Catherine- I was really hoping that some of your rain would make it my way. The weatherman promised but did not provide! Your garden looks so lush and amazing, so nice to have some rain to re-energize everthing~
ReplyDeleteWe too got rain this weekend but not as much as you. I just love your pathway thru the arbor. Looks so inviting.
ReplyDeleteI like that pathway and all the lush plantings. I can't wait to one day visit Seattle. Some friends of ours were over last night and we looked at their vacation photos. They traveled out west and went to Seattle and Canada (including Butchart Gardens). It was so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSweetpea must have been so excited. Your anemone Prince Henry is so pretty. I love the pink. Much prettier than the light pink on my Queen Charlotte.It is sad to see the flowers begging to stop their blooming.
ReplyDeleteThe path is just beautiful, Catherine! How about some dwarf pink muhly grass on the right side?
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for the great ideas for the path. I'm already excited to start planning out what I'll do there. It's going to be hard to choose now because I can picture them all looking great :)
ReplyDeleteJanet - This Beautyberry is supposed to get around 6 feet and where it is it has plenty of room to grow. I didn't know there were so many varieties of them.
Hello Catherine. Love that Beautyberry bush (I guess the berries are inedible or they would have called it Tastyberry). Soccer is a great sport. I hope Sweet Pea keeps it up. Love your path, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine. Congrats on your daughters little league advancement. That's worth cheering about!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing about geraniums that bloom all season along your pathway. My neighbor has some that are gorgeous all summer. You have gotten some great suggestions, gotta love blogging for that. The beauty berry is one I'd love to have in my yard too if I could find a spot. It's really pretty.
I like your Japanese anemone. Hope it gets tall.
ReplyDeleteGo Sweetpea! Wonderful photos. This Ozarks farm chick labored in my acre of flower gardens on the Ponderosa Labor Day. We have been blessed with an unusual amount of rain this season. That leaves this gal trying to stay ahead of the weeds. The plants and I are all looking a little tired. You have a beautifully blessed evening!!!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful path, you have done a great job on that whole backyard. You should be proud.
ReplyDeleteThe pathway looks great! I wish I can have one like it, too! But my garden is too small it's difficult to have a nice pathway ...
ReplyDeleteThat beautyberry is lovely, those berries look fascinating. How about Alchemila Mollis along your path? It will grow anywhere and has lovely green flowers. When it rains, the leaves catch the rain like jewels.
ReplyDeleteLooking good I look forward to the arch festooned in flowers.
ReplyDeleteI love the path and archway. It looks so inviting and colorful. Thanks for sharing your garden with us.
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