"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A walk around the front yard.

Yesterday morning we woke to sun shining and birds singing. It sure made getting up easy knowing it was going to be a nice day. The day before I started digging up the front shade bed where the Hellebores are growing. They had gotten huge and had Bishop's weed, Ladies Mantle and all sorts of other plants growing in and around them. I think the bed hadn't been changed in 6 or 7 years and it was ready for a revamping. Knowing the weather was going to be nice I made finishing that bed my goal for the day. I was also able to do a little weeding and cutting back of some Spring bloomers. By the end of my time out there it had gotten cloudy and humid, but it felt so good getting dirty working in the garden.
The lighting wasn't very good by the time I was able to take pictures.

The Foxgloves must be close to 6 feet tall. They are covered in bees. Monarda 'Jacob Cline' is to the left. It was very tall last year and had hummingbirds at it all day. I'm really looking forward to seeing it bloom.

Baptisia has been here two full years and is finally starting to get some size and more flowers. Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber) is doing pretty well. I've had to stake it, all the rain was flattening it and causing stems to break.

Veronica 'Lilac Fantasy' is a favorite. It'll bloom again later if I deadhead it. Last year I collected seeds (about the size of dust) and they germinated very easily, although I doubt they'll bloom until next year. I plan to collect more and would love to share with whoever would like some.

Peony 'Festiva Maxima' is growing through a ring, but still the flowers are so huge they bend to the ground.

Hydrangea 'Preziosa' is getting closer to blooming.

Penstemon 'Sweet Joanne' with Spirea 'Magic Carpet' behind it. The Rose 'Iceberg' is also blooming nearby.

The butterfly garden is beginning to fill in. I planted Dill in here as a host plant, unfortunately the slugs ate it practically overnight.

Look at this new Geranium I found. 'Lawrence Flatman'. I love the veining on it.

Today we have more rain, but I don't mind too much, it'll water in my newly planted shade bed. By the weekend it's supposed to be up close to 80, and it looks like the weather coming should be much closer to our average late Spring weather.
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46 comments:

  1. Your garden looks fabulous. I bet your neighbors stop by for a look all the time. I know I would if I lived by you. Beautiful! UDG

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  2. Everything looks spectacular.

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  3. Dear Catherine, I have long suspected but am now confirmed in my belief that you are a true gardener. As your pictures show, your plants are carefully and well grown, your colour combinations are magical, your groupings of good size and appropriate, making the whole a visual delight. It is so refreshing to see and I am so grateful to you for sharing it with us all.

    Thank you so much for the very kind and thoughtful comment left on my 'Explanatory Note'. It meant, and means, a great deal to me.

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  4. Catherine...you are not a gardener in progress...you are a full fleged gardener...it looks absolutely amazing! I love the new geranium you found too. Gorgeous....and hydrengas are my favorite. Checking out your blog is always a nice break in my day...it makes me smile.

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  5. How the heck did I miss so many posts?? Love 'lilac fantasy' ~ I may have to look for that one. Not sure I could wait to germinate seeds. Your new geranium is great too. I realized not long ago that I have none in my garden so I'm going to try and fix that!

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  6. That is some tall foxglove! I really like your Flatman geranium. I've always liked petals with multiple colors. So pretty.

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  7. Wasn't yesterday's weather a blessing? I really appreciate my veronica, I have spread mine by division throughout each of my gardens. It is a great visual companion for so many things.

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  8. Such incredible growth, your plants always look so happy and your beds flow so beautifuly with well coordinated plants. The veining on the gernaium is beautiful and I'm really looking forward to your hydrangea, I'm not familiar with this variety. :)

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  9. My veronica and valarian seeds you sent are doing well. I haven't planted them out yet because I need to find a spot. They look great in your garden!

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  10. I wish I had a glorious front yard like that, though if I did, I'd never leave the house :)

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  11. Hi Catherine. I love the foliage on your Hydrangea. It looks like it has fall leaves. Your peony is just gorgeous though. I would like to try your Lilac Veronica if you have some extra seeds sometime. I cannot believe your tall and I mean tall Foxgloves are still standing. That old storm bent all of mine over and even broke one.More rain today but thankfully no storms this time. The Larkspur seeds you gave me are blooming but they are tiny yet this year. I love the deep purple colors.Thank you.

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  12. Beautiful, as always, Catherine. Lawrence Flatman is most handsome indeed. The veining is very striking!

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  13. All very lovely, Catherine. I understand well the "high" that comes from a garden job well done.

    I grew a similar Geranium called 'Purple Pillow' last year but it didn't survive the winter. I'm heart broken. This is a gem for sure.

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  14. So pretty and colorful Catherine. Always something new and interesting to see - I love your new geranium.

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  15. What a pretty hardy geranium! I love the veins, I'll have to keep an eye out for that one at the nurseries here. I am so sick of this horrible weather, but it's still better than winter in New England, and I knew what I was getting when I moved here, so I shouldn't complain. But all my seedlings that I winter sowed/spring sowed are still so tiny, I swear I can see them shivering in the cold rain.

    I would love to try your Veronica seeds. I'm sure I have some I can trade with you.

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  16. I just don't know where to begin! Everything is absolutely awesome.

    Have a beau-TEA-ful day!
    TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon

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  17. Beautiful geranium and I like the veining too. Love the butterfly garden. Catherine you have so many pretties blooming. I would love to have any seeds. Our temps are swelting heat of 95 and the high humidity is keeping me indoors. It makes me feel sick to get so hot. I hope to get outdoors EARLY on Sat morning to finish planting my new plants. Hope you have a good day. Becca

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  18. I love going through the photographs because I can really sense real life in them.... so healthy! ~bangchik

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  19. Gorgeous photos as always, Catherine~! That first image took my breath away. What a beautiful plan. I also love the Geranium. Glorious!!

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  20. While all of your photos were so lovely, I couldn't get past the first one with the 6 ft. foxglove. I can hardly imagine one growing so large...it is just beautiful :-)

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  21. I am so getting Lawrence Flatman! Love it!

    Slugs like dill. Good to know. I have never really noticed slugs before this year. This year they are eating EVERYTHING!! They completely devoured two of my pepper plants. I put lava pebbles around the other peppers to see if that would help.

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  22. Catherine it just gets better and better everytime I see the garden. My centhranthus red has just opened its first flowers today. I have to say that I like that new geranium - I've not seen that over here in any garden centre yet. The colouration in the veins certainly is intense and its one I would choose too.th

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  23. That is a wonderful geranium. Your gardens are looking so great. I like all the colors and I am always amazed at the differences in blooming time. My peonies are all gone now. I must buy some of those hoops.

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  24. I do love that Geranium but then I do have too many of them. I have red valerian but it is like a week round here and I spend ages trying to get rid of it

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  25. I am thinking of buying one of the baptistas. I just received a gardening magazine that has ten of them listed.

    That geranium looks delicious with the veining.

    Eileen

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  26. I am pleased you woke to a sunny day even if it became overcast later. The frony garden looks a profusion of flowers lovely. The butterfly garden is maturing nicely.
    It is good to have a good clear out in a bed and very satisfying when it is all planted back up again.

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  27. Super gorgeous...always a joy to visit!!

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  28. What a wonderful tour! Your garden is stunning, gorgeous and all those adjectives! :-) The foxgloves and peony -- wow!

    My monarda JC is in full bloom right now. I planted it with crocosmia 'Lucifer' and salvia greggii 'Navajo Bright Red' and the combo is great. The crocosmia should be in bloom tomorrow or the next day. Hard to photo to get the red color just right.

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  29. I love your gardening style! So many, many different blooms to enjoy packed into a beautiful cottage-y scene. That geranium is stunning, and oh, how I'd love to have that peony!

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  30. Phenomenal photos of your gorgeous gardens.

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  31. Your gardens are so lovely. They are an inspiration to me, even though I live in a completely different zone. Your gardens have the sort of "feel" that I would like in mine. Thanks for the tour!

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  32. I see some plants in your garden that I have in mine....the difference is that yours all look a lot better.

    My Penstemon 'Pinacolada Violet' should be about 18" tall, but it's only about 8" tall....pretty blooms though. Planted last fall.

    The Baptisia 'Twilite Prairie Blues' does not have pretty blue flowers like yours. They're sort of a pale, darkish purple. Not crazy about them.

    I agree with Jayne, your garden has a nice feel to it.

    donna

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  33. Catherine, you have a Riot of color over there! (That's a compliment!) ;-) If you saved me some of your Veronica seeds, I'd love trying to grow them!! Can I send YOU anything?

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  34. My Baptisia finally bloomed this year. I think it is two years old. All your flowers are gorgeous!

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  35. Thank you all for visiting! I've been so busy that I've hardly had time to read blogs. I promise I will catch up.

    Lona, Alison, Becca and Shady I will save you all some seeds. I'll let you know when they are ready to send so I can get addresses. I'm sure I'll have lots to share with anyone that would like some.

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  36. I love your garden so much. I think it's because it's the way I want mine to be, and I can never get it to look that way lol. This year is even more difficult for me, because we've had barely any rain.

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  37. Catherine, your garden is beautiful! The geranium in the last picture is outstanding!

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  38. Oh my gosh, I shouted when I saw your wonderful pictures. I MISS MY GARDEN, but YOUR garden makes me feel so good. I can enjoy it and YOU can do the weeding.

    I know that 6 or 7 years is a long time for a garden bed to remain in place, but I'd be hard put to disturb anything-especially Lady's Mantle, which is one of my favorites.

    This is lovely and I can't thank you enough!

    Love,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  39. Your garden is true eye candy. Every single flower is beautiful, looking so so great together. Love it!

    Wishing you a lovely day.
    Happy gardening!
    xx

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  40. Is there anything as lovely as the Pacific North west garden in June?
    I'm not complaining about the rain yet as I like not having to water!

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  41. Lawrence Flatman's been a favorite of mine for some years. It's wonderful to see you've "met" my dear friend Lawrence! LOL. Lovely photos.

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  42. Thats a beautiful large peony Catherine, I am envious! Your beds look quite full, its a joy to see them flowering, betty xx

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  43. It pleasant to look at your photos, Catherine! Geranium! Whoa! The veins on it is awesome.

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  44. Oh my, I want a Geranium "Lawrence Flatman". So much for not planting any more stuff this season!!

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  45. I enjoyed the tour. That geranium is awesome! I thought it was a zebrina mallow at first.

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