Hostas, heucheras and ferns are just some of what is looking good right now. I've realized that my backyard seems to be at it's best in the spring, while once June arrives the front yard takes over in being my favorite part of the yard. I've tried really hard to make the back yard lower maintenance and focus more on foliage rather than flowers.
The Ligularia 'Othello' (behind the Hostas) has finally gotten too big for the slugs to destroy.
The ground cover with small white flowers is Sweet Woodruff. It has spread like crazy around the back of the pond. It's pretty easy to pull up in places I don't want it, but right now it looks so nice covered in those tiny white flowers that I just leave it alone.
To the left of the pond it's beginning to look like a jungle. There are several shrubs along the back - Hydrangea 'Limelight', Ninebark 'Coppertina' an American Beautyberry 'Profusion' and more. In front of them are Daylilies, Coneflowers, Oriental Lilies, Penstemon, Hollyhocks and lots more.
A fairy waiting for Geranium 'Rozanne' to bloom.
Astillbes are getting huge and have lots of buds on them. Lots of purple Columbines are blooming across the pond.
This is the view from the deck just outside our family room.
Not the greatest picture, but I wanted to show one of the Spotted Towhees that hangs out regularly in the birdbath under the apple tree next to the pond. Right now you can hardly see the birdbath because the plants around it are so big. This pair of Towhees must be nesting nearby, at least one of them is in the yard most of the day. They had splashed most of the water out, so I guess the good side of the rain is that it will get refilled.
I noticed that the two pairs of Chickadees that had been working on nests in birdhouses, one being the one behind the pond, haven't returned for a couple of weeks. It seems like this crazy spring weather finally made them change their minds. This is only the second year in the 12 years we lived here that there aren't any birds nesting in our yard which is disappointing.
I know many people are having terrible storms and tornadoes to deal with right now. I hope everyone is staying safe. Let's hope that this strange spring will soon be on it's way so we can enjoy being outside again.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.
The heuchera in the foreground of the first photo is a real sun spot!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful oasis you have! It can be difficult to schedule flowering throughout the season! I think you've done it well when it comes to flowers of spring!
ReplyDeleteI'm not so lucky that I have the pond in the garden yet, but who knows what the future brings:)
I love plants with beautiful leaves, like Heuchera, Hosta and ferns!
Good Afternoon Catherine, I think your garden/pond are prettier this year than ever before. It looks spectacular! I wish we could share some of this GA heat with you. I hope your peppers will do very well. Have a good night.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous! Oh my! I loved the tour.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thrilled I can leave a message here. I know it because my identity shows up at the bottom. Yeah!
ReplyDeleteThe pond is breathtaking. So beautiful Catherine. The foliage is so striking all around and the plants are getting so big too.
Your pond looks fantastic! Really inviting and so much lovely color... Larry
ReplyDeleteWauwwwww....your garden looks so so so wonderful now !!...love Ria...xxx...
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for a few months now and am enjoying the seasonal progess pictures of your pond. So much so that I want to put one in - although smaller - next year! Thanks
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for a few months now and am enjoying the seasonal progess pictures of your pond. So much so that I want to put one in - although smaller - next year! Thanks
ReplyDeleteCatherine, your pond area is looking fabulous! Everything is so lush and green, it just gives the impression of abundance. I like that you have so much variation in plants, but not that many plants blooming in your pond area right now. It radiates a very calming and peaceful feeling. Lots of green is so soothing for the eye and the soul.
ReplyDeleteChristina
Oh Catherine your pond garden is looking so beautiful. The colored heucheras add so much color to it. The Sweet Woodruff looks so pretty cascading along the pond. Everything just looks so lush. They must be liking all this rain. I see the Fairy is watching over the pond. LOL!
ReplyDeleteTowhees are so pretty. I have a pair nesting in the woods somewhere and I see them looking for food at the feeders and along the woods.
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteEverything in your garden looks so lush and big. Your Rozanne puts mine to shame and as always your pond is my favorite!
Eileen
It is quite a paradise full of all that lushness. You've done a great job with all the foliage-so many colors there is interest all around.
ReplyDeleteThe area around the pond is looking so stuffed full right now! Just the way I like it. And you have a great view of the pond from the patio door. The slugs just love my Ligularia, I despair of it ever getting big enough for them to leave it alone. I like that sweet woodruff the way it fills in with a cute little twinkly white flower, but I've heard it can spread aggressively, so I've been afraid to put any in my garden.
ReplyDeleteWe had a spotted towhee at our feeder this morning. Actually, I didn't know what it was until I saw your picture.
Your pond area is looking so lush and full! An oasis for the gardener and birds alike. Do you have a waterfall? I see something that looks like water movement on the far side but I can't be sure.
ReplyDeleteThe Gardening Life
What a beautiful backyard escape you have! Those Hostas are huge and amazing and so lush. This is the sort of place I would love to end my day with a glass of wine in hand. Beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's just beautiful - the pictures just sing 'spring' at your house.
ReplyDeleteCatherine,
ReplyDeleteThe fern with the hosta make a wonderful setting and great photos! Much nicer than last year for sure.
How lovely - I really enjoyed that tour around your pond! You have a wonderful mix of different interests with the colorful foliage, the birdbaths and bird feeders. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I'm so jealous of your pond...your ferns and hostas look so happy! I was surprised this morning to see my first bloom on 'Rozanne', so I bet yours isn't far behind!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a perfect place to sit back and relax
ReplyDeletethe pond looks just perfect - straight out of a magazine! love those variegated hostas!
ReplyDeleteMay is definitely a beautiful time in your garden. The pond area looks fabulous. Your hostas are so big and lush. Everything is big and lush. I can see why you needed to grab the camera. This eye candy is too yummy to pass up. :)
ReplyDeleteLooking wonderful!! Your variegated hosta is unbelievable. :)
ReplyDeleteYour pond is beautiful Catherine. So relaxing and inviting. I wish I could sit out there, with a cup of tea and my camera. Oh yes, lovely indeed!
ReplyDeletexo Catherine
It is so beautiful! Everything is so well established and happy! I can't believe how big the columbine flowers are too!
ReplyDeletehttp://milepost8.blogspot.com/
Beautiful lush foliage and colours.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask what the tree is in the second to last picture, that is just leaf budding now? I like its form.
Oh my, you have a little bit of paradise in your backyard. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteReally 'show garden' quality; beautiful and such a variety of plants!
ReplyDeleteThe planting around the pond is so incredibly beautiful, I can look at the pictures for an eternity and just enjoy the color combinations. A truly successful area in your otherwise also beautiful garden / gittan
ReplyDeleteI'll take good foliage over flowers anytime. Your first photo is fabulous. The hosta/heucheras look great. I know you have a rubber liner and that makes such a difference in making the thing look natural. I do believe I need to find the flat stones and plant a the edge of the stone as opposed to planting at the edge of the pond. Good work!
ReplyDeleteGeeze Louise! What an incredible oasis! It is so lush and colorful and inviting! Such an amazing place to look at and spend time in and watch grow. WOW.
ReplyDeleteI love all the mix of plants, pots, stones, birdhouses, trellises, and hanging pot holders - it's just gorgeous, all of it. Can't wait to see the front yard as summer kicks in!
Thanks everyone for stopping by! Another day of rain is predicted and hopefully I can get around to visiting you!
ReplyDeleteAlison - Yes, the Sweet Woodruff is quite the spreader. I would only plant it if you didn't mind it taking over the area. It does grow under cedar trees which is a good thing here so I let it do what it wants most places.
Lynnifer - That is actually a grafted Rose of Sharon, not sue what it's grafted onto though. We wanted something treelike that wouldn't get too big. In a couple of months it will have lots of pink flowers.
May is a spectacular month for your pond photos...I love the woodruff cascading over the little wall. What type of conditions are your astilbe growing in please.
ReplyDeleteI always have "pond envy" when I look at yours Catherine. Suddenly my tiny little one doesn't look nearly as good! I think everything you've surrounded it with only enhances it. Very, very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI've been beyond excited to have a spotted towhee in my garden this year for the first time ever. Only one so no nest but it's a start, right?
So sad the chickadee's decided not to nest. Hopefully the weather will straighten out sometime soon. I'm ready for some sun and heat too.
Your pond always looked wonderful, but this year it has come into it's own. Gorgeous. Submit some of those photos to a gardening magazine, they will be in there like a dirty shirt.
ReplyDeleteJen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
it is a tropical paradise there!!! You have done a wonderful job with this space...I wish I had a pond!
ReplyDeleteThe pond looks very inviting. I could sit there for hours upon end soaking it up. You have done a fantastic job there. Great combinations.
ReplyDeleteYour pond is so beautiful!!!
ReplyDeletePlease, please tell me how you got your Ligularia to grow big enough for the slugs NOT to destroy it! My poor little dear is being eaten to pieces, despite the egg shells I put around its base.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine, what a enjoyable 'walk' around your pond gardens. The contrasting colors of your heucheras are very striking. Great pic of the towhee tucked in safely to visit your bird bath. It's very serene and lush. Wishing you a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've seen a lot of ponds both online and in person and I swear yours is one of my absolute favorites! BEAUTIFUL no matter what the season or weather conditions.
ReplyDelete'hugs from afar'
It looks great! Do you ever have problems with large birds stealing your fish out of the pond? Do the kids try to get in it?
ReplyDeleteIt looks wonderful and lush. I love the effect of the raindrops on the pond surface. Very nice :-)
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your pond throughout the seasons. I'm really impressed this spring, I don't know how you do it. Every single hosta I've ever planted has been consumed in its entirely by slugs. The hosta on the edge of your pond don't even have a hole in them! Gorgeous! I'm rather envious of that fairy too...she looks much more relaxed and patient waiting for the flowers to bloom than I do ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, what a transformation, Catherine. It's so lush and beautiful. I'll trade you some roses for some hostas. Ha! I love them, but they don't like the heat here. I can see why you love the pond in spring. I do, too.
ReplyDeleteIt looks fantastic! I love your hostas!
ReplyDeleteO what a lovely tour.
ReplyDeleteHostas and the fern are really good.
Catherine, these aren't your photos...they're from a gardening magazine, right? Just kidding. Everything around your pool is so pretty that it should be written up in a magazine.
ReplyDeleteRemember the breadseed poppy seeds? Last spring I sowed them directly into the ground and had bad luck. Kept some of the seeds and started them in peat pots back in April. I'm about ready to plant them outside now. Hopefully, there will be a picture to share with you.
donna
Catherine - as always, it's a treat to stop by and see the progress of your gardens. Great visual interest, lush plantings with a sprinkle of whimsy.
ReplyDeleteAs usual your pond is looking great. Those yellow leaved heucheras really liven things up.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is truly lovely.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to have a spotted towhee visiting your yard.