Entry garden.

This is what visitors to our house see as they walk to our front door.  This little corner bed is one of my favorites, although it's gone through quite a few revisions since we lived here.  Click here to read the post on the story of the Japanese Maple and how it came to be in our yard.  

This summer I've been continuing to work on it now that it's mostly shade again.  I've moved the phlox and sun loving perennials back out and the Astillbes and Hostas back in.  The hot and dry summer didn't make their transition very easy, but they are at least alive still and hopefully next spring and summer they'll look a little healthier.

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) and Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) are some of the spring bloomers in here.  The Bleeding hearts are still blooming, although the flowers are pretty small.

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue'

Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' beginning to age.  There are so many shades of blue on the shrub now.

The foliage of the Japanese Maple 'Orido Nishiki' is variegated cream and green, the stems are reddish-pink.

My Mom bought this handmade pottery bird feeder many years ago.  I moved it here this summer in front of the office window.  The birds seem to like the shade and safety of this corner.

Heuchera 'Dolce Key Lime Pie' is new to this area.

Another new Heuchera 'Ginger Ale' is planted near 'Palace Purple'.

A hardy fuchsia that's just loaded with buds.  I plan to add a couple more to this area.

The florists Hydrangea that my husband gave me is next to 'Nikko Blue', not as many blooms but such a pretty purple color.

Trollius 'Cheddar' smells like jasmine.  I had no idea it could smell so good.

 This has been a fun area to work in because unlike the backyard with it's dry shade in most places, this bed doesn't have cedar or pine roots to compete with.  I'm planning to add lots of spring blooming bulbs here and luckily the first bulb catalog just arrived yesterday.  I can't believe I'm already thinking about next spring, but I guess I'll have to start planting in a couple of months to make this entry colorful then.

Getting ready.

I spent some time doing some work in the garden, getting ready for our company that will be arriving on Wednesday.  I always want it to look as close to perfect as I can get it.  I'm sure no one else notices the weeds, plants in need of dead heading or empty spots like I do, but still it makes me feel better if I can get it done.

Rose 'Iceberg'

Echinacea 'Fragrant Angel' has it's first flower opening, I didn't notice any fragrance yet.

My favorite pink Penstemon which returned from the dead.  It was dried dead sticks after this winter, but I decided not to be as ruthless as I usually am and gave it a chance.  I'm so glad I did!

Cosmos 'Sensation' and Phlox blooming in the dry and hot driveway garden.

Coreopsis 'Limerock Ruby' -  Grace mentioned it in a recent post and I commented that the only reason I hadn't bought it this year was because I hadn't seen it.  Well here it is, I found it this weekend.  Let's see if it survives winter this time!

Dahlia 'Pretty Lady'

Dahlia 'Love Parade'

Today is housework day, but I'm sure I'll make my way outside to the garden sometime.  There's always something more fun outside to do than dusting, vacuuming or cleaning the bathroom!

Park art.

Last week on one of our hot sunny days my sister and I took our kids to a spray park not too far from where we live.  A spray park is a large area with lots of fun sprinklers  and water spraying up from the ground.  A great way to cool off for kids and adults!  They also had a playground and petting farm there which the kids enjoyed.

Like most gardeners I was looking around at the flowers.  I noticed this beautiful planter right in front of the spray park and next to the playground.

It was about 10 feet long and 4 feet tall on each side.  The center had a large sculpture of children.

It is ceramic tile and must've been inlaid by the artist.  I just love all the birds, insects and flowers.  Each of the four sides were different.

It was filled with colorful annuals.  I wanted to get a shot of the whole thing, but people were sitting along the sides.  I'm sure they were already wondering what I was doing taking pictures of it.

I just love that a city park spent the money to have this beautiful piece of art put in an area where children play.  It will be colorful year round, and I'll be interested to see how they plant it in other seasons.