Last week, in addition to painting our cabinets, I went crazy and did some landscaping to our back yard. The beds were barren, the weather was beautiful and there were all kinds of plant sales before Mother’s Day. So I took a couple days and with a little help from friends, I turned out all the dirt in the beds, added peat moss and compost, and planted about 30 different flowering plants.
Here is what I came up with!
As you walk in from the side gate, you see some Calla Lilies and Irises blooming on either side. Thank goodness those Irises were already well-established! They would never look that full already if I had done it!
I talked to several gardeners and they reaffirmed to me what I already assumed… it takes a good couple months for the plants to expand a little and about 2 years for them to completely fill out the bed and become virtually maintenance free.
My little Kaila, followed me around while I captured some photos yesterday. She kept wanting me to take pictures of caterpillars and bugs. 🙂
Remember this?
It now looks like this! Notice the little painted planter on the left? Mother’s day present from my oldest. 🙂
When it was so hot last week I had to water everything nearly every day, but we have had a really rainy week this week so everything is showing a little new growth, which is exciting!
I also had the lawn aerated last week, then after seeding and fertilizing, and all the rain, this bald spot is now sprouting grass! Yay! It reminds me of when a balding guy gets hair transplants. It looks much the same! haha
I had to alter my plant plan a little. I wanted more immediate color and I also was realizing my plant list was getting expensive and harder to find, so I opted for some sale perennials that grow well in this zone. Like Peonies!
Until it gets stronger and the roots take hold, I had to tie this one to a skewer so it wouldn’t fall over!
This is a Shasta Daisy, I believe, and this little bud appeared this week!
This little bunch was already established in the bed, and I love that these little flowers are about to come out!
Remember this side?
Well, I didn’t have enough in my budget to get all the plants I wanted for this bed, but it turns out I didn’t need to get much! This is what has sprouted in the past few weeks!
It rained last night, can you tell?
By our shed, these Columbine (I think?) sprouted up by surprise! They must love this shady, rocky spot!
I put up some lights on the pergola, and some tiki torches around the garden. I still need some patio furniture, but that will have to come later. Until then, we will just continue to haul our dining set when we wanna enjoy dinner outside.
Just a couple months ago (not a great shot of the beds though)…
And now…
I tried choosing plants of varying size, texture and color. When they fill in, hopefully that will be more interesting to look at. I also did not plant anything lined up in a row. Flowers planted in rows is a pet peeve of mine.
Flowers (regardless of size) ready to bloom are so exciting to me! I end up checking on them several times a day… Ridiculous I know!
Here are some other pops of color that were unplanned, but I love, none-the-less.
This is English Lavender. I have several spots where I planted Lavender, hoping it will flourish in the coming months and I can enjoy it’s lovely scent when the wind blows through.
I’m an impatient gardener, but I’m learning. I feel like these flowers are my babies and they need lots of attention right now. In a couple years they will take care of themselves, but for now I’ll enjoy their little growth, however insignificant it may seem!
Rachel, it looks amazing! Be patient, they will grow and fill out and all your hard work will pay off! LOVE the peonies.
Your garden is going to look fantastic when it fills in.. You can always add some annual for immediate pop until the perennials get established.