This large bed is on the east side of my yard.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: daciab,

The string on the right was my guide for 22 new black eyed susans. My calico cat is taking a nap in the shade half-way up on the right. The big black bush in the front is a black lace elderberry. The purple flowers in the bottom of the photo are perennial salvia.

Gallardia Blanket Flower - Goblin variety. I spread seeds in the bare areas on Memorial Day.

Coral Bells. Think I need a few more to fill this area in.

Bird area with 5 varieties of sedum.

two purple clematis with my climbing rose

final one for the day...
Lily of the Valley and Peonies.
So peaceful. Wish I could sit here all day.

beautiful flowers, lush lawns, and what a view. if i lived there, i would not need a tv set.

You are so right about that view with the Lilies of the Valley and the Peonies, and looking across those fields!!!

wow, that is a big bed!!!Were you not a wee bit intimidated by all that space to fill? I never have had any luck with blanket flower. The roses & clematis look like happy companions, pretty color combo too. Love that view - those wide open fields....great shot. Pretty plants...happy cat!

Thanks


ve

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vera ellen,

bana, thanks! Funny, we don't have Internet or Cable TV at home. If the weather is half-way decent, we are outside.

Florida Farm Girl, Thanks! They were so pretty this year.

Vera Ellen, nope! Saw that big area as a challenge. Here is a 2008 BEFORE photo to show you what I had. I had a vision of what it will be soon. I hope this bed is finished next year 2013, 5 years after I started it.

Here is another before and after - about the same view from 2009 and 2012

Amazing what you did! More beautiful by the day
That walk next to the lily of the valley must be
so fragrant. Wow (toxic to pets I think tho??)Love seeing the progress...so glad your sharing with us!

I remember all those "before" pics when you were actually doing all that work!
Looks like it is all coming together well and sure is filling in good!
Love those peonies & LOV!...I can't grow either down here & I miss them along with lilacs!

Wow you have been a busy bee! I remember when you were first marking that bed. Everything is looking so good!

Beautiful pic of roses & clematis! Love the obelisk trellis in that picture! And the peonies & lov are awesome! What a walk that must be!

All I can say is WoW!! Lots of progress all the way around. I love before and afters.......you can really see the person's vision and the results of their hard work. Thanks for these photos.

ve

That view, with the lovely peonies in the front, it to die for!

muddyshoes, Thanks! It does smell wonderful in bloom. My cats and dog have never even glanced at the flowers. There is too much other stuff around to get into.

ga.karen, I barely remember when I was doing the initial work. I guess it is like childbirth - the rewards overshadow the pain.

patty louise, Thank you! Your garden is still one of my inspirations.

vera ellen,
Thanks! I love the before and after photos too. I think when things fill out this year, I will try to stand in the same spots as the before to get proper before and after photos.

theoriginalfluffy, Thanks! We like the peace and quiet. We are 15 minutes from (5 different) towns.

Absolutely lovely. The clematis and the roses are a neat combo. How I wish that I had more space to put flowers in--your yard is simply great!

Love the clematis mixed with the rose..looks like a painting.

That row of peonys and LOTV along with the view...oh shoot, bring me a cup of coffee, a lawn chaise and a pillow.

I'd love to smell all those peonies!
Mine is new and didn't bloom this year...sigh!
Maybe next year?

Such pretty progress you're making there!
Do you reseed the goblin flower each year or do some come back? I've bought blanket flower several times but it doesn't always come back. The same with pincushion scabosia for me. A couple years if I'm lucky.
I'll bet that the salvia is good at reseeding for you...that should fill some space with pretty purples!

16paws, Thanks! I was actually thinking the rose was getting overgrown and I was going to pull it out of there. I'm glad I didn't do that!

zone9lady, I have coffee and pillow. No chaise. Just old metal folding chairs. Thank you!

jvelo, they do smell amazing! It is good your peony didn't bloom! I usually clip the buds the first year so they can put energy into roots the first year. Hope you have some beauties to smell next year. I haven't reseeded the goblin gallardia until this year. They reseed themselves. But there is a bare spot where I planted the first ones. So I decided WHERE I would allow them to grow and spread seeds through that whole area. I'll let plants reseed and spread as long as they stay in the area I have set aside for them. I'm hoping by year 6, this is all very full. The salvia haven't reseeded. I'm not sure the perennial type do that. I did plant two new plants in that area this year. One to extend it a bit and one to replace one that didn't make it through the winter.

Nice.

Dacia--it looks wonderful!! What do you do to your black lace elderberry? I think I need to prune mine, but haven't yet. Does yours bloom?

Also, love your heuchera! I also have a growing collection, with about 20 different varieties so far. I just love them for color in my shade garden. The foliage is amazing!

Thanks for sharing your lovely gardens with us!!

Owie, Thanks!

88hazel, Thank you. My black lace elderberry is kind of funny. It is growing more OUT than UP. I set a rock under some low branches to try to train them to go up. :-) I do prune where they are crossing or to train it the way I want it to go. I now have more growth in the middle so I am hoping those grow into hard bark and it looks more like a bush than a vine. YES it is blooming with light pink flowers.

I ordered 6 new coral bells from Bluestone Perennials this week. I also have 8 mums coming from two different areas. My goal is to plant all of this full this year so I can have another garden tour next year.

Dacia, I remember when you first started these projects in the yard and your hard work and persistance paid off---GOOD JOB!
I haven't tried seeds for the Blanketflower but maybe I should. I know that area will look stunning when they all start blooming. So far I only have a couple of the plants in my yard.
Love watching your progress with all your projects, indoors and out.....thanks for posting them.

Very pretty. Be sure to post more pics when things are blooming more!!

I'll be back with more photos as the year goes on. Thanks, everyone.