The Earth laughs in flowers

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I took a walk around the yard the other day. I love to garden in the spring and early summer. By August the heat and humidity seem to win out and my garden suffers, but right now, I believe it is happy.

This is the front... it is always so tempting to share the things I am not happy with (like we are in major need of replacing the retaining wall), but I will try to restrain myself and focus on the positive :).


The Japanese Maple in the back of the bed is our third and hopefully last for this bed. The cat scratched the first one to death... last year's ice storm claimed the second one. This one was part of my Mother's Day present this year. You can't go wrong with "monkey grass" - or liriope (the grass that edges this bed). It grows in sun or shade and is not aggressive. This has been here three or four years - I will thin it out in the fall. Tidal wave petunias are another favorite of mine - no deadheading and they are becoming more reasonable at the garden centers. I also love sweet potato vines. I planted the lime green ones this year (last year it was the dark purple ones).
I'm also a big fan of hostas. Some will take more sun than others. I've found if a plant is not happy, then move it and see if it can be happier in another spot.


Can you tell I love impatiens? Every year I think I should try another plant in this spot, and every year I end up planting impatiens again. Hydrangeas are a perfect flower :)



We have some tomatoes forming. Jason looks forward to those ripening every year. Tomato Basil anything...



One green pepper - it looked lonely to me.

This oakleaf hydrangea was another Mother's Day present from Jason :). I think this is its third year. I really wanted something to camouflage the big ugly metal box behind it. It grows wider each year. Hopefully I won't be able to see the big ugly metal box from the kitchen window soon :).



This clematis is growing on a trellis. I wish I had taken pictures earlier in the season when some climbing roses were growing too.



The columbines are just about done blooming. I like to let them go to seed and then sprinkle the dried seeds on the bed (and share the seeds with friends too).


Dead nettle - what an awful name for such a beautiful ground cover.



Balloon flowers are a fun plant to watch, especially if you have kids. They really do puff up like a balloon and then - POOF!

Such a beautiful bloom!

Well, thanks for looking at the yard. It was nice to be able to leave out the weedy and other unsightly parts :)
Have a great day!