06/16/2010 Yard Update

I walked around the yard taking photos so NEXT year I'll know where I'm at at this time. So just bear with this non-exciting photos for a bit.

The Butterfly Garden - front Left

Front right - Gaillardia are just coming out

The cotoneaster acutifolia all have little berries or something on them.

I just love out group of three Dogwoods (Cornus Variegata) - this is their 2nd year.

The Dragons Blood Sedium is about to flower on the west side of the house (sorry - no larger shot at the moment).

The front of the house is filling in nicely - when we moved in this was nothing but gravel.

The Jolly Bee Geraniums are blooming in front AND back. And if you look one is tryign to take over the shrubs in front - Go for it!

Below is looking west in the front of the house - from left to right - Red Chokeberry, Regal Hosta, Cranberry Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculatus) is a wonderful small but sprawling ornamental shrub, Taxus brevifolia and Jolly Bees.
 

Back Patio Jolly Bees and Cotoneasters and weeds - this area was wild flowers last year and MAN - what a headache - this was cleaned up 4 days later - I'll have photos - looks GREAT now.

The Rockery is coming along great = I'll have a separate post for this complicated area with 19? different ground covers.

And from above

The Clay Garden which NOW, one week later is in 80% full bloom).

Sweet Autumn Clematis is on the move. Growing at least 3 inchs a day.

That's it for now - I'll have photos from 1 week later soon. 

Rockery as of 05/12/2010

Standing on a chair looking out from above - our rockery and what's in it.

#1 - three Variegated European Dogwood
#2 - Veronica Oltensis "Dainty" or "Mini- Speedwell"
#3 - Thymus Praecox "Red Creeping Thyme"
#4 - Phlox Subulata "Emerald Blue
#5 - Phlox Subulata "Emerald Blue - also called Little Brian
#6 - Veronica Spicata? - you bought it
#7 - Sedum Selskianum Variegatum
#8 - Veronica Peduncularis "Georgia Blue (creeping speedwell)
#9 - Dianthus Ed's Best - also called Big Woolly
#10 - 'Jolly Bee' Hardy Geranium
#12 - Saxifraga
#13 - Thymus Glabrescens
#14 -best guess is Dianthus Alpinus
#15 - three Upright Red Chokeberry
#16 - common weeds
#17 - Dianthus "Artic Fire"
#18 - Lamium Maculatum "Beacon Silver" not seen in photo
#19 - Vinca minor Periwinkle
#20 - Galium Odoratum "Sweet Woodruff" not in photo - behind Chokeberries

S Rock Wall - inside as of 4/27/2010

1. Dianthus Ed's Best

2 & 3 Saxifraga one of 440 known species commonly called saxifrages or stone-breakers. The Latin word Saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker". This refers to certain saxifrages' ability to settle in the cracks of rocks, which they may in fact wear down by bioerosion to the point of splitting.

Re-thinking the placement of those little babies all of a sudden LOL

4. Thymus Glabrescens - They grow in neutral or alkaline, dry, infertile soils, in sunny and protected sites. Pruning is required after flowering to restore their dense shape. Plant in rock gardens and flowerpots.

5. ??? best guess is Dianthus Alpinus

The tip of the S Rock Wall as of 4/27/2010

Not the best photo so I'll have to get a better one with more true color.

South Rock Wall but it faces East actually.

1. Lamium Maculatum "Beacon Silver" (also known as spotted white deadnettle and purple dragon

2. Phlox Subulata "Emerald Blue (also known as Moss Phlox, Moss Pink, Mountain Phlox) creeper growing to a height of 6 inches and covering a 20 inch wide area. According to one news story, the plants give off an odor that can supposedly be mistaken for marijuana. This has been known to cause altercations between gardeners and law enforcement personnel or criminals.

3. Sedum Selskianum Variegatum - I'll have a closer up photos of this beauty!

4. Veronica Peduncularis "Georgia Blue (creeping speedwell).

5. Dianthus  Ed's Best We call him Big Wooly

2010 Current Tasks

My friend and I have been working on a rock wall the past couple years. The first task is to add dirt to all of the cracks and crevices and this year we are planting.

I'll have more on what plants are going where at a later date. This being the first post in the blog I thought I would just type something to see what happens LOL.

This wall faces almost due east and is on the south side of the house