New Plants

So, I can never pass up a 50% off sale at Veseys.  Call me weak.

Yesterday, the plants I ordered arrived.

I put these in the front street-side bed (now known as the purple and white bed)
Blush Blend Calla Lilies (3)

and a Queen of the Night Calla Lily

I also planted three more Bleeding Heart plants around the birch tree.  I had planned on putting one where the Virginia Blue Bell plant was, because I had of course killed off yet another bluebell plant (it is a gift).  However, when I went to plant, lo and behold, the blue bell lives!    So, this year, I've set a record.  3/4 Bluebell plants have lived.

I added another Hello Yellow Butterfly Flower to the butterfly garden.

In the "rock garden" I'm creating, I've added two different plants:

Abbeydore Stonecrop

Summer Glory Sedum

In the morning glory bed on the south side of the house, I've planted Coral Bells in front of the morning glories.  I liked the idea of all the morning glory color followed by the coral bells color.

Further down in the same bed, in a more shaded area I planted five Bressingham Blue Hostas.

Veseys tossed in a couple of freebies as well.  They sent a Sarah Bernhardt Double Peony.  I put it in a huge planter and will put it on the back porch.

Irises

As each of the iris opens, I'm pleased.  These were the ones I collected last fall from various free sources.

Misc

The magnolia tree in bloom on Mother's day.

My hanging baskets on the porch.

Apple tree in bloom

First Iris and Interesting Apple Tree

Love how this is making a little room/arch.

First iris has opened.  These are the ones I got via freecycle last fall.

Front walkway

Today, thanks to my beloved husband, we came close to finishing the front walkway.  I'm having more dirt delivered on Tuesday to fill in around the stones.  Then, it will be time to plant the Hidcote Lavender.  Between and around the walking slabs, I'm putting in Magic Carpet Thyme.

Before

In Progress

I made some progress on the irrigation system.  I just need to run to Lee Valley on Monday to pick up a few more 5/8 inch T-connectors.

Started weeding the south side walkway and Morning Glory bed.  I've ordered Bressingham Blue Hostas to go along the side of the house.

I also managed to weed the bed with the Euonymus bushes in it, straighten out a bit of the ivy and weed the area where the rock/succulent garden is going.  I've never done a rock garden and we had this one little area that is a pain to mow, so I'm exploring rock garden ideas.

Progress

Made tremendous progress on the garden today.  I put in 5 ten-foot gutters, filled them with dirt and planted four of them with strawberries, some of which were transplanted from the old-and-tired strawberry bed.  I also planted one gutter of lettuce, both romaine and leaf.  The gutters have holes in the bottom every six inches for drainage and are tied to the chain link fence with wire tires.  Is there anything wire ties can't do?

I am almost done with the walkways.  I think I'm going to be a bag or two short on cedar chips though.

Finished the potato cages.  All three are planted, each with a different type of potato.  I was able to put in about six or seven seed potatoes in each.

Got the soaker hose run for the garlic patch.  Tomorrow I have major irrigation work to do.  The morning glory wall needs to be hooked up and I need to replace the sprinklers in the vegetable garden and herb garden.  I want to add in irrigation to the raspberries and blackberries.  Also, I'll need to find a way to add misters over the gutters and potato towers.

I have almost all of the green fence posts in now for the trellises.  Those will be finished up tomorrow as well, hopefully.

I planted zinnias in the experimental bed, mainly because I wanted some cut flowers and because Rachel will like them.  The gladiola bulb "nursery" is taking up six squares and I have at least two squares planted with the seeds from the marigolds last year.  There is something else in the bed, but damned if I can remember what it is.

We got the edging in on the front street-side flower bed.  The iris are about to bloom there.

And we made more progress on the front walk.  Almost all the sod and weeds have been removed (well, almost).  The bricks are gone.  Tomorrow I want to level it and buy the stone for it.  We've decided to go with large faux sandstone pieces and plant tbyme around them.  And, I'm lining the yard side of the walk with Hidcote Lavender.

Tomorrow, in addition to irrigation setup, I need to mow the area around the vegetable garden.  I would also like to add another bed for more cut flowers, but we'll see.

I'm tuckered out.

Ta Da!

The raised bed, square foot garden transformation is almost complete in the top tier.