So I'm trying something new to keep track of what I do have in the garden (newly purchased and already established plants). I worked on clearing out the back bed along the fence today (where, even without a site map, I realized I lost my bleeding hearts that lived back there). The area to the left of the St. Francis statue gets more sun (close to part sun) than shade, and on the right hand side of the statue, it gets part shade to full shade. Now, I've had a Blue Billow Hydrangea growing in the part sun side since I moved in three years ago and planted him there. He's grown, but doesn't seem as happy as he could be, so I decided to move him more into the shade. Boy, did I underestimate how big he was! The plant had gotten so wide that it was too heavy to lift, so I had to drag him across the bed to his new home. (I'm hoping this extra effort was worth it.) I then moved some ferns that also were in too much sun also. (I'm not sure if the garden seemed shadier the year we moved in because of the constant rain that season, or if we have lost a significant number of tree branches which has opened up the light in the back. Either way, it was moving day also for two hostas being overpowered by my hellebore and a trillium that doesn't really do anything but give a few leaves.)
Since I had a whole lot of space open up on the part sun side, I planted my new quince and hydrangea over there, along with the pussy willow along the back fence (all new purchases this spring). Since I lost the bleeding hearts and would like the tree stump to be covered up as well, I had planted vinca vine there earlier this spring. The holly (also planted three years ago) is doing well and getting bushier. Even though the garden is constantly progressing, sometimes I feel a bit down that it doesn't look like a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens already. But then I remind myself that when I moved in, there was no garden. Just boring grass. So I guess I have come a long way.
Continuing the tour, I decided to put the chocolate flower seedlings in the ground since they seem to be a little stagnate under the grow lights. The black eye Susans and shasta daisies from last year are coming back in, as well as some lemon balm and one of two iberis plants that survived. This area has been a challenge and didn't really get the attention it deserved last year. The soil still needs improving, and the bricks are a new addition to try and keep the soil off the patio when there are heavy rains.
And have you noticed my weedy grass yet? I'm torn over whether someday I'll get the flower beds just to my liking, rip out the grass and reseed with eco lawn seed, or just cover it all over with wood chips. Since I constantly spread myself thin in the garden, I'm not even attempting to fix the lawn this year.
Not bad for three hours on my day off. Now I just need to weed, photograph and label the rest of the garden. Hmm.
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