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The flower bed in front of the house is getting filled with blooms. Til now, its main feature was the variety of shrubs and perennials with a combination of different shapes, textures and, yes, colors. With the exception of a Japanese maple and potted phormium, its main color was green. The spectrum of greens included, among others, chartreuse of the helleborus foetidus, dark green of the dwarf Japanese garden juniper and green/yellow of the Canadale gold euonymus. The overall picture was nice, although I would call it quiet, not loud. For additional color, I used pots with tulips (Four Tulip Containers ). In my April post Front Garden Bed. Spring 2010, the front bed looked like this:
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Two months passed and a subtle, serene island of green turned into a colorful, bright, cheerful place. There is a party here! The Spanish lavender is attracting dozens of bees:
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Two months passed and a subtle, serene island of green turned into a colorful, bright, cheerful place. There is a party here! The Spanish lavender is attracting dozens of bees:
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Below, looking the other way, toward the central entrance. Hmm, I think the Sungold Threadbranch cypress is getting too big and requires some pruning:<>
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For a comparison, let's look at the left part of the flower bed. This is two month ago, in April.
Only bluebells and tree peony buds can be seen, so I added tulips.
Only bluebells and tree peony buds can be seen, so I added tulips.
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And, this is the same part of the flower bed in June. Reliable Aquilegia (columbine) has a long bloom and has been joined with self seeded Digitalis (foxgloves), petunia (in the background) and bold & proud-to-be-pink Lupine.
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Don't praise me for growing such a wonderful Lupine. I just bought it and placed the container behind its neighbors.
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The Oriental Poppy, which is blooming for the first time in four years after being moved from the terrace garden, adds to the excitement:
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Not all the plants are blooming yet. Liatris (Gayfeather), Stella de Oro daylilies, Asiatic lilies, Astilbe, Fuchsias, etc. are in preparation for the show. This lily, in the next picture, is pregnant with 80 buds!
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Probably, in early fall I'll need to prune the shrubs, and divide and move the daylilies. The lilies are now several years old, bushy and produce less flowers every year. The huge Euphorbia in front of the window needs to be trimmed. The Japanese maple will get a haircut after shedding its foliage when it'll be easy to see the tree's structure.
ADDITION: The same front bed in May 2012 is shown here: Front Garden. May 2012
***Copyright 2010 TatyanaS
This very attractive! It's fun to see the progression of all the additions... Larry
ReplyDeleteTatyana everything just looks so lush and beautiful. That really is some Lupine you have there and your Lily with 80+ buds is remarkable. I purchased some Asiatics a couple years ago because the lady told me they multiply faster than the Orientals. I guess she was right cause mine are. Need to go get more. Love the different colors you put together in your front garden. I love Spanish Lavenders but lost 2 during the cold week we had this past winter and my third is horribly deformed but blooming it's little heart out!
ReplyDeleteWhen is our nice weather coming? I'm tired of being cold and wet. If I wanted that I'd move back to the peninsula. LOL
My Lord, something to aspire to. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, why did I call it Flower bed? There are shrubs there too. I did it not to confuse people who are searching for A BED on the Internet.
ReplyDeleteSecond, thank you for your comments, my gardening friends!
Linda, sometimes lavender starts growing new plants from its roots. I have several such new plants. You might want to watch those places where your lavender used to grow. In my garden, it took pretty long time, and I forgot about the lavender, so it was a big surprise to see baby plants! As for the weather...grrrr...
Oh Tatyana what a beautiful Lupine. Such a beautiful shade of pink. The foxgloves are also beautiful. You got it going on girl. Have a great day. Becca
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Aren't you just dying waiting for all of your summer flowers to bloom? I'm so sad cos I'm leaving for vacation for a week and I just know everything's going to bloom while I'm gone! so sad.
ReplyDeleteI was going to ask you what your trick was to the gorgeous lupine - mine always gets covered with aphids and looks poopy so I finally just pulled it out. I like the idea of putting some pots of bulbs in the garden, might have to borrow that idea from you.
Gorgeous!
-Sara.
Just beautiful!! I love seeing the progression of flower gardens. I so wish my husband would let me garden in front of our home. It just adds so much to a house to me.
ReplyDeleteYour front beds look beautiful through the seasons. I love that you always have color blooming in it. Wow, that must be a super lily. LOL! I love the Spanish Lavender, I think it is, near the lilies. Lupines are another plant that I may as well give up on. Mine are not growing at all and I hate it because they are so beautiful. Your really shines against the maple.
ReplyDeleteI can't get any credits for that lupine. I honestly said that I just bought it. Where? HD. I doubt that it will bloom like this in my garden. What do they do with the plants making them bloom as crazy?!Oh, I know! It's not fertilizer or anything else. Maybe, plants, themselves, are eager to be bought and put into the real gardens, and for that, they do their best!
ReplyDeleteWell done, it has real interest and form.
ReplyDeleteI'm envying you that Spanish lavander...an annual here. Lupine grows wild here but I can't seem to get the garden varieties to stick around very long. But who can resist those lovely shades they are available in?
ReplyDeleteChristine in Alaska
I love it! Carla
ReplyDeleteLush, healthy beautiful flowers and bushes ! Looks so good ! Take care, Gina
ReplyDeleteTatyana, Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving a lovely comment. So of course I had to visit yours, and how very glad I did. Your garden is just lovely, and you gave me some ideas for my shade garden. I know I need more shrubs to give year-round interest. P.
ReplyDeleteWhat a breathtaking bed Tatyana! You should be very proud! I especially like the pruning job on the trees in the last picture, very elegant touch.
ReplyDeleteThe transformation is quite remarkable as plants begin to bloom and fill in. I can't wait to see all those lilies in full bloom, it looks like you're destined for an explosion of color soon!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful garden with great structure. Foliage is so important and I know that I put far too much emphasis on blooms!
ReplyDeleteI always admire that front entrance Tatyana - the border has so many interesting plants no matter what the season is.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! Everything is so full and lush. What kind of Japanese maple is it?
ReplyDeleteI am very fond of flower beds that change their personality as the succession of blooms unfolds. Beautifully done, Tatyana. (And you do get credit for having the vision to place that beautiful pink lupine there!) -Jean
ReplyDeleteLush and gorgeous..you are so talented!!
ReplyDeleteStunning gardens you have palnted. I hope ours would be even half as beautiful when we finish.
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