Front Garden

The front garden is coming into its own now with summer approaching. (The trees in the upper right corner belong to our neighbors. We decided together about 7 years ago to forgo our front lawns and go with plantings only. Our properties are roughly divided now by a dry stream bed.)



The foxtail lilies (Eremurus) are looking great among the annual bachelor buttons with a mock orange shrub and Red Valerian blooming behind them.



Soon the lavender and Russian Sage (perovskia) will take over with their purple stems of blooms.

We've planted plenty of penstemons in the front garden which we water very irregularly.
































Further down towards the street where the plantings get shorter these gaillardia 'fanfare' are blooming with oenothera missouriensis.





The Mexican Feather Grass (stipa tenuissima) always looks nice blowing in the wind but if you grow this you know it spreads like crazy.



This Callirhoe involucrata or Winecups spreads itself around and I don't mind at all.



These daisy like plants (I didn't save the tag) grow on the right side of the driveway. They don't seem to mind the shade from the willow. They can look a little weedy and they like to spread but when they're in bloom I think they're lovely.




Some new plants we've added this year are Fireworks penstemon and Scrophularia macrantha or Red Birds in a Tree. I saw the Red Birds in a Tree on someone's blog, sorry, can't remember which one, (It was Kathleen at Kaseys Korner) and just had to have one. The two I bought are doing well and growing. Then I bought two more and gave them to my friend Carol. The fireworks penstemon just planted this spring are already blooming.

High Country Gardens says this about Red Birds in a Tree: "Scrophularia, a very rare Penstemon relative, is a garden treasure blooming from early summer through fall with long wands of white lipped, cherry-red flowers. The dark green angular foliage is also quite handsome. The plant has a tall, informal habit and will lean over and intertwine with tall neighboring plants for support. Plant it next to Pitcher’s Sage or ‘Blue Fortune’ Hyssop for this very reason. Very popular with the hummingbirds, too! Zones 5-10."

Another plant I've been lusting after is Mirabilis multiflora or Desert Four O'Clock.
OK, the tag says (and I know it could be just talk) "A large plant with amazingly lush, deep green foliage. Splendid, trumpet-shaped magenta flowers cover the plant every afternoon from early through late summer. Perennial, reappears late each spring from a massive tuber. Do not overwater or mulch. Height - 1.5" (.5m) Width - 5' (1.5m)" I hope I gave them enough room.
I found two of them at our local Fred Meyers store. Cool. I have high hopes for their future.

What plants have you added this year?