Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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?

15 comments:

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Hey there! What a wonderful garden, much like a meadow. Love the Winecups especially...great color. The gravel/sand mulch around the Stipa looks nice...fits the style of the grass!

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

What beautiful gardens! I love those Fox tail lilies.

Unknown said...

I wouldn't mind the Winecups spreading either - they are so pretty! I really need to get some penstemons. You're right your Mexican Feather Grass looks great blowing in the wind. Your Mirabilis multiflora sounds wonderful.
Hmmm let me see what have I added. I've bought 3 new Heucheras, 4 Hostas, Columbines, Veronicas, 2 Fountain grasses, Japanese Willow, Japanese Maple, Spanish Lavender Boysenberry Ruffles, Crapapple tree, Beauty Berry Profusion, Deutzia, Dwarf Lambs Ears, Miss Kim Dwarf Lilac, East Friesland Meadow Sage, Phlox Blue Paradise and Phlox Flame Purple. Some of these were Mother's Day and Anniversary and the deer ate my flowers and I had to do something to feel better presents! LOL

our friend Ben said...

Beautiful, Victoria! What an inspiration!

EB said...

Oh that is stunning! I love that. My farouites are those glorious grasses - I love movement in a garden. And those soaring foxtails! Mmmmm

Rosemary said...

Just gorgeous!

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

I love the grass swaying... what a sight!!


~ bangchik

Anonymous said...

I love the Mexican feather Grass! I really need some of that for my Big Kitty to play jungle cat in!
I have planted a bariety of plants in my little garden but unfortunately the catnip went wild and has been trying to keill everything else. Today I must trim it way back so the other plants have a chance to live.

Heather said...

Wow! That is really all I can think of right now. You have a beautiful yard and those blooms are amazing. Very full and colorful!

Kathleen said...

What a gorgeous front yard you have Victoria. I love the idea of just plantings and the dry stream bed as separation. I guess you'd have to have like-minded neighbors to achieve that?? Your foxtail lilies blow mine away. I'm not sure what happened but I only have one bloom on two plants and two other plants have zero blooms?? It's been really wet here this year tho and I'm wondering if that's not helping? I think they prefer hot & dry?? I also grow and LOVE red birds in a tree. I bought it for the hummingbirds but keep it now for myself! I even added more to my garden this year because I liked it so much. Keep the pictures coming ~ your garden is fabulous.

Unknown said...

Hello from Romania! :)

What a wild garden you have there! I love the colours, the blend between flowers and grass, the full aspect of it! I love it!

My new plants, shrubs and trees planted this year you can find on my blog http://creata-la-cub.blogspot.com. There are many, because this year we decided to make a coniferous mini-forest and we bought a lot. Also other flowers and shrubs.

Hugs, keep up the good work! See you soon!

Pat said...

Wow


Wow


Wow !!


Boy, what a great full garden you have.
The daisies field is just stunning and so is everything else.

vuejardin said...

I love your lavender mixed with multiple layers of plants with different colors, the Mexican Feather Grass is as beautiful as those flowers.

Randy Emmitt said...

First time visitor here! Wow, guess that has already been said. If my garden looked that good I'd not be able to head off to work! Great job!!!!

robert said...

Wow beautiful.......
I have no words... Simply speechless. One can have a great time with these natural beauty with an outdoor heater which can make you explore the beauty even at the night time in a cold chilled weather.