Birthday Bed Complete!

The week started with a big sigh of relief, when I was able to find some Blue Star Petunias, I went to a (gasp) different garden centre, and they had a few. I couldn't leave them and risk not being able to find them again, so I brought home 24 plants. I'm not exactly sure what to do with them, other than hope they don't grow too much or get too stressed over the next few weeks.


Later in the week we were under a blizzard warning, I have lost tulips to this before, so this time I took protective measures. Canoes come in handy for things other than boating. We only got a light dusting of snow, so it wasn't actually needed, but you just never know what you're going to wake up to!


What do you answer when someone asks 'what do you want for your birthday?', standard reply: 'more plants' (which were purchased last weekend). Then the work began....


And was more or less completed the next day. The shape didn't turn out exactly as I had envisioned, and will need a little reshaping, but overall I am pleased with it. So far, there are the shrubs Coralberry 'Amethyst', Blue Muffin Arrowwood, a dwarf lilac, 2 rose bushes, the peony 'bowl of beauty', Miss Lucy Asiatic Lily, & a rescued Shasta from the (now dog area of the) backyard. I think the moss phlox and a dahlia will be planted here too, as well as some white daffs with yellow trumpets next fall (put here as note to self).




As you can see, a strip of grass was left between the bed and the driveway/sidewalk. Two of the shrubs were dug in last fall (just into little circles), and I discovered that the grass made a very effective berm of sorts, to keep mulch/moisture in. I know it looks a little goofy, but until I come up with a good border system I will leave it in place. The problem is I don't like most borders, or at least not once they start to shift or wear. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I like bangchik's coconut husk border, but I don't think it would work in my zone ;). Now we just need to find a way to get rid of the sod squares, and things will be looking good.








This is the bed that I made last fall, you can see it in bloom here. Although not large, I am getting a lot of enjoyment from it, and I hope it does well this summer.



2 out of 3 of my Hydrangeas are ok, and as I have been told by my blogging friends, they are late to start, and the buds will emerge from the bottom (pictured below). One of them is in very poor shape, the crown in split down the middle. I don't know if it will recover, I'll leave it for a few months an then may replace it with another.


The daffodils are starting, I believe this one is the impressive Dutch Master.



The smallest garden helper went shopping with me yesterday, and chose these violas. I'm not sure where they will go, so they will stay in the pot for a little while.



Happy Gardening!