How does your garden grow

So, this is what I've been doing.... Planting. I still need to decide between mulch and rocks (rocks are more expensive but don't need to be re-done as often) and, from there, pick an edging that isn't that awful black plastic stuff that's been there more than 5 years, but this is MAJOR progress compared to previous years when I have done nothing in the yard.

This is the area in front that I'm focused on this year. I figure we'll improve one area at a time, and by the time I die, I'll have a nice yard like my mom's.



And since you can't see a thing in those pictures... here are some close ups...

Those big ones are creeping phlox. I don't know if they'll grow there. The tag said that they'd grow anywhere (sun to shade) but the soil is really acidic because of that pine tree (blue spruce). I'm saving some space there for Mom's hostas, which she's going to split and bring down for me. Those will grow in shade for sure, but I may have to add something to the soil to get them to grow in the acidic environment under there. I'm also going to see if I can find a shade loving hydrangea, because the acid in the soil will make it flower blue.

Don't I sound like I know what I'm doing? Yeah, I really don't.

Those cute little white, viney guys in the front are called "Snowstorm, giant snowflake." They're cute little white flowers with yellow centers, and I'm hoping that they'll spread out and kind of spill over into the grass. That'll make it real fun for BJ to mow, don't you think? The small green ones on the right are impatiens. I did pink, white, and a dark pink. They're supposed to be easy. I like easy. Then I did a big group of dianthus in the back, there, the larger white ones by the sidewalk. And that's another bunch of creeping phlox behind the rock. I want everything to creep and fill in and vine and take over. Right now it looks pretty sparse and anemic.

Those white ones there, in two bunches, are so cute. They're like daisies with purple centers. Soprano white osteospermum and Soprano light purple osteospermum hybrid are the two sorts I planted. The tag says they'll be 8 - 14 inches tall and 12 - 14 inches across, so I hope they'll really look cool once they take off. There's more phlox there... creep and grow, phlox! Take over the world so I don't have to mulch!! And those tallish ones behind the phlox? I haven't got a clue. I bought them. I planted a whole bunch. I can't remember what they're called. We'll call them Mystery Plant.

Stay tuned for more about my garden...