spring is finally here -- March 29, 2007

DAFFODIL

This is my very first post in my very first blog. I have made a lot of changes to the landscaping that was already here when we bought our house last May. I have never planted shrubs or flowers before, so it is all new to me. I am having a lot of fun though. Let me begin by saying I am landscaping on a very low budget. All of the plants and shrubs were either given to me or bought at a very steep discout at local garden centers and nurserys. The most I have spent on any plant is $2.50. Unfortunately I have spent quite a bit more money on mulch than on plants. In the above picture you see one of my very first flowers, a daffodil. My daughter and a friend of hers helped me plant these. I dug the trench, and they planted the bulbs. We also planted red tulips which haven't bloomed yet.

To the left here is the front of my house where the daffodils and tulips are located. When we bought the house only the tree/bush to the right of the window was there, and the small golden privet bush just to the edge of the porch. The green evergreen bush was a gift from my dad and stepmother. My stepmother Teresa has given me tons of advice and plants from her garden. I am really appreciative of her help and generosity. Unfortunately the bush seems to be leaning to the side and I think is not getting enough water. The edge of the roof seems to be hanging over the bush and so rain is not getting the soil and mulch around the plant. I might have to dig it up and move it a little farther out away from the house. In this part of the flower bed I have planted the tulips and daffodils, and also some stella d' oro daylily plants. The stellas are coming up and look very healthy. I bought a 12 pack of red "crimson pirate" daylily plants from Sam's club and planted those around the stellas. The stellas have yellow blooms. The red daylily plants were bare root plants and only one little fan of a clump. Marissa planted them and at first they were a sickly yellow/white color, but since have been slowly turning green. I think they will make it, but I'm not sure that they will bloom this year. They are really tiny plants. Then in the back of the bed, just below the window I planted two black night butterfly bushes. I got them for 50 cents each at Meijer. Once again I think that I planted them too close to the house and that they have not been getting the rain. If they die at least I will not be out too much money. Lesson learned is that I need to not plant things so close to the house. I hope they make it though because the pictures I have seen of butterfly bushes are beautiful. I have never seen one in real life.

On the other side of the front door is another garden. It originally had those two barbury bushes and then two golden privets to the front in between the barbury bushes, right next to the sidewalk. Behind those four bushes were two really bad looking hostas. That was it. There was a lot of empty space. I decided to move the two golden privet bushes to the back of the bed. This was my first time digging up and moving bushes. It was kind of hard but very rewarding. I moved them in August and both bushes survived! I also dug up a mystery bush from the side of the house and planted it between the two golden privets. I'm not yet sure if that plant is alive. Hopefully soon it will bud and then leaf out. I think the mystery bush is a minuet weigela. I planted a red prince weigela next to the garage wall. It is very small and looks dead. It was another 50 cent bush from Meijer. I still have hope that it made it. You can sort of see the line of daffodils and tulips that are at the front next to the sidewalk. After planting them in a line I read that usually tulips and daffodils look better planted in small groups instead of rows. Oh well, I am still thrilled that they came up and that some are blooming. Next time I add bulbs I'll make groups. In front of the tulips and daffodils are 6 mum plants that bloomed very well in the fall. I cut them down to the ground. Not sure if you're supposed to do that. I hope they'll come back and bloom again this fall. In all of the space between the bulbs and the bushes I have planted starts from Teresa's garden. I have black eyed susans, purple coneflowers, shasta daisies, and balloon flowers planted. I just put them in various spots around the bed. Kristina and Marissa helped me plant them. Also, whenever I am outside in the gardens Eric is always there helping too. He loves to be outside. I stuck in a little plant of coreopsis and pincushion flower too. Only one of each so I don't know if they'll even be noticable. I can't wait to see all of the beautiful flowers. I sure hope it turns out as beautiful as I picture it in my head.