Wednesday, April 25, 2012

In The Shade

Every year I try to expand one of my flower beds or create a new one so I have less lawn and more flowers.  In the spring of 2010 I added a large area to one of the shady gardens.  The photo below is the garden in April 2010.  A few tulips popped up from a fall planting but not much else is in place yet.



The photo below is April 2012 and I think the garden has filled in beautifully.  But the amazing thing to me is what our nonexistent winter has done for the plants in this area.  This is usually what the garden would look like in late May or early June.
 One of my favorite plants in this shady spot is the Columbine.  I had no idea it was such a hardy reseeder.  My one regret is they don't stand up to our summer heat.  They die back in the heat but pop up their pretty heads again in the spring.  I always enjoy seeing where a new one blooms.
Hope everyone is enjoying their spring and having some time in the garden.

7 comments:

nancygrayce said...

I love your garden! How pretty! I have some of those variegated things near the front of the picture in my side yard that a neighbor gave me years ago and every year they come up very unexpectedly and surprise me! They are very hardy!

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

LOVE your plan of expanding your flowers and lessening your grass to be cut. :-)

What a wonderful job you do, of spreading chips around your plantings. So wonderful. Ours seem to kind of *disappear.* -sigh- I know. Gotta' keep replacing them! ,-)

Gentle hugs,
"Auntie"

Lona said...

Those before and after shots really let you know how much it is growing. It is filling in wonderful. This has been the strangest year for gardening so far. It makes you apprehensive about what is to come. LOL! Your columbines are so lovely. They are so welcome in the spring.

Chatty Crone said...

You are right - we are way ahead in the planting season. I am wondering what summer will be like. Beautiful garden.Love, sandie

Sallie (FullTime-Life.com said...

Lovely garden -- columbines are one of my favorites (of course we don't see any of those kind of spring flowers here in Florida -- I just hope there will be some left in Colorado and Oregon when we get there later.)

Your yard is beautiful -- I am glad that late winter storm I heard about didn't reach you.

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

What a beautiful garden and it looks so healthy. I still haven't done much outside yet this year and pretty soon it will be too hot.
Thanks for sharing and for visiting.

❀~Myrna~❀ said...

Beautiful garden !