Less grass, more garden

The grass was dead anyway, so I decided to obscure that fact by creating a new bed and expanding an existing bed.

Okay that's not completely true, I just wanted to buy more plants.

In the new bed I planted:

• Salvia Leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage)
• Catmint 'Select Blue'
• Bicolor Iris
• Kentucky Colonel Mint
• Meir Y Teran rose
• Daylilies (transplanted from right back bed)
• Canna Pink Futurity
• Salvia reptans
• Veronica Speedwell 'Blue Charm'
• Buddleia 'Ellen's Blue'

But I DID get smart and install an irrigation system! (Slow but not stupid, mom always said.)

Season 3 Garden upsets!

Penstemon - GONE! They were beautiful but kind of finicky.

In their place I planted some Society Garlic, which I love because it's pretty and stinky in a weirdly appealing way.

Season 2: lessons learned

Overall:

• Right rear area gets a lot of shade, not good for Daylilies or Irises
• Gardening design decision: no white, yellow, scarlet or orange-red
• Hand watering only gets harder the more plants you have
• I have a mosquito issue, no idea why

Exciting new finds:

• Did I mention Bearded Iris?
• Bamboo Muhly - big, fluffy, easy
• Agastache - they smell like candy AND they're drought tolerant! What could be better?
• Knockout Roses - cheating but awesome
• Antique roses - just awesome. Why was I afraid of gardening with roses?
• California Poppies - cheerful and beautiful
• Artemesia - totally underestimated plant

Got the boot:

• Butterfly Bush - not sure why, just didn't grab me
• Russian Sage - too sparse
• Leyland Cypress - planted 5 in the Spring, lost all but one by Fall. I kept the one that lived just for a experiment.
• Mexican Mint Marigold - yellow blooms (see above)

I might be decent at this gardening thing

Some newcomers to the garden:

• Bearded Iris!
• Knockout Roses
• Leyland Cypress
• Butterfly Bush
• Agastache

• Salvia Mexicana 'Limelight'
• Gingers
• Elephant ears
• Russian sage
• David Fannick Phlox

• Lamb's Ear
• Daylilies
• Salvia Guaranitica
• Acanthis Mollis
• Madame Berkeley Rose

• More Penstemon
• Artemesia
• Salvia Clevelandii
• Marie Daley rose

• Winecup
• California Poppies
• Bamboo Muhly

"Planterfall" with Black Gamecock Louisiana iris

"Planterfall" - regular pots turned upside-down and and stacked on top of each other, mimicking a waterfall but without all the maintenance and mosquitoes.

You can copy me, it's okay.

Wendy discovers Schreiner's Irises

I am in love with irises

Season 1: lessons learned

Overall:

• It's really hard to plan for the size the plants will be in months/years.
• My garden is small, and still I didn't buy enough to fill the space I had.
• Hand watering takes a lot of time, and really stinks in the summer.
• Indigo Spires salvia gets HUGE and floppy, so cut back early!

Plants that didn't make the cut:

• Delphiniums: not in this zone
• Foxglove: not enough instant gratification
• Victoria Sage: powdery mildew, high maintenance
• Sweet Broom: eh.