Finally broke ground today! Feels like this bed has been in the works forever. For quite a while, I've been mulling over the bed outline. Finally, I decided to make it look as natural as possible, as if it was created by nature and not by the human hand. As such, there is little rhyme or reason to the bed outline. Today we removed the existing sod, created a deep edge around the perimeter, and tilled up the area to create more depth. The next step will be to start building up the soil. Check out the photos after the jump.
Last weekend, a cardboard box appeared on my doorstep. Inside, beneath a layer of styrofoam (GASP!), lay the beginnings of my new butterfly/perennial bed. In my opinion, receiving anything related to gardening by mail is more exciting than opening presents on Christmas morning.
Here is a look at my order. Click on the photos more more info about each plant at the Bluestone site.
Agastache Honey Bee Blue Echinacea Purpurea Monarda Raspberry Wine Rudbeckia Indian Summer
Sedum Spectible Neon Armeria Joystick Lilac Calamagrostis Karl Foerster
Miscanthus Morning Light Pennisetum Hameln Carex buchananii
Though I will need more plants than those that I ordered from Bluestone Perennials, these plants will be the bones of the garden plan, and focal points for color and architecture. Take a look at the first design draft! Click on the thumbnail below for a larger view.
I have grand aspirations for my home's landscaping. Today, I did a rough sketch of what could be done with my front yard. As I mentioned in a previous entry, I'm moving towards removing much of the water-hungry lawn in favor of a xeriscape. Here is the fruit of today's labor:
I am very, very lucky to have a rather large backyard with plenty of space for an ambitious gardener and admittedly obsessive plant collector - if I see it, I have to have it!.
My big project for this growing season will be a xeriscape/butterfly/hummingbird garden that I have recently started planning. My first step towards realizing this garden dream was ordering plants from Bluestone Perennials. Here is the list of some of the plants that will be included in my new garden:
Agastache 'Honey Bee Blue'
Echinacea purpurea
Monarda 'Raspberry Wine'
Rudbeckia 'Indian Summer'
Sedum 'Spectible Neon'
Armeria 'Joystick Lilac'
Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'
Carex buchananii
Miscanthus 'Morning Light'
Pennisetum 'Hammeln'
(This entry was written on January 6)
Just the other day, I was emphatically expressing my disdain for gambling. I'm not against gambling, and I have been known to toss a quarter or two into a slot machine or join the boys for a friendly game of late-night poker, I'm just not very keen on losing money on an unlucky hand. But after today's garden adventure, I just might be eating my words.
While checking out at Nicholson-Hardie today after a serious plant buying binge, a silver-haired woman peered into my cart and remarked, "You think those will make it?", referring to the pots of anemones in full bloom. I replied, "I consider myself a rather adventurous gardener; I'm willing to try growing anything once! What's the worst that could happen? They live or they die. I have nothing to lose -- except maybe my money!"
It was at that moment that I caught myself and realized that, though I resist gambling with a deck of cards, I have no qualms about gambling with my garden! After all, buying plants from a nursery or garden center is ALWAYS a gamble. Six dollars for a fragrant lavender plant that could be compost foder tomorrow!
So, back to today's gardening binge... I'm not sure what sparked my sudden urge to get my hands dirty this morning, but I cashed in my birthday gift checks and drove straight over to Nicholson-Hardie, my local garden shop. My only intention was to purchase seed starting supplies to get my tomato seeds to a strong start, but I ended up with a shopping cart overflowing with plants!!!
I must be crazy to plant annuals in the first week of January. And I might have made a royally bad decision to plant a shade-loving Foxtail Fern in my partly sunny front bed -- but that's the fun, isn't it? And that's the gamble that I'm willing to take! Take a peek at today's handiwork:
A celebration of life in the garden, Xylem & Phloem chronicles the horticulture adventures of Dallas gardener Callie Works-Leary. 
