My mother-in-law had a pot of some gorgeous variety of sedum and I brought a couple snips home hoping to get them started in our rock garden. I tried to get them to root in water first, but finally gave up and just stuck the cuttings in the dirt in a bare spot on the hill. A few weeks later, late July, voila!
I couldn't believe how they had spread! The waxy bright green leaves and magenta blooms mix nicely with the Speedwell and the other sedum varieties growing on the hill. And I love the way it has spread onto the rock border. What I don't love is that moments after I took this photo (after a half-hour weeding session, no less!) I noticed that pesky jagged-edged weed (see inset) peeking out from under the sedum. This weed is our most hated among weeds: dock. I can't believe I'm even allowing it face time on this blog. Just know that it died a violent death by my own hand! ; )
A pinch here, a pinch there
The lay of the land
A few long range views of the back yard. It's not until we walk along the fence (in search of weeds) and look back at the house that I realize how big our yard is. We've had some wonderfully pleasant days recently, with highs only in the 80s and record cool nights in the upper 50s and 60s...very unusual for mid-July!
Dahlberg Daisies are back
One little pot of these plucky Dahlberg Daisies has kept us in flowers for at least three years now. They apparently seed themselves, and each spring since we bought our first pot full, they've popped up between the flagstone pavers. We don't like weeds growing between the stones, but these are too pretty to take out. Each clump grows from one root and now that we know how prolific they are, once they quit blooming they're "outta here"...well, at least until next year.
Cart full of Coleus
Did I mention how pleased I am with the way our pots of Coleus have turned out? (Okay, I know I did, but they just keep getting better!) I think this colorful mix looks especially beautiful spilling over the garden cart my dad built for us as a housewarming gift four years ago. The plants seem to be thriving here in front of the house with morning sun and late afternoon shade.
4th of July blooms
Tomorrow is the 4th of July and the garden is wild! We are finally seeing the Coneflowers appear, but they are mostly hiding behind False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) and masses of Wild Bergamot (some people call it bee balm). We've spent the last three mornings weeding! The mornings have been so pleasant we really haven't minded being outside, but the weeds do seem more prolific than usual this year. Of course my farmer dad thinks a lot of the plants and flowers in our garden are weeds!
