If nothing else, this monthly Garden Bloggers Bloom day project is showing me that I may have gone too far across the spectrum from “it’s all about the flowers” to “just worry about structure and foliage”. This garden doesn’t have a lot going from a flowering perspective. I’d blame it on the shade – but know I can have shade and flowers.
The lightpost bed is still the most colorful area of the garden. Huechera and Corydalis lutea are blooming, the barrel has filled in. Even the grass is adding some “flowers”. Over in the walnut bed, only things in bloom are the corydalis, and a small little hosta. That in this diminuitive form the flowers are kinda charming.
The blue/yellow container group by the driveway farm is beginning to fill in and look nice. And the driveway farm itself is rocking. The warm even hot days we’ve had the last couple of weeks have kicked the tomatoes into gear. Tons of flowers, and the beginnings of fruit.
In the front bed, there’s a few things in bloom. A perennial geranium, a foxglove lutea, an allium. But on closer inspection, things are in a bit of disruption. Plants knocked sideways, broken off, a covering of sawdust everywhere, piles of cut up logs.
All because when we got home from vacation Tuesday, we arrived to discover a tree on our roof. Well, not a whole tree, but a very large branch – which had taken out the smaller branch I was worried about overhanging the house. Honestly, the giant branch wasn’t even on my danger, danger radar screen. However, Monday morning’s storms, yanked it down. While coming home to it was a shock, I am glad we weren’t here when it happened. Kiddo is already wary of storms. The sound of this hitting the roof might have scarred us all for life.
The large branch was from a crotch high in the tree. Diameter of a medium sized tree (that dainty looking foot is a size 10.5). Crushed a bit of the corner of house. Currently navigating the insurance/contractor jungle. But on the bright side, the tree canopy is opened up, I have slightly less shade, and no more branches overhang the house! And, most importantly, no one was hurt.
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Your first photo suggests that your “focus on foliage and structure” approach is very successful; it looks so inviting and calming. But I know what you mean about flowers; I love flowers, too, and I am partial to yellow-blue combinations. That is one big limb that came down on your house! I love your gardener’s silver lining — opening up the canopy to let in more sun. -Jean
Your first photo suggests that your “focus on foliage and structure” approach is very successful; it looks so inviting and calming. But I know what you mean about flowers; I love flowers, too, and I am partial to yellow-blue combinations. That is one big limb that came down on your house! I love your gardener’s silver lining — opening up the canopy to let in more sun. -Jean