All pretty. Amur chokecherry? Now I know what that tree is that grows here and there on my property, along the property line mostly.

Happy, pretty, aggressive silvestri - you got that right! You have an eye for color, thanks for sharing.

this is the first picture i am trying to upload, so here it goes. It is a sunset echinacea. The other is a picture of a magnus i just bought today. It is over 3 ft. tall with about 20 blooms for $8.99. How do i post the pictures on the page instead of the slideshow?

Here is a link that might be useful: echinaceas

prairie_love, your photos are lovely. Most of yours that I have are done now.

mayhem69, that's exactly like the echinacea I have, and I thought that was its name, but mine is a nice yellow color, got it as a bonus plant.

Here is what mine is REALLY like, and that is not the worst of it by far, talked about that on the last thread, controlled photos showing only what I want. Look at that strip! It needs edging, and that's a heck of a lot of work. It needs weeding. It needs mulching. It has been composted. Am seeding more perennials, late w/window box for garage, am rooting fresh geraniums and iresine. I want to expand it into a more curvy shape now that some old tree stumps should have rotted, but may not be able to this year. I keep fighting apple tree suckers, easiest to chop them out with a shovel but they will pop up somewhere else.

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Here is I can't even remember what all is in the picture, have to store some of my supplies there on the north side and should be planted. The bench I so want new boards in it, cedar, can't afford it right now. My new arbor is leaning, and I don't know how to fix it without doing it all over. The roses I put there are pretty but won't climb because our winters are too harsh for it, and it said for my zone. The lawn is still a mess after two bags of expensive stuff. That little mostly shade garden is shaping up nicely, but it badly needs edged. I wanted nice bricks laid out all behind it, guy didn't want the job. Sigh. What else is wrong there? The begonia in the pot I watered all winter in the sunroom is dying. Those jugs are seedlings for my perennials to fill in everywhere.

I lost half my apple tree in a storm last summer, looks terrible, but I wanted to save what was left to provide shade for that little garden. I might try to grow some morning glories or something on that ugly place where the huge limb is missing. Not this year.

I get so depressed looking at these picture perfect gardens as I know I will never be able to have mine like that.

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This next one is one of my prettiest photos, put it on several places, and you can't see what is wrong at the back by the fireplace chimney. Another bed that gets little sun, huge double-flowering pink crabapple, trunk barely visible, and I wish I'd taken down the cheap plastic fencing I use for a border before I took the photo.

So much work, and I just got done transplanting a thick mass of aslyssum that self seeded, trying to save it. It wasn't that hard of a job but made me tired and hard on my back digging, but I did it. I expect to lose over half of them because I did a sloppy job because I hurt and wanted to get it over with.

My kids help sometimes. My son is coming to help tomorrow with a friend, but there is only so much even he can do as he has his own life. ...

Rainbows End

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Fuschia in pot

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Rose 'Lupe's Buttons'

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Hostas and friends

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Various shade lovers

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Kate

Great photos! Reminds me how much I miss Anemone sylvestris. Absolutely gorgeous, especially when bloomed at the same time as the brunnera. Unfortunately, conditions were too dry. Maybe I should try again in a different spot....

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magellan zinnias

Lovely garden photos! Great container arrangements, too.

Cameron

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My deer resistant garden (buddleia, spirea, salvia greggii, Japanese irises and more) {{gwi:238078}}From my cottage garden
larkspur, perennial heliotrope, salvia greggii, petunias on the left bank of the stream

Cameron - gorgeous!

Why can't I have a stream!!! (waaahhhhh.......)

wonbyherwits, I love your deer resistant garden and the colors. I ordered a pkt of seeds for that bonariensis only to find out too late they are not hardy to my zone. Oh to have goldfinches perched on flowers like that! I put up a feeder a year ago and have yet to see even one.

This is our 4th summer in this house. When we came there were only a few bushes by the front foundation. We've worked to put in all the hardscape (actually hired this out) and plants. We've done it all on a very modest budget. It is getting closer to the way I want it. Early June, not everything is blooming yet. Even some of the annuals I started from seed aren't blooming yet. Everything should fill in more as the month progresses.

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That is beautiful, and what a nice house! That plant right in front, elongated mound, it looks like a soft evergreen my neighbor came home with. What is it? Maybe it is something else. You've accomplished a lot, and all those plants will fill in more. Nice touch with the daisies.

This is a field of Echinaceas I'm working on. It's got a long way to go, but I want to be able to cut vases full of blooms eventually!

{{gwi:238086}}Here's a Passion Vine with Asclepias Tuberosa. I think they are both beautiful plants.

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So many ideas here! This reminded me that I've been wanting to add verbena bonariensis. I love seeing everyone's gardens, thank you.

prairie_love, you're even further north than me. I got some seeds for it at T&M, and missed the zones, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. All I saw was the hardy perennial at the top and put them in my cart.

If I thought I'd have a shot at their surviving, I'd plant them, but I highly doubt after all that they would survive our winters if that zone info is correct.

It's a unique form, beautiful color, and would add interest. Should I try them anyway? They are on sale now for $2.10 a packet for 200 seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Verbena bonariensis seeds Hardy Herbaceous Perennial

aliska, supposedly verbena bonariensis reseeds quite well. I say supposedly because when I grew it, it was in planters on my driveway, so there really wasn't anywhere for mine to reseed, lol. Plus, I cut a lot of it for bouquets. If I were you, I'd try it. 200 seeds for $2 gives you a lot of flowers. I don't know if it is too late for this season though...

tannabanana, I love that trellis next to your shed. It's just beautiful! Is it custom made?

:)
Dee

West bed:
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East bed:
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Front bed:
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Work in progress front/east bed:
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Thanks for the compliments!

aliska - I think you are referring to the tansy. I forget the variety's full name, but I just love the foliage. I always dead head it (it gets small yellow blooms on it) so it won't reseed. It also sends out runners but they are quite easy to pull up. Golden Light Tansy, maybe? I love the foliage color.

diggerdee - yep :) My husband built the trellis for me last year. I think he did a great job!

Sushi - I like your mixed borders! They look so neat and tidy! I know I need to get more shrubs into mine...

aliska, I agree with diggerdee - it's supposed to reseed very well. A friend grows it quite successfully in Salt Lake City, Utah (zone 5 I think?). I definitely think you should try them. I"m going to.

tannabanana--the garden may be neat and tidy, but the house not so much! I do love shrubs (especially flowering ones) and I think they are the key to keeping the work manageable.

"...the garden may be neat and tidy, but the house not so much..."

LOL! Several thoughts popped into my mind at once with this one:

who cares?

what gardener's house IS clean during the spring/summer/fall?

the way the garden looks is MUCH more important than the way the house looks!

But I agree - sushi, your beds do look so neat. I think the crisp edging, the dark mulch, and the nice grass really set off the beds. I don't care a whit about my so-called "lawn", but I really should try to make it a bit better just so it will make the beds look good.

:)
Dee

diggerdee, prairie_love. I never THOUGHT about the possibility of reseeding. I will try to winter sow that packet (got it from last year's sale) this winter and get a fresh one next order for next spring sowing, agree it is too late now, just ordered more seeds on sale and don't want to pay shipping, guess I'll check the status on that and maybe can intercept. Note to self. Call T&M tomorrow.

digger, my house is a mess, too. Just don't care about it any more but love getting out in the yard and working with my plants even if I have a long way to go to get it all in shape.

tanabanana, tansy. I'll check that one. I've heard of it but never knew what it was. Thanks also for the encouragement on v. bonariensis.

I've got 12 jugs of spring-sowed seeds, most sprouted well, and my delphs are coming up. Woo hoo! Now if I can just bring them through.

I'm loving these photos. Here are a few of mine.

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All of your photos are gorgious! I will get some of my beds. I am not even done planting yet! Prarie love did you lose alot of your perrinials after this winter? I am in SD and I did lose alot.

juicyfruit - yes, I lost tons. It's very discouraging. I can't even bring myself to post on the thread about what we lost because so many are gone. Bummer. I'm sorry to hear you lost a lot too.

Ohhhhhh man I could look at everyone's garden pics forever. They are all so pretty. Btw, Cameron, wow, I love your color arrangements!

I;m just thrilled to have lupines in my garden finally, my parents always grew them and I've spent the last 20 years trying them in various locations. When I moved to this house last year, there they were, waiting for me.

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salvia,iris and violas

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This is my favorite kind of thread....beautiful pics from real gardens.

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breathtaking, all. Having pictures with no names is like being in an ice cream store and seeing the goodies but having no signs as to what the flavors are. How do you know what to call the flavor that is calling to you. Now, dear poster lmschieder, pray tell what is the name that flower with a pearly umble and purple leaves?

Sorry for not labeling....the purple leave image is a 'Black Lace' sambucus (elderberry).

Others are in order as posted above:
'Knockout' rose
'Black Lace' sambucus
'Midnight Rose' heuchera & 'Firestar' dianthus
'May Night' salvia & 'Julia Child' rose
'Firestar' dianthus
'Firestar' dianthus,'Julia Child' rose, 'May Night' salvia
'Jackmanii' clematis
Julia & salvia

aliska 12000, another tansy that is stellar is 'Isla Gold Tancetum'. It has lovely golden foliage and stays within its own clump but gets tall for the back area of the bed. Wish I knew how to post pictures on here!!!

First time poster, and I have garden lust!There isn't much blooming in my garden yet, but here are some pics.

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