What a difference a year makes! That is gorgeous Jacqueline!

I agree with ogrose. It has turned out so beautiful, and I love calibrachoa/mini petunias. I usually have some in pots but this year I was trying to be good, money-wise. Are those irises?

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...

Oh, it filled out beautifully! And your tree rose looks so healthy and happy too!

What a gorgeous flower bed! Your tree rose looks like it's really doing well. I have to congratulate you on your restraint -- I would have been tempted to put several more roses in ;) Like the colour scheme as well! What are the other plants, besides calibrachoa?

Jackie...it's beautiful. So soft looking. The brickwork truly makes it special. We hope to install some here later this summer. Your DH is a hardworker.
Jeannie

It looks just lovely.

How nice to add your own touch to the long established garden that you maintain so beautifully.

Rosefolly

It grew wonderfully Jackie! I remember last year when it was first made. What fun.

Jackie, that is awesome. When I saw the first picture I couldn't imagine how it would turn out. The addition of the tall, spiky plants made all the difference. The rose standard is doing beautifully. What variety is that?

Ingrid

Thanks for all of the compliments! To answer your questions, the standard rose is Peach Drift. The vertical leaves are what's left of the 200 daffodils I planted there - letting them alone until they dry out.

There are also 6 small polyanthas planted around the bottom of the standard - Lauren (which is the biggest and boldest so far), Margo Koster, a color sport of Margo Koster that I rooted (it is very dark pink - possibly Dick Koster), mignonette, Charles Walker mignonette, and another one that I have no idea who it is - unlike the others, it has only achieved 5 1/2 inhces in height so far, and 3 inches in width, although it has produced some tiny flowers - I am currently keeping it for a pet.

Jackie

Very pretty----I love before and after pictures----do you have pictures of the daffys in bloom?

Florence

Isn't it always so exciting to make a new bed?
Your husband has done a good job.
I like the way the calibrachoa is softening the edges.
Like Florence, I would like to see a photo, if you have one, with the daffodils out.
Daisy

Can we talk about a barter arrangement for your husband?!

I have attached a pic of the daffodils just beginning to bloom - I think in April. Evidently I forgot to take one of them when they were all out. It was an experiment. I order daffs every year, of course from Holland. Of course they arrive in Nov "planting time" if you live where it freezes all winter. However, I have discovered over the years that if I plant them in Nov here, they come up in December, and get totally smushed by our winter storms. So, last Nov I got brave and put 200 in a drawer in the dark in our (dry - ground level) basement, meaning to plant them in, say, Jan. Of course, I forgot completely about them until sometime in late March. They still looked OK, so I planted them all in this bed, and as I recall they came up in April, astounding my neighbors who all know that daffodils (the ones that have been in the ground for years) here bloom in Jan/Feb.

Re my DH - yes, I am very lucky. He is a retired General Contractor, and every morning gets up, gets dressed, and starts looking for work or a project to do around the house or garden (supposing he is not already in the middle of one). He listens very well, and without any direction from me I will find him weeding out grass weeds (my most hated garden chore), or building something wonderful. I have been out of sorts for a few days, and yesterday I finally went out into the garden to discover that he had cleared an area (of English ivy) about 10 feet in diameter around the old plum tree up which our huge Madame Alfred Carriere is growing, put in an edge around the new bed and a small path all around it, and topped it with about 3 inches of new soil. His only comment to me was "thought you might like to plant (it is still in deep shade) hellebores there". Sorry - I am keeping him.

Here is the pic showing the daffs just coming out:

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Jackie

Really lovely bed... and such growth in just a year!

I love these pictures. Your bed is absolutely gorgeous!