Welcome back, Evelyn!! How beautiful it is shaping up! I think I'm going to plant one of my siam ruby bananas in my big bed. You've inspired me to mix it right in with the roses and perennials! Yours looks SUPER!

Here is a picture of what I'VE been up to while you are away! Meet Maks!

Marcia

Wowweeeeeee, Evelyn! That looks just awesome!!! Now, how DO you DO that????? Hope you had a really good visit with everyone. Welcome home, ......you've been missed!

Evelyn my friend you truly have the magic touch. You and Sassy TonyK both just amaze me. This new bed is beautifully laid out, but how did you get it to all grow THAT fast?

I have 2, no, 3 questions:
What trees did you use in this bed?
Is the banana in the center an ornamental?
Are you using a secret German fertilizer or can you tell us what it is?

Oh and one more question:
Are you renting The Amazing Todd out on weekends? I've got some paving bricks I could use a hand with!

Kate

Evie, that looks great! My bananas are no where near that size!

Marcia, Maks is adoreable!! He's smiling at you!

Kate asks great questions, Evelyn! Is that banana the Siam ruby? I thought it was, but maybe you have another kind there. I'm wanting to do something similar with one of mine, so I'm real interested in how it fits in with the bed. It seems to look really great mixed in, so far.

Cindee, Maks does have a smile on his face. Lots of dachshunds do, but he is the first one of mine that is always smiling. He comes outside in the garden with Potter and I, but he doesn't like walking on the grass, especially if it is wet. Mostly, he follows the brick path around and around! ;o)

Marcia

Welcome back Evelyn! Your flower bed looks beautiful!!! How is the camellia doing? I so hope it is surviving for you.

Marcia, that is just the cutest little doggie! I can just feel that velvet belly!

~Betsy

Marcia,
Super cute puppy Maks! That belly is asking for a little rub!

I cannot see Evelyn's pics right now...will have to come back and check later :/
Olya

I can't see Evelyn's pictures, it's a red X, but I can see Marcia's. What do I do?

Gosh, I don't know why you ladies can see my pic and not Evelyn's. Try hitting the "refresh" button and see if they come up. (That's the first thing I check, though I don't know if it will work in this case.)

Her bed sure is pretty, so you will want to see it!

Marcia

All I see is xs also. I want to see! That puppy plucked my heart strings! Now Now Franky, don't be jealous. Your still my number ONE boy.

Pat

Wow!!! sure grew in 4weeks!!! The bed looksbeautiful!!! Maks looks happy and content.

Hmmm, I came back to see what anybody said, and now I can see the pictures. How weird!

Evelyn, your bed looks great!! It sure has a lot of color and looks like everything is happy.

BTW, my little blue MG is happily climbing the arbor. Can't wait to see the blooms.

Ginny

Looks good Evelyn ! Be strong, keep your secrets safe.

Tony your a nut :)

Wow that is some fast growing.

That puppy is so cute. I've been following since they were born and they continue to be adorable.

The website hosting the pictures must have been down; happens.

Nice growth there! What plants do you have there, Evelyn?

Olya

WOWIE ZOWIE! You must be doing somehing to keep them happy!

thanks guys :-) yes, I am amazed myself over this bed. But first of all, Marcia, your puppy is adorable! Congratulations to your new family member :-)

to your Questions: Since I was gone for almost 4 weeks, I did NOTHING to it. It gets watered by the sprinkler twice a week.
I did it the lasagne style and added a lot of compost, so that must be the reason why it is growing so nicely.

Kate, the trees are a kumquat and a tangerine and the banana is a Siam Red. (btw, the stores in Germany are selling red (!) banana fruits, maybe those are from Siam Reds?)
Nope, no secret fertilizer, just compost.... and no, the Amazing Todd cannot be rented out at this time LOL

Betsy, the Camellia is not doing much, but scratching at the bark it still shows green so I am not giving up hope.

ok, lets see what's in this bed starting on the left: bat faced cuphea, annual begonia, Kumquat tree, dark red shrimp plant, mona lavendar, dianthus, Siam Red, a few differnt colored petunias, some lilies from Kathy, nasturdium, orange kangaroo paw, a birdbath, lemon grass from Marcia, light-purple batfaced cuphea from butterflygardener, African Blue Basil from Marcia, popcorn cassia, some white leafed plant (I forgot who gave me this start). Inbetween I seeded out some annuals and wild seedlings sprouted from the compost are dill, sunflowers and lavender hyssop.

Evelyn

PS: my gallery site was down for a couple of hours that day, that was the reason for the no-show of my pics.

WOW! What a difference. I need some of whatever they put in your water.
Everythings liiks beautiful. Great job.
Ariel

No, I don't think the red bananas came from the red Siam. I have a plant, 10 feet tall, with green leaves that give red bananas. They are so sweet. At first they said the Siam wouldn't fruit, now they are saying if it does the fruit won't be edible. No one really knows, but they are grown mainly for the leaf color not for fruit.

Evelyn,
It's just beautiful! If you don't mind telling me, what do you use to edge your beds? I'm interested in the material and method - are they simply bricks turned on their side or more than meets the eye? I'm looking for something to help keep the grass at bay at my house.

Everlyn the flowers and EVERYTHING are very lovely, you really are taking great care of that bed. Just beautiful!

Marcia, that puppy is just way too cute and I agree that tummy needs lots of rubs!

Evelyn, The compost you added and all is feeding those beauties.It looks so lush. I love before and after pictures.
Thanks for sharing it is beautiful.
Pat, You said your Franky.Well one of the puppies is named Franky,Tucker and the one I kept is Pinocchio.
Marcia,Pinocchio went to the doctor yesterday for shots. He weights 3.5 lb. I miss Maks and Franky!
Felix

Love the garden....mine does not seem to grow quite that fast either. Must be the secret compost ingredients!

The is one cute little puppy! He looks quite happy and content - and does look like he's smiling at his 'Mom'. :)

Wow Evelyn ~ Magic ingredients, water, love of gardening and faith. What a treat to come home to. Before and after pictures are wonderful.

Marcia ~ your little sweetie is adorable.

FlowerLady

I have to admit I am proud of this flowerbed and I want to thank you for your applause. It probably will not look half as good when summer heat is done with it, but so far, I really enjoy looking out my window. Btw, the hummers go crazy over it, too.

Evelyn