Sedum may not be a good choice near the pool then if the bees love them, they may get irritated by us playing nearby!;)

Yarrow is a bit later maybe.... decided on quick search: true how much? that bees like yellow. That bees like yarrow..... I like dogwood bushes: red, or yellow, and variegated leaves... color in winter...

Cher, How does your garden grow?
We have had a heatwave so I am surprised my hydrangeas are still ok, since they are in full sun. We cut down three trees so they used to have shade.
I took this picture since we have a storm moving in and hopefully it won't beat them to death.

Cher, I've been wondering how your garden is doing too. Things tend to remain kind of small the first year, but is it off to a good start?

Hello Ann & Katherine!!
My front garden is taking off nicely...I love it!! The Snow in Summer is spreading a lot already:) My roses stopped blooming for a bit, some are reblooming now though. I may have to go buy a rose fertilizer to help keep them in bloom longer or maybe they just go through bloom phases? How is it looking?

Katherine- How did your Hydrangeas hold up with the storm?

Looks nice. The three grasses toward the lawn look a little brown, but that might be temporary. We divided a couple grasses in the spring of 2015 and they struggled last summer but are back to normal this summer.

Maybe they need more water than what I've been giving them? It's been an extremely dry season this summer.

I think that would be worth a try. It's been dry here too.

Cher,
Yes a lot of water first year. I do cut off the dead blooms from the roses only because they bother me, but it isn't necessary. I was wondering how they were doing. Don't cut back before winter but cut back early spring or late winter.
I am happy you are enjoying your flowers. With this heat I bet you are enjoying your pool even more.
My hydrangeas did fine. They are papery so ready to be cut already. I think that is why they didn't get beat up. Rain makes them so heavy and they break sometimes. I just love the way they come up from severe cutting back to so big. Annabella hydrangeas are easy to grow.
Take care

Katherine- I'm so glad your Hydrangeas survived...they are beautiful!!
I too cut the dead blooms off my roses because I didn't like the look of them;) Do your roses bloom non-stop or do they bloom for a few weeks on & a few weeks off? Some of my leaves are burgandy...I think it's the new growth? Has that happened to your roses?

Cher - my knockouts bloom vigorously and then they taper off a bit. They'll bloom again. And some of my leaves are burgundy also.

Yes, they seem to go in spurts but I always have some blooms and some new growth.

I'm getting lots of buds now...but the caterpillars seem to like my roses too. Katherine do use anything specific on your roses to keep them away?

I never had caterpillars. I sometimes buy a rose liquid by Ortho. It lasts all summer and takes care of everything. You mix it with water and then pour around roots. Some years They are okay and some years I get a little rust but never anything serious.
I hope yours will be okay.

Yes you do that in spring, if I remember again in 6 wks.

Cher,
http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2015/03/26/pruning-knock-out-rose-when-why-and-how/

Maybe around the edge of your pool?
http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2015/07/30/a-better-rose-than-knock-out/?xid=socialflow_facebook

Thanks for the info Katherine! I will have to check out the new drift roses...they sound very nice!!!

Shutter color and leave sidelight Windows white....your trim is all white and it would make door stand out....then chairs will really brighten up porch.

Add shutters to the door and change the door to a 15 lite. Paint shutters to match existing and leave the door white. Good luck!

Also change rear door to a 15 lite!

Hello...it's been a while since I've posted on this dilemma!
When we built our home, we dug up a lot of rocks & pushed them to the back of our property. Years later( I won't say how many), after completing numerous other projects(huge interlock walkways, patio, inground pool etc), we are finally tackling the mess at the back. It has been a backbreaking, slow-moving project...but I like how it's turning out! We have made retaining walls, gardens and natural paths. We are going to pour a cement pad where the gravel is & eventually build a gazebo. There is going to be garden all around the tree & gazebo. I need help planning my natural garden beside where the gazebo
Will be? Around the tree...I was planning on just planting hostas & ferns as it's shady most of the day.

I just realized how dark the pics are...I'll take more tomorrow & post more:).

Welcome back Cher! It is looking good & cute tree! That is a good plan :)

happyleg- it's great to get back on Houzz!! I look forward to hearing from everyone again:)

Here are a few more pics...hopefully not as dark as the others. We are facing a golf course...so we don't extremely tall things blocking our few to the front of the gravel pad. What plants look good together, easy maintenance, maybe some that are deer and bunny resistant. I'll be moving that tall tiger lily that is under the tree when it's done blooming. I think it looks to tall for that spot. Any other ideas??

U have a lot done from the others! Looks good.

What's done so far: I added ferns and hostas under the tree( shady all day). I bought a few flowers to start filling in larger garden area...do the flowers look ok where they are? I would normally put something very tall in the center, but that is our view to the golf course & don't want to block the view. I thought I'd put tiger Lily's on the sides, towards the back & find a shorter shrub( thinking ninebark) in the middle, that we can see over when sitting & then mimic the flowers on the other side. Thoughts??? Any other flower suggestions?

You may want to consider a bold color for the door to make it pop out since the rest of your color scheme is neutral. Maybe red? Adirondack chairs, while stylish, are not very comfortable. You may want to consider an outdoor love seat if you plan to sit out there. Remove the bench for better flow to the front door. Happy decorating!

That looks nice & the idea of a love bench.

Any other flower suggestions for minimal maintenance, natural/cottage style garden?

Spring is around the corner & im thinking about where we left off last fall with the backyard rock walls and gardens. I decided to fill in the big hole where we initially thought we'd put in a pond...we decided not to. We finished the patio & I've added some plants...I've got a lot more to add. We dug a trench from the back of the house and ran water and electrical for a future gazebo(so we can have a fan and lights in gazebo). It's so nice not to walk back and forth with buckets of water:). I hope I'll get some feedback from my garden experts with remaining flowers, shrubs etc to put in once spring finally hits!! Here are some pics...

I even made a new backyard friend last summer!!:)

Cher, you have accomplished so much and it is looking beautiful. I feel like a slacker. Is the whole area shady where you will be planting? Maybe think about some flowers you can pick for arrangements. Are you ok with planting bulbs in fall or spring?

Annabel hydrangeas come to mind or peonies. My Annabella las All summer and I pick them in the fall. Peonies are short blooming time. I love Asian lilies and they are fairly carefree and bloom for a fair amount of time.

Hi Kathy! So nice to hear from you! If I remember correctly...it's quite shady directly under the big trees, but the other areas get half day sun. I did plant hostas under the big tree near the chairs & I planted some Shasta daisies & a few others that I've already forgotten the names of-lol!!:) I know I have ones that smell like onions and they are have a purple ball attached to each long stem...As soon as the snow melts and I can get in the shed I will find all the garden tags with the plant names on them. I do know I have two knock out rose bushes as the two died in the front yard and I had replaced them with ones I bought from a different nursery then my initial ones were from. I took the dead ones back though and they gave me two others, so I plunked them in the back garden:)
I hope you've had a good winter?!! The sun was shining today and it was a bit warmer, so I'm getting inspired to start working outside a bit too. We've been working on finishing our basement all winter(still not done though) I have a dilemma going with that one too!!;) Are you working on any new projects?

Actually, We cut down 5 trees that were overgrown and replaced them with smaller ones. I am thinking of streamlining the flower beds to be fairly sparse with mostly mulch. I love flowers but by August they are a bit much. I am of an age where I want less work. I did get out and cut back the knockouts before they bud and I will cut back the hydrangeas some more yet. My hostas took off and are huge again so I will thin those out ASAP. I think I will put them at the curb and offer them for free. I am always shocked at what they cost at nurseries and I have a few nice varieties. Other than that I plan on a lot of mulch.

We are getting a new roof this year so less is more. I also plan to cut out a row of evergreen bushes in front that are overgrown after all these years. Yikes, it’s beginning to sound like a lot of work.

I will take a better look at your yard and see if I can see anything jump out to suggest. I mostly wanted to say Hi and tell you how great it looks already.

I think your purple ball might be ilium.

Kathy- I understand about wanting low maintenance! We just want to make sure we get all the massive jobs out of the way before we get to an age where we're unable to do them as well...I might be cursing all these gardens 10-15 yrs from now-lol!!! Those rocks were darn heavy and our bodies sure did take a beating;)
You're right about the purple flower...that is what it is. I got them because the deer won't eat them apparently, which is what we need for the back of the yard. I just came on too see if you would come on so I can say "hello" too! I am always so amazed at the great help that I get on Houzz...so appreciative of all the feedback!!!:) I can't wait for spring here in Canada!!!

How about a burnt orange door?

Cher,

maybe it is a good idea to start a new thread for the garden and link it to this one for continuity.

How would I go about linking a new thread to this older one Kathy?:)

Start a new thread then come back to this thread and post a comment with the copied location. Does that make sense to you? I am not very good at explaining. It would direct people from here to there. You might want to say....you are on to a new project and started a new thread.....and add the link so people that come to this one can still follow you on the new link/thread.

I'll try too: start thread, and in a post, place first thread's address by a 'copy / paste' using the link-symbol below, at right....

and another way, i think..

Irises, Gladiolus, sunflower.

I like the deep purple with Nickel Hardware Take your paint sample to BM or other paint manufacturable and they can give you best advice for The correct shade of purple . Another suggestion a bit costly remove the shutters And crown mold windows and door. It will give window /doors height and stand out . Pretty house

I agree I like purple . Brushed Nickel hardware and clear glass candle stick lighting. A semi flush light fixture over the door will draw attention to your door . You also might mount Nickel address numbers where the side light was mounted, Take your paint sample to Paint store for best shade match of purple
For extra cost I would remove the shutters
And crown mold the windows and door.
The shutters close the porch in and down size your front windows .Crown molding will raise the height of windows and door and give house presence on your street. Nice home.

Why not try wide crown molding around windows and door. Remove all the shutters add a semi flush light over door....step back and take another look. You just might like the white door.
Mount Brushed nickel address numbers
And pricey brushed nickel door handle set . Your house will Have new presence on the street. Nice home

Kathy & everdebz- thanks for explaining to me...I'm afraid I'm not the most tech savvy person-haha:) I'll try to start a new dilemma and link it today...wish me luck!!;)

I started a new dilemma...I'm done with painting the front door and gave started working on outdoor gardens now. Please follow my new dilemma!

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/finish-backyard-gardens-this-season-dsvw-vd~5206808

It’s been a while since I posted...how do I start a new post??? I’m using an iPhone:)