Friday, March 7, 2014

Can it get any more dreary? Don't answer that...

I usually don't complain about the weather and the seasons. I enjoy the change and what each season has to offer, but this year in the Tidewater area of VA, winter, you have over stayed your welcome. 

While I wait for the weather to warm up, I made some plans for new flower beds. Having a new patio put in earlier this year caused some major changes in the yard.  I'm ready to dig in my yard and start on my newly designed backyard flower beds (thank you Chris S.)  


I want to see some color! I want my yard to be green again.  Is that too much to ask?  Obviously it is since we won't really see any warmth for a while and April is so dicey. It is warm one day and then we get a crazy freeze in the middle of the month.



This will become one large bed of shade loving plants. I have two hydrangea planted here. The limelight is planted, and the variegated leaf lace cap hydrangea is plopped after moving it when we had the patio replaced.  The hydrangea will remain plopped until the soil arrives. This bed receives some afternoon sun, which really isn't great for hydrangeas, they need morning sun, but the sun is filtered by the silver maple that stands near.

If my beds had been established I would have purchased some gorgeous wintery-early spring perennials that I saw at Home Depot today.  (I still may go back and get them!)  Home Depot had Candytuft, English Primroses, English Daisies and Creeping phlox. Even in the misty rain, these flowers were amazing and happy!

English Daisy
 English Daisies are beautiful in pots or as a border plant. 

Candytuft
Candytuft reminds me of my grandmother Davis and my mother-in-law. Both loved this early spring plant, planted in drifts along with tulips, daffodils and Hyacinths. 

English Primroses
English Primroses can brighten any dull corner or edge of a flower bed. They can do well in clay soil! (yay) They may go dormant in the hot summer, but should come back next year.  These are even pretty grouped together in a basket for inside. Don't keep them inside for long, they are outside plants. 

Creeping Phlox subulata

Creeping Phlox is another beautiful late winter, early spring flower that gives hope that spring is on its way. The Subulata variety likes full sun, but can tolerate some light shade. This flower makes an excellent ground cover. After bloom time, shear it, for a nice green color that will be much appreciated when we are all complaining of the hot sun! ;)

This year, what are you planning on planting?

Mary