Sun Flower Garden Progress

A year ago, as we worked to move into this historic, old house, I was looking at this space in my backyard with hope. I knew the history, how my husbands great-grandparents had built beautiful flower gardens, complete with spring flowering trees, and those gardens had been remembered fondly by many members of the now, elder generations.

Backyard, spring of 2012

When we moved in, the focus had to be on the interior of the house. The back sat and waited.

This spring, I started to dig out these old, forgotten and neglected flower beds. I was determined to bring the beauty of this space back to life.

Spring 2012.  The work begins

The work was hard. Digging out by hand the 20' x 10' space into a 20' x 17' space was quite the project. I wanted to reduce the amount invasive bulbs and clean out the weeds, which were thick and sometimes unwilling to budge.

Spring 2013, Work in progress

I dug and dug and dug. Turing the soil, shaking out clumps of buttercups, trying to save as much soil as I could. The weeds and such, I wheel-barrowed to the back of the property where I used the sod and weeds to create a berm that I will cover with black tarp and let sit for a year or two.After it's good and cooked, I'll have new soil for additional flower beds. Nothing goes to waste.

My vision for this new sun flower garden, was to create a haven for butterflies and bee's, using water wise plants, with a mix of grasses for winter interest.

Newly planted and starting to grow June 2013.

As summer has warmed the earth, I have been fascinated by how well my new little garden has been growing.

I'll be thrilled when my clumping bamboo really takes off and creates the 'green fence' I so desperately need along the old fenceline. My husband has been told to cut the lovely, leaning, old, metal, clothe's line out. It's partner has long been gone on the other side.

July 2013

And now, a few blooms are beginning on my infant plants. I am jumping for joy.

Here are some of the plants growing in this new sun garden:

Agastache Golden Jubilee, Globetrotter, Apricot Sprite
Rudbeckia Autumn Colors
Echinacea Little Annie, PowWow Wildberry, Double Decker, Sombrero Hot Coral, Cheyenne Spirit
Lavender, Spanish & French
Yarrow
Veronica
Delphinum
Cape Fuchsia, pink, peach, dark pink
Dahlia, 4 varieties
Blaze Little Bluestem Grass
Copper Sedge
Feather Reed Grass
Wind Grass
Sirocco Stipa
Oat Grass
Penniseturn Spatheolatum (grass)
Lemon Balm
Buddelia, Orange Ball Tree
Lace Leaf, Japanese Maple
Gaillardia, Arizona Red
Euphorbia
Nemesia
Lambs Ear
Sedum
Sea Holly
Cosmos
Verbena Bonariesis 'lollipop'
Alstroernia 'Butterscotch' Inca Lilly
Trachellum Caerleum, Floss Flower
Shasta Daisy

Wow, that's quite a list and it's not complete! I can't wait until these plants are mature, full and lush. I am excited to watch the grasses sway in the wind and the bee's and butterflies dance on the blooms.

Cheers, Jenni