Scree bed 2011

The top two pictures are from last spring. The bottom picture is of the garden this spring just last wee-third week of April. As you can see it has changed a lot. I spread a pea gravel mulch that gave it just a finished look. I have some rare finds in this garden. One is a charming chub just towards the bottom of the bottom picture from the ponderosa pine. I have some wonderful rock garden dianthus, pussy toes (these have to be cut back about two or three times a year or they will take over), a miniature clematis, some pasque flower, lewisia, arenaria, rock garden anemone (windflower), baptisia (this is being dug out this spring-it is just much too large for this garden) among many others that are specialized rock garden plants. If you would like scientific names please just post me and I will get them to you!

The main picture on the homepage of this blog is the main perennial garden started shortly after we moved in. I built a curved, brick wall following the existing edging line after removing all of shrubs (had a company do this) and removing all of the crushed granite rock in the area (ugghhh..hard work). There are three aspens trees in the area and they were small when we moved in. The garden started out as a perennial xeriscape garden and this photo was taken about three years after the initial installation. Last fall took some of the plants out as the garden is changing to a shade garden as the Aspen trees grow larger. And, naturally some of the plants died. Last fall I planted a Fine Line Buckthorn and two hydrangeas in the area. I now have a list created of some of the other plants I would like to add to the garden to give it some increased blooming season.