Please Be Patient, Garden In Progress

Our first project was replacing the old mailbox and making a bed around it. We had some existing azaleas which we saved but removed a lot of old plants and had to remove an old tree that was rotting. This picture shows the top of the bed with new shrubs and perennials. We used some evergreen cryptomeria shrubs, some variegated euyonomous shrubs and some perennial flowers. It is especially challenging since the yard is on slope.

Here is the front bed as viewed from the driveway. There is still a stump where the tree was removed but we planted a crepe myrtle to replace it. We have planted a mix of shrubs and plants. We have some yellow Knock Out roses on the far side. There are some trailing yews and dwarf forsythias in the lower portion of the bed. We chose shorter plants at the bottom so that the larger ones could be seen from below . On the steepest area next to the driveway, I placed some sedum and Ice plants to spread out and cover bare spots.  Hopefully they will help prevent the soil from washing away.

Here is one touch of color right now. This blue clematis trails and climbs up a garden globe near our front steps.

Here is a trouble spot. We have no grass under the front left side of our house under the trees. The slope forces water to flow this way. So far we are having difficulty getting anything to grow here.

Here are some plants along our front walkway. We replaced most of the old plants in this section. We have a mix of arborvitae, gardenias and japanese pieris. These plants are better suited for this area that gets almost no direct sun all day. There is a Confederate Jasmine vine growing along a trellis that should reach the newly constructed arbor in a year or so.