Spring and Summer Garden

I really love spring and summer. I love the sunshine, warmer temps, cooking outside, but most of all, I love getting my hands in the dirt and working in my flower beds. This year is especially exciting because it's our first year to plan a flower garden for this house. We moved in last June and the flower beds were already full and blooming.

Here is a picture of our house right after we moved in. I hung the flag and 3 Boston Ferns, everything else was already there. We could not quite figure out what was going on with the lawn.....we watered and watered and it just looked dead. Maybe it had a disease? Maybe it was just too hot? I don't know, that is my husband's territory. The previous owners planted the front beds with Posies, Geraniums, and Sweet Potato Vine. 

Under the Mulberry Tree, I am planning to plant a few Hostas. They like shade and are low-maintenance. 

Among the Hostas, I'd like to plant some Lily of the Valley. They are the cutest blooms ever and smell divine!

On the front porch, I will hang a couple of Boston Ferns and put another in my plant stand. Boston's can be a bit of a mess, I may go with the Kimberly Fern instead. 

On each side of the front door, I'll do a couple of pots with Lavender. 

Along our privacy fence to the west, I'd like to plant Gladiolus. If you will plant the bulbs a few days apart, you will have color all season into the fall! 

In the front beds I'll grow Portulaca (Rose Moss). This is the easiest stuff to grow and it spreads like crazy. The blooms open up wide mid-day and close in the evenings......and its okay if you forget to water them for a week.....or two. 

I'll also plant a couple of pots of Lantana, butterflies love this stuff! 

 Lastly, I'll put Sweet Potato Vine under the ornamental tree. My husband hates SPV. It grows like crazy and can be a nuisance if you don't keep cutting it back....and flea beetles love it, so keep an eye on it if it gets droopy. 

We have decided we aren't going to try a vegetable garden this year. I don't have the patience, and I really like shopping at the local farmer's markets. 

Are you a gardener??