It's a Jungle Out There

Our last few weeks in Florida were both boring and wonderful. The weather was perfect with sunshine and warm temperatures. I pushed to get more painting done and what's not done will be waiting for me in the fall. We decided to wait for the Shuttle launch and we were disappointed with a cloudy morning so we weren't able to see it from the house. We left on Tuesday and have never seen so little traffic.

After having spent so much time the last few months sprucing up the new place I was shocked at how dingy this place looked. We've been here almost seven years, which is the longest we've ever stayed in one place and fresh paint is needed! After being laid up much of last year it needs a good spring cleaning too.

The garden is looking both great and terrible. I lost several plants but others have really taken off. There is little definition as to where the lawn ends and the garden beds begin. I wasn't able to do anything last summer and didn't have the energy in the fall.

The iris are beautiful and this bed is in the best shape of any. The rhododendron has lots of blooms considering that this plant has been just barely hanging on for years.

This is a view of the entire bed. The other rhododendron has really taken off and the one in the middle is finally coming into it's own. Both clematis look good and the lamium is starting to fill in.

Around the corner the azalea is pretty but it insists on growing out rather than up. The bed is overrun with weeds and the daisies and lilies don't not want to play nice with each other. That won't matter if I don't do something about the black-eyed susans and coneflowers which seem determined to take over.

This is the other side of the walkway. I'm thrilled with the delphiniums. Everything else needs to be thinned or moved. The white azalea bush also spread out, with no upward growth which I might be happy about if it had more than a couple of flower buds.

This corner is just ugly. I've never been able to find the balance I want here and of course this is the bed you walk by from the driveway to either door.

I think I will love this bed after some thinning and edging. In two years it's gone from looking empty to jam packed.

The entire bed. It doesn't look too bad from a distance. The ferns should fill in more and the hosta near the step needs to be moved.

Always one of my spring favorites, this bleeding heart never disappoints!