Continuing off of last years gardening efforts (2011 thread here: Val's 2011 gardening thread)...

I kinda got lazy about updates toward the latter portion of last year, I had made a few changes and new additions but we'll focus more on what this year brings from here on out.

Off to a great start this year despite my inability to do much at the moment. Can't wait for this baby to come out so I can get to scratching this itch to work in my yard. I see a lot of my plants are starting to come back beautifully. Hubby and I have been working on laying down weed fabric and cypress mulch, doing one bed at a time. It's still a work in progress but we are almost done. Pics to follow once the job is complete.

This weekend I bought 4 Dwarf Yaupon Holly bushes, they will line the short walk to the back gate. I plan to line the walk with stones in between the hollies.


These I bought late last fall but didn't get a chance to plant before it turned cold. They've bounced back amazingly well so I'm just waiting for a certain baby to come along before I can start putting them in the ground. They're 2 pink knockout roses and a daylily, so much bigger and better than they were when I bought them last fall.


These Rhododendron I bought earlier last fall as well, don't think I ever shared. The Astilbe I planted around them are popping up out of the ground at a rapid pace also (that's one of the Astilbe in between the 2 Rhododendron).


Had to share a couple pics of my Azaleas starting to bloom...
The pinks in the back:


And the whites in the front:


Couldn't resist snapping a pic of my Purple Homestead Trailing Verbena, it got HUGE last year and is filling in so nicely already.


And lastly (for now) I just had to share a pic of my Japanese Magnolia as it is right now, this little tree takes my breath away every time I look out the window or go out into the yard. I told hubby I want some more of them.



Definitely have some big plans for the yard/garden this year and I look forward to sharing it as we go along!

you read my mind Val!!! i got out and did some garden work yesterday and was like, its time to start a new thread!
nice to see some color from your yard and i hope with baby in tow you can get all your work done this summer

i was surprised to see all the little green poking through the dead leaves once i cleared them out yesterday! and some tulips poking out of the dirt

I can't wait to see what you have in store for this year as well! Same here, I'm seeing green pushing up out of the ground all over...every day it seems like a find something new coming up. My gladioli, irises, and daylilies are at the forefront of the progress so far. Makes me so happy to see all this green!

I love the Japanese Magnolia! I WANT!

MIL planted bulbs randomly last Fall, along with some of Iris bulbs that Jenn split from her garden and they started to sprout out last week and bloom! Not sure where my MIL planted what, but she planted some daffodils, crocuses, and something else I can't remember the name! I'm excited to see what comes up because I still have some pansies that lived through the hail storm 2 summers ago that hubby didn't rip out (because he thought they were annuals and died!).

I need to start a continued thread too!

Can't wait to see more of your (and Jenn's) pictures of your garden this year!

Pics, Claudia! While I work on my own yard I have to live vicariously through you and Jenn because some of the stuff you guys have over there won't grow in my neck of the woods. Can't wait to see everyone's gardens this year!

I will get pics tomorrow or Wednesday since it'll be 70 degree weather all week!

So many more plants are sprouting new leaves, makes me so happy!

Got back in touch yesterday with the landscaper we hired last summer to add two extra zones to our existing irrigation system. He'll be coming out tomorrow to go over what we want to add to our yard as far as edging and additional trees. I just don't think with a new baby that I will be up to laying down all that concrete edging. And we want to get some larger trees delivered and installed in the backyard this year, more work than hubby and myself can manage by ourselves so we'll see what this landscaper can do for us and for how much. Exciting!

man i wish i had more money to put into my yard yours looks so great!

I'm seeking some advice/opinions from you folks regarding trees. We have contracted a landscaper to do some work for us, he's scheduled to do the work the second week of May. One of the things he'll be doing is putting in 2 trees in our backyard. I told him I wanted a shade tree, preferably something fast growing, that would do well in our area. I don't mind if it flowers or not. I left it open to him to give us suggestions.

The options he suggested are as follows:
-Maple
-Redbud
-Dogwood
-River Birch
-Elm

I'm not really interested in a Maple since we already have one in the front yard and the woods behind our house are full of Maples.

We're going to put in 2 trees, so here's where I'd like some opinions. Of the last 4 tree suggestions, which would you folks recommend and why? Also, if there are certain trees in his list that you would not recommend in his list please tell me why for those as well.

Thanks in advance, I have certain trees in mind that I'm leaning toward but wanted to get others' opinions before I say which.

Elm trees grow to be huge but will definitely provide you with the shade you're looking for, dogwoods are beautiful when they flower but are much smaller. I had to look up the redbud but the pictures I saw of it flowering are gorgeous.

If you're look for shade and aesthetics I'd go for the dogwood and redbud.

Maples are over-rated.

i love dogwoods had some in PA growing up but i remember them being shorter wider trees, i know there are a few diff. kinds of dogwoods, ours got some dogwood virus and we lost them
i love the river birch, i have the weeping birch in the back and i love it. i do know they are prone to a birch virus and i think beetles/insects so i have been treating it every spring. i love everything about elms

dont care for the
Maple or Redbud

Val, did you ever pick a tree? or has any work been done?

We ultimately decided to go with 2 River Birch trees. The landscaper is scheduled to do the work this coming Thursday, I'm looking forward to it. They'll be planting the two 45 gal trees along with two 7 gal lavender azaleas and six 1 gal mexican heather, plus 240 feet of concrete block edging they will install around our existing garden beds.

Thats a great choice Val, they are much more resilient than a regular birch and will be nice shade for you. Hope to see photos!
Kelly

Can't wait for the pics! U doing the edging in the back or whole house and screwing the hoa?

I just skimmed through all of last years gardening thread and I must say I'm mighty jealous of that big beautiful backyard you have to work with! I can't wait to have my own house and yard to plant things in. You've got a fantastic looking yard after last year and I'm looking forward to seeing what all you do this year, Val!

Thank you and I will definitely post pics after the work is done. I've already taken a few pics for "before and afters".

Jenn, we did not get HOA approval for the edging this time. However my neighbor 2 doors down got HOA approval for the same edging that we are going with so I know we won't get in trouble for it. We are having the edging done in the front yard as well as the portion around the house in the backyard. Later when I create island beds in the backyard I'll get the edging done there as well. If the landscaper does a good job this time around we'll probably hire him again to create my backyard island beds, plus edging and whatever other plants I decide to get. If it weren't for the baby I'd do the islands myself, but I just don't have the time these days.

Looks great so far, Val!

I need to update my thread. I'm happy to report that ALL of our plants are coming back up this year except one... but that one may still actually come back, it might just be too early. I wasn't expecting that since I tend to have a brown thumb!

Just a few update pics, some of which include the work that the landscaper did for us last week.

For starters here are a few before and afters…

Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before:


After:


Before (this is a pic from last year):


After:


Before (this is a pic from last year):


After:


This is something the hubby and I did, not the landscaper.
Before:




After:


And some random pics from this spring…

Rhododendron flowers


Magnolia blooming


My Astilbe has taken off this year


Hydrangea in bloom


Blue Flag Iris


One of the flowers on the 2 new azaleas the landscaper put in (it’s actually more purplish in person)


And lastly my Gladioli are starting to bloom!


Bought a few more plants this past weekend…2 rose bushes, several Lantana, and a Snow Princess.

The edging looks great Val! I am SO jealous of your Rodedendron. with Tika, everything plant is an open invitation to chew, so I dont want to risk it.

Oddly, the only thing my sibe eats in the garden are my Japanese Magnolias. I have to keep a close eye on him for sure, he doesn't touch anything else.

Looks fabulous, Val!

love the edging, really makes everything look "finished" i so need to do something in the front yard with our! your plants are all looking so good!

Really nice work there!