Sunday, July 26, 2020

Plants in the back area

A few weeks ago, I featured photos from our outings to the plant nursery.

Since then we have been working on weeding and potting and clearing out stuff. This is one side of the yard before we cleaned up. A lots of weeds, the lemon tree, a perpetually overgrown escallonia bush by the fence, a pot of geraniums and a sage plant, hidden in the overgrowth. On the other side it was all weeds.



Plants we had gotten from the nursery...




After some weeding and some potting, that side looks better:


The geranium and the sage, which is taller now:




Rosie the cat looks over the work as it progresses. 



We are experimenting with begonias, which mostly like shade. At certain times of the year we have nothing but shade but in the summer much of the back area is in full sun most of the day.



So most the rest of what we have bought need full sun or can deal with it. We are planning on mostly plants that attract butterflies or hummingbirds. And succulents.

Cuphea, which is the chief hummingbird attraction.

Agastache

Upright Verbena, loved by bees and butterflies.


Succulents


More succulents.

Geraniums, still my favorite.



16 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

Gosh, I miss succulents. I should have gotten a bunch. Maybe next year. Beautiful, Tracy!

Rick Robinson said...

Wonderful! Thank you so much. Very attractive choices. Nice Rosie a pat from me.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Patti. I had wondered how succulents would do in more northern climates.

Margot Kinberg said...

This is all so gorgeous, Tracy! Your choices go so well together, and you've done such a great job getting your garden in shape! Of course, with Rosie on the job, I'm sure you're getting the project leadership that you need... ;-) Thanks for sharing.

TracyK said...

Rick, still a work in progress and more weeding left to do. Rosie was running up and down stairs a lots last night so now is sleeping it off.

TracyK said...

Margot, this has been a good project for these times and now that I am retired I can keep up with it. Rosie has always enjoyed looking out back to watch birds and tell other cats to stay out, but even more now.

Howard said...

Looks great! Nice cat too!

Cath said...

Absdolutely delightful, Tracy. My favourite plant for attracting bees and butterflies is the herb, marjoram. Ours is covered with insects. The lavender is good too but only seems to attract bumble bees. Your cat is gorgeous!

Katrina said...

What lovely photos, I especially like the succulents and I'm now wondering what has happened to my verbena, it hasn't appeared this year. You have a lemon tree in your garden - I'm envious.

Bill Selnes said...

Those photos are lovely. It all looks so beautiful and inviting. Congratulations. I wish I were closer to take a look.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Howard. Rosie is a joy. Most of the time.

TracyK said...

Katrina, I am glad to have more succulents again. My verbena from last year (in the front, in the ground) did not come back but it was the first time I had it in years and I probably did not care for it right. Our lemon tree is huge, we expected a smaller one but we were very inexperienced twenty years ago, so we are lucky it has done so well.

TracyK said...

Cath, I will try some marjoram. I could do it in pots first and then try some in the ground. It might do well in the back. We may try lavender in the front, I did not have success in the past but there are different types to try.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Bill. Since Glen works from home now, and I am retired, we both are looking out that window / door most of the day and the changes we have made in the back have improved the view. Still a lot of cleaning up and weeding to do, but a lot of progress has been made.

col2910 said...

I don't mind a bit of gardening, but my wife's the boss as regards design and plant selection. I love succulents and cacti.

TracyK said...

I do most of the work, but I do like to share choices of plants. As long as it is something that will survive our conditions. Glen and I both like succulents (obviously) but we do shy away from prickly plants.