Coming up Roses

I've decided I'll just have to make friends with this pink rose bush:

I am not a rose fan... and the colors I'm trying to have out front are orange and blue (okay and yellow/purple) -- far from pink.  But I've cut this thing to the ground twice, and it just keeps coming back happier and happier.  And I must admit, it is beautiful.  I'm not into all the detail work that comes with growing roses, and if I don't keep it pruned closely it scratches the car when I drive by...  but I can't seem to kill it with neglect, so I guess I'll be nice and stop cutting it down...

Backyard Plantings

I popped in 5 lavendar plants at the end of my new garden box:

It turned out that was a great place for the lavender -- the soil was all sandy due to being dug up from pretty far down during backstep construction.  Perfect for good drainage.

And I also planted 3 salvia and a thyme plant along the walk.  It already had a bumble bee on it last evening.

Clearly I use the term "walk" loosely -- at this point it's just a piece of plywood resting on some 2"x4"s!  All in good time...

Finally - herbs in

I finally got my herbs planted out front after they languished in their seedling pots in my backyard for two weeks!   They are Bergamot sage (2), traditional sage (2),  greek oregano (1), hot and spicy oregano (1), and (not pictured) one variegated thyme.  The Bergamot sage leaves smelled so good when I touched them while planting -- great citrus scent!


I also stuck in one non-herb -- a flowering plant that was a gift from a friend.  I can't remember what the label said it was.  It's a pretty blue... 
 

I'll likely be adding more plants to this bed over time.  I had a lot more thyme, but I decided to plant it in the back around some stepping stones instead. 

Around the (Front) Butterfly Garden

Just a few photos of what's happening in the butterfly garden out front:

Russian sage and butterfly bush - got supports in early this year!

Echinacea/Purple Coneflower - didn't come up last year at all!

Daisy

Hmmm cannot recall name...

Caterpillar food plants - dill, parsley, fennel

Oooo -- Metal Planters!

I am in love with these metal planters:

(Photo courtesy of Slow Love Life http://www.slowlovelife.com/)

It seems like I could make these with some sheet metal, but I suspect that isn't really true.  But - love.

I once saw some others similar to these that were made out of a section of the corrugated metal that culverts (okay, culverts in rural Minnesota) are made out of.  They appeared to just be a section of culvert stood up on end.  Now THAT I could probably figure out...