Those are really pretty posies!

I had no idea that petunia would volunteer in zone 5. Useful info.

Lynda

Lynda, I was just as amazed when I found petunias growing out of the cracks in the driveway last year, volunteers from the year before.
I even gathered seed last year with the intention of WS them for that same blue container. Turns out I didnt even need them. :)

Lovely! Personally I think that Zinnia 'Peppermint Stick' is too die for!! I put out lots of Zinnia this year including 'Green Envy' but all of them are lost or hidden in my jungle of plants out there LOL! The ones I can actually see are so pitiful LOL! I may need to do some serious re-arranging of perennials this fall to open the bed up to more light for the annuals :O

My white Nicotiana just started blooming last evening, but have never been able to get the re-seeds as tall as the fist year I grew them. These can get HUGE! Dont'cha just love that fragrance?

Wowza, Leecb! You sure are doing something right. I have to admit I'm lukewarm about the mixed color zinnias, too. I favor the Profusion series, and when I need big ones, I like them in the single colors, particularly scarlet.

Your garden sure looks nice!

LOL Vera. I wasnt sure what to expect from the Peppermint Stick Zinnia's, I guess I was hoping for brighter colors. I will say that so far, no two flowers are alike and they are nice and big.

I'm completely sold on the Nicotiana. Which kind are you growing?
The "Daylite Sensation" mix was said to grow only 2 1/2 to 3 ft and for some reason the ones I put in containers have gotten taller than the ones in the ground.

I forgot to add one of my favorite WS babies!
African Daisies:
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They kick butt in the color dept.
:)

Thank you Drippy! I'm very much a novice so I appreciate the compliment.
All those beds are new. I had to find space to put all the WS babies!
This is what it looked like last June:
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These are from April 2008:
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And these are from last month:
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The DH and I had an informal race as to who would finish their projects first (mine was the garden, his was the garage).
I won.
Dont tell him I told you. :p

WOW you are good at that!!! i absolutely LOVE your zinnia!! i know its a wierd color, but that's the joy for me!! LOL i absolutely LOVE weird colored things!! man your yard looks awesome!!! pssst, i won't tell the hubs ya told us!!! LOL HE HE HE LOL ~Medo

Beautiful flowers! I've never had petunias reseed before.

Very pretty! The shading on those pink HHs is gorgeous.

Karen

I'm a bit envious of your Zinnia 'Envy' : ) Most of mine died after transplant, and my direct sown ones were no shows. The one survivor is small and pitiful. Yours are so healthy looking! When I was a kid growing up in the mid-south, we just sprinkled the seeds in the spring, and had a jungle of brightly colored flowers throughout the summer. This is my second year to try them here with minimal success, but there are plenty of things that do well here, so I will grow zinnias vicariuosly through you and Carrie.

I love your pink Hollyhocks, and I don't even like pink! The 'Chianti' sunflower is quite striking too. I just received 'Chocolate' sunflower seeds from Summerhill seeds that I can't wait to try next year.

You have done an awesome job creating those new beds. The shape is very natural, and I love the view from above.

Congratulations on winning the bet!
Bonnie

The pink hollyhocks are gorgeous! I love that warm, clean shade of pink. It looks wonderful with the soft yellow throats and stamens.

gorgeous photos - and I love that snapdragon - the pink is really pretty.

You did extremely well for a novice and it only gets easier year after year

Carrie

Very lovely garden you have and you've made a lot of progress with it! Everything is growing nice and lush. You must have great soil, or perhaps you have amended with some nice rich organic stuff. All the flowers look very pretty, but my favorites are the peach Hollyhock and the Envy Zinnia. I am a sucker for pale pastels.

Your Nicotiana is much further along than mine! I winter-sowed Nicotiana 'Jasmine-scented White', and the 2 largest seedlings have buds that are just about to open. I can't wait to smell the fragrance.

Is that a big Trumpet Vine growing along your fence in the last picture?

Beautiful job - I love the overhead shots that show the natural curves of the garden. I love one that just kinda meanders through the yard. I lost everyone of my hollyhocks this year so will have to enjoy yours and other posters till next year. I have new babies going but they won't bloom this year. You will be amazed how much it will fill by next year. Thanks for sharing......

Lynne

Wow, thank you for looking and for all the kind words. All of you inspire me on a daily basis. :)

Medo- I love weird colored things too. LOL.

Bonnie- I'm glad you like the shape! It was kind of scary digging up so much grass, I felt like I was going to get in trouble or something, LOL.
DH told me that he thought the shape slightly resembled a golf course.....he may just be bitter though. :p

Terrene- Our soil is mostly heavy sticky clay, the new beds were very light and almost dust. I amended everything with homemade compost and store bought manure. I add seaweed to my compost, that's my only secret. I've sworn off chemical fertilizer and only add it to the containers.
I'm trying to figure out which plant you're talking about....the one to the left of the Forsythia and to the left of the Hosta are Solomons Seal that a nice friend traded with me.
Trumpet vines would be awesome, unfortunately I think my neighbors would object. I overheard one of them say my garden looked like an "weedy jungle" and the one on the other side thinks I'm insane already.

Lynne- I've lived vicariously through this forum for years!

I'd be more than happy to share some of the pink Hollyhock seed when they're ready.
I grew the pink and peach from a mixed bag of seed and according to my mom they were gathered from a pink, peach and a darker maroon plant (which I have yet to see).
I have some of the original seed ready to go right now if anyone would like them. Just shoot me an email!

:)