Last week I had a big Blue Spruce come cashing down because of those days of terrential rain and the wind we had on Saturday night. Poor tree was taller than my house. Fortunately fell towards the street and not on the house, any people or cars. No property damage, hurray! Only afew days without power so no heat or hot water for awhile. All is well now and back to normal.

I laid out the plan for all the space opened up by my now gone and carted

away tree in the front yard now totally full sun bed. It is making it sunny

not only in the immediate area but the beds in front view off the street are

getting more sun also. Even though they got enough before.

I got smart and made a plan. This is going totally cottage garden. Area now

will be in front of an existing rose bed as viewed from picture window of my

living room. I put in sticks for markers and bricks (temporary) to outline

sections were things are going. It helps me to visualize and see if I have

enough room or need to move things before I actually plant.

I am transplanting a row of 7 extra early daylilies I had in another area.

That is first daylily row. Then I have staked out the second daylily row

which will be all late blooming daylilies. I still haven't decided if I will

use ones moved in there for the late bloomers or buy new.

In front of the daylilies, instead of having them right up to the edgers, I

have left room so that I can have a row of tulips and crocus there which I

will plant in the fall for spring.

Off to the side area next to the nice new front yard walkway redone last

year, I have a small semi circle area using these concrete round edgers I

had laying around. It is just enough to plant 5 tall bearded Iris. Then in a

semi circle around at the outside edge of those edgers that will contain

bearded iris I will put Siberian Iris to outline.

In back of the rows of daylilies and off to the side of the iris will go a

grouping of lily bulbs and I will have room to put daffodils in that area

also. Then path to access the one side of the existing rosebed. I am

thinking if the lilies should be a double row of orientals or what. The

exact lilies that will be there or even of I should go some trumpets, I have

not decided as yet.I need to still think on that and my spring lily bulbs

are not ordered yet anyway. I want to make it another of my "mass" displays

of lilies and want to go heavy there for lots of bloom. I might be able to

go asiatic and oriental in back, have to do more measuring to see what could

work there.

At any rate this should give me the look I want of lots of different types

of bloom at various times thru the summer and make it a lively cottage

garden section. Since this area is near areas already planted with roses,

lilies, Siberian Iris and other plants, it just extends the cottage garden

look.

There are some years that I remember going out to garden in March wearing my winter coat. Not this year. March started off warm and it has stayed that way. Today is another over 70 degree day and we have been having high 60s or over all week and High 50s to low 60s the weeks before.