Where's your aruncus? I have mine in the back; it's a fairly tall shrub-like plant and it is well-behaved, doesn't spread around too much. I've never moved mine, I think it doesn't like being disturbed, could be wrong...

Your hosta bed looks good. Have you thought of putting low-growing annuals as edging, ie lobelia or ageratum? Then you have the option of changing the colours around every year. Or you could plant some arctic phlox or dianthus if you want perennials. I find lamium can be "weedy" and you don't have as much control over where it ends up.

Do you mean ajuga? I think that can run as rampant as lamium can. I like my lamiums, though.

My aruncus dies back to the ground over the winter and then shoots right up in the spring. It's about 2 feet tall already. It's a big clump, like a shrub. There's probably pictures of it in the gallery. It's amazing how much it grows every year, and the flowers last a fairly long time.

LOL I think the pale purple puffy stuff is arctic phlox. I've seen it around and it looks nice. It's not ajuga. I might get a bit of lamium anyway. At least I can pull it out if I don't want it.

My aruncus was started from seed this spring. I have 3 or 4 of them that are a few inches tall now and ready to be planted.

Some dianthus are fairly rampant in my yard. I have some that are supposed to be biannual and they come back year after year and increase quite a bit. Sooty and flashing lights are two of them. Arctic fire is almost aggressive here. That tall hot pink stuff I had to remove, it was all over the place.

I was planning to avoid bedding plants. I find if I plant them in containers and water and fertilize religiously, they look great, but if I put them in the garden they mostly just sit there.

Thanks for the ideas! And Marcia I think it was your Aruncus that made me decided I needed some. :)

O.K. Gillian. Just for you, I'm going to go outside in the muck and the rain to see if I have a plant tag on what I think would look nice in your new hosta bed.

Back soon........

Arctic phlox only blooms in the spring, though. Lamiums look nice even when not blooming. I love aureum with or without flowers - that lovely golden foliage!

As for dianthus, Arctic Fire can be a real weed in my garden, and so was "Alba" (a white one - maybe not exactly that name). I finally got rid of that, it seems.

I'm back from the cold wet dreary outdoors.

I'm so glad you posted your recent picture. I was wondering how it was coming along.

I had to look for a tag outside, as in Zone 8 where I lived, we had primulas, but the other type. What about purple or yellow Primula pubescens? I know of someone who has it bordering a bed similar to yours, and it looks absolutely gorgeous in the spring. I have 7 of them in a front bed so far, and I love them. Behind them are my mock orange (which I bought because at one point you told your husband you loved yours with all your heart) and the same alliums you have in your picture. The primulas bloom in spring and then are evergreen and fill out nicely.

Primulas are a good thought NAF. I have purple P. cortusoides and now yellow P. bulleyana new from seed this year. I can start more from seed and put them in this bed.

I also need summer colour and things that aren't pickable. I had to move lilies out of my other front bed because people kept helping themselves. I'm almost concerned that people would pick primulas.

Hi again =:)

I looked up pictures of the P.cortusoides and P. bulleyana. My Primula pubescens are more like a succulant than what you have, and the blooms are shorter and closer to the plant.

People kept picking your lilies? The nerve! How about a low, green colored, barb wire fence? LOL !

I think i remember Gil looking for something with lethal thorns for a "hedge"! LOL

I have the dwarf Aruncus bought by mistake but it is a lovely shrub never getting more than 2' tall. It has not spread at all. I have it in the lawn, it dies back every winter and regrows every summer. When you mentioned the pale purple puffy stuff, the first thing I thought of was ageratum. Personally, I just put some heucheras in my hosta bed. I planted Berry Smoothie, Pear Crisp, Paris and called Rose something, purple foliage with pink spots. Pansies also look nice with hostas. And you also need a rock. I put in some Soloman's Seal and Bleeding Hearts on either side of the rock to let them drape over it. Wish I had a picture, it's starting to look like what I pictured when I planted it, for once. Marg

An Aruncus would look amazing in the center of that Gill! The one I had on the acreage was gorgeous and well behaved. I've got one going in town here now, but they do take 3 or 4 years before they look like much. The nerve of people picking your lilies! That's really too bad as martagons look awesome with hostas too. I second Marg's idea of adding some heuchera too. I've got a few along the edges and they do well. How about a hellebore in there for early season flowers? Is there enough sunlight for sedums to do ok for fall colour? Those hostas are going to look spectacular once they're fully leafed out! Great job on the bed!

A rock is a good idea, but I'm not putting one in until I'm sure I'm done pulling grass re-growth. I had a rock garden with spireas that was set up by the previous owners and it got overrun with grass and ants (they liked the rocks) and I had to get rid of the whole thing. So I'm divided about rocks, I like how they look for others but I also think unless you do it right it looks dumb.

I'm also thinking of some ferns eventually.

I have hellebores wintersowed, they're supposed to take 2 years. :S There is a tiny heuchera in the bed but heuchera sputter out after a few years for me. Not sure why. I might start some from seed again but I'm not spending money on them! Sedums are no-go there, there were some and they gave up. It's about half shade.

Gil,

I think you should try heuchera again....I love all kinds of heuchera and think that they would make excellent plants for your edge. They don't spread like the lamium and ajuga and some dianthus spread. They always look great and have lots of color. Some of the ones I have here that would look great also at your place in this flowerbed are...
Electra
Encore
Pinot Gris
City Lights
Geisha's Fan
Jade Gloss
Marmalade
Dolce Series...Blackcurrant, Mocha Mint,Creme Brulee
Silver Scrolls
Crimson Curls
Black Beauty
Petite
Berry Smoothie
Hollywood
Rave On
etc etc etc

If you want some seeds, just let me know and I can send you some of the seeds I will be saving. I saved seeds last year from 17 of my varieties and started them in January. They seemed to all germinate and I now have about 1000 seedlings, I am sure, here to transplant!!! The seeds gave all colors and varieties of looks!!!

Brenda

Brenda,
I'm surprised to see you're having success with so many different heucheras!
I've been reluctant to waste money on the new ones after hearing so many people complaining about their lack of hardiness.

Northspruce,
I think you're really going to enjoy that bed. Hostas are made to admire and they'll be easy to appreciate in that space. I have to admit, a rock sprung into my mind as well, but yes they have to be done right and a large one is very heavy. How about a bird bath or some kind of garden art instead?

I think in the long run you'd be happier with a larger plant or shrub, bird bath, or garden art as opposed to a rock.

If you're anything like me, in 5 years or so your tastes will have changed, and if you have a big rock, how will you get rid of it when you don't like it anymore?

The garden isnt just about plants it is about structure too. I think something like a birdbath or obelisk etc would add a lot to that bed. The tricky thing is to have something fixed in there so someone couldnt come along and damage or vandel it if that is a problem in your neighborhood...Jean

Yeah I wouldn't put anything moveable in the front there. I have a sundial and plinth that I made further back in the side yard. People don't seem to want to commit to walking into my yard to steal flowers or vandalize things but I wouldn't give a bird bath a day near the front sidewalk.

Brenda, I will take you up on some seeds, thank you. Will talk about it in the fall?

Sounds good, Gil...

Brenda

Hah! I got some lamium without even trying. Looks like there was some attached to one of the new hostas. It's small yet but it looks like 'Chequers'.