I got a new raised bed this year courtesy of DS and DH and planted Abraham Darby, Eden and Graham Thomas to grow along a fence. It was fun dividing and planting annuals and I had two roses growing in pots that are going to get their last reprieve in that bed.....Angel Face and Heaven on Earth. I am eager to see how these do. My other plans are to complete my knockout bed. I have rainbow, blushing and pink, but the original knockout came dead from Edmunds and although I tried rooting one, I failed. So I need to find another knockout to put in that space. Other than that, I just want to keep up on my weeding and mulching. I still need to roundup the driveway and fencelines and spray the blackberries. I need a windless rainless day for that, and so far, there haven't been any. Good luck with your plans everyone. K

Sorry about the lack of info. I was looking for a broad range of flowers with no height requirement and interested in those plants that can take the sun and heat and are more drought tolerant. When the flowers are past their bloom, I would be quite happy if at least the leaves hold up and don't go crispy. An example is my Yarrow which is in a prominent place. Its foliage looks awful come the end of July. And I do water when plants absolutely need it. The perennial bed in question is in the back of our garden against a fence line and faces south with full sun all day long. I'm looking for those plants that are still looking good in the July-August time frame and thought I'd ask here. I've been introducing many more trouble free plants as I'm certainly not getting any younger! So . . . In the past two years I've renewed the bed by adding Goldenrod, the Salvia 'May Night', along with two new 'Ruby Star' Weigela shrubs to give variety to the bed. Last year I added four peonies and two Baptisia 'australis'. I have the Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue' which is an okay flower, but I've had them for years and am a little tired of them.

That's awesome euqruob! What do you do with them? Are they fruit like or veggie like? I'd love to see/hear more! It's cool for sure! Here's a rescue adenium that I picked up for just a couple of bucks early this year. It was terribly abused and had gotten stuck in the holes of its cheap plastic pot. No leaves, no blooms, and virtually no soil. Now it's got a ton of leaves (and a nice pot after I cut away the old plastic one) and blooms. I really like the peppermint look of the fancy double flowers! Here's some Merremia dissecta ("Alamo vine" or "mile a minute vine") that I got as seeds from old Mr. Baker at Baker Nursery years ago. This spring I planted three seeds at the base of this 6 foot tall iron obelisk/armillary and they have quickly consumed it. Talk about house-eaters! The vines are covered early summer through very late autumn with nice morning-glory-like blooms that stay open well into the afternoon. Full, hot sun (yes even here) and fairly regular irrigation keep these vines looking great, and blooming. Take care and happy gardening! Keep the fun updates coming! Grant Here is a link that might be useful: Pics, so far, from my garden, October 2012

Here's my article titled SPRING HOSTA TIPS: Spring Hosta Tips The snow is melting and Spring is on the way. Youve been anxiously waiting for the chance to walk through your gardens and dream about the new plants youÂve ordered from your favorite mail order catalogs. And, you canÂt wait to put your gloves on and get your gardens cleaned up. Hold on. Tip #1: DonÂt remove that winter mulch until the last frost is gone. Early arrivals, like montana ÂAureomarginata may require additional protection from that late season cold and wind. When all danger of frost is past, then go for it. Get your rake and wheelbarrow. Tip #2: Thoroughly clean your gardens. All debris should be raked and added to the compost bin to eliminate a breeding ground for slugs. Be careful not to rake or step on the eyes that are just popping up to avoid damaging the leaves which are about to unfold. Are your plants in good shape? Tip #3: Look to see if the frost has heaved your plants out of the ground- especially young hostas which were planted last year. As the ground freezes and thaws, freezes and thaws, and freezes and thaws (get the idea?), those plants may need to be tucked in on several occasions. Can your friends easily read those plant labels? Or has the name tag completely disappeared? Tip #4: Make sure all plants, including new arrivals, are accurately labeled and the tags are in good condition. Remember that large hostas will cover up name tags that are too close to the mound. Perhaps you have trees and shrubs which need to be pruned. Tip #5: Spring is the best time to prune most trees, and shrubs after flowering. Those branches which are dead, or make it too shady, should be cut off cleanly, chipped up, and added to the compost bin or reserved for a woodchip path. That pile of leaves, garden waste, and grass clippings from last Fall should be flipped over now. Tip #6: Turn over your compost pile. You may want to add a little sand. The warm, rainy weather will turn all that stuff into black gold. Then when those hot summer days reach 70 or 80 degrees, apply that free mulch around the base of your plants. How is your supply of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides? Tip #7: Take an inventory of your gardening supplies- tools, gloves, hoses, sprinklers, wheelbarrows, fencing, tomato cages, etc. Shop and replace worn out items now so that youÂre not stuck in the middle of a job. Spring is a great time to divide and transplant your hostas. Did you promise to give a hosta to a friend, or donate a plant for the hosta auction? You can create interest and educate others about gardening, and eventually turn your neighborhood into a hostaholic community. Tip #8: Spring is the best time to dig in your hosta bed. Review your garden records from last Fall to see which ones need your attention. How wonderful to see those long awaited hostas shoot up, bigger and stronger than the year before! Tip #9: DonÂt neglect to apply a slow release fertilizer. But donÂt over fertilize, and keep those granules off the newly emerging leaves, or crown, of the plants. Above all, enjoy the fresh Spring breeze, the chirp of the robins, and the signs of life as they appear, knowing that old man Winter is giving way to a new season of hosta gardening and fun everywhere!