Fall Planting

Now is the time for putting perennials in the ground.  I'm pacing myself a little this year and only buying as many plants as I can plant in a day.  That would be 10 or 12.  Although, I came home with 14 on this first trip.  But I did actually plant 12 of them so far.  I'm posting pictures as I go so I will remember in the spring what I planted where and check on how they fared for the winter.  Planting in September gives the plants time to get rooted and start growing before the first freeze.

I'm working on my yard a section at a time.  This week's plantings were backyard and upper corner.  Next I will add to the east side.  And last, I will add to the front beds.  If I don't get the front planted until spring, that will be all right.

Here's what I have planted so far (I'll probably update this post as I add more plants).

Coreopsis Main Street.  This is a new one for me.  I've only seen yellow varieties of coreopsis before.  So it's an experiment.  Hope it lives.

Sunny south-facing garden at the back of the house.  Here I've added volunteer plants from around the yard as well as nursery plants:  Coreopsis, blanket flower, cone flowers, guara, dianthas.  This bed already had a wonderful large stonecrop that is seen blooming at the left here.  Also, columbine, poppies, and iris.  It has normally been a place for planting annuals, but this summer, I put arranged some of my patio pots here instead of putting annuals in the ground.  I'll be glad to have all the new perennial color here next year if everything lives.

The same sunny garden from the left side: Cone flowers, blanket, flower, coreopsis, lavender, columbine, dianthas, and an unknown straggly plant that I think is a yellow blanket flower that deserved a chance to live in a new spot.

Shade garden, a new plant whose name I've forgotten.  Early spring bloomer with lots of pink flowers. 

Shade garden, common name is Sneeze Weed.  Very pretty and a color I need in this spot.

The hottest spot in the yard, the upper southeast corner garden right next to the road.  Here I already had thriving day lilies, iris, bee balm, lavender, blanket flower, and a lovely pink hyssop specimen seen to the left here.   added three new cone flowers of the multi-color variety, one white salvia, and a pretty little low-growing succulent covered with pink flowers.  If this last does will, I will line the front of the bed with them.  I am succeeding to have season-long color in this bed that is a focal point of my yard for people driving down the hill.  I get many compliments on it.

The same hot garden from the right side.  You can see I did add some zinnias for color this year.  I am working toward not needing to add annuals at all.

Today I also purchased a cordless electric hedge trimmer.  I plan to do some of the cutting down of the perennials starting this week.  With this lightweight tool, I can do some of the work I normally hire Alberto's crew to do.