Today we’re looking at photos of Alana’s garden.
I bought my house in Columbus, Ohio, a little less than five years ago. Before that, I gardened as a teenager at the house I grew up in and later in rental properties. The photos show my yard, which is now starting to come into its own. There was a berm of fountain grass, a chain-link fence, an arborvitae hedge, a small vegetable plot, and a couple of small trees when I bought the house; everything else was grass. It’s been so much fun to have a blank slate and get to form “rooms” and different seating areas. Having this house and garden has been a huge boon in the long, dark past year and four months.
View from the back patio to the end of the backyard, where there is a firepit area.
Knock Out rose (Rosa ‘Radrazz’, Zonse 5–9), ‘Annabelle’ hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, Zones 3–9), ‘Fashionably Early Flamingo’ phlox (Phlox ‘Fashionably Early Flamingo’, Zones 4–8), ‘Angel’ shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Angel’, Zones 5–9), variegated redtwig dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’, Zones 2–8), and ‘Dazzleberry’ sedum (Sedum ‘Dazzleberry’, Zones 4–9) are some of my favorite plants in this bed. The chartreuse plants are oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’, Zones 5–9) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, Zones 4–8). They are both very tough and easy to propagate, and they are useful perennial herbs.
Behind the spruce on the left is a bench where I like to sit. The butterfly bushes (Buddleia hybrids, Zones 5–9) are Buzz Magenta and Funky Fuchsia. The Funky Fuchsia on the right should get much larger, but the Buzz Magenta is at its full size.
I buried the stepping stones to take away the tripping hazard and to make it easier to mow.
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus, Zones 3–9), showy evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa, Zones 4–9), ‘Rockin’ Red’ dianthus (Dianthus ‘Rockin’ Red’, Zones 5–8), ‘Orange Rocket’ barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Orange Rocket’, Zones 4–8), and purple sand cherry are some of my favorites in this bed. I recently bought the sand cherry, so I’m looking forward to the impact it will make when it’s bigger. There’s also an amazing red rose (‘Grace n’ Grit’) that should put on a big show later. It really wowed me last year soon after I planted it.
This view is looking back toward the house from the firepit. I set up the arch early this spring and planted a climbing rose and honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) that will hopefully take it over in future years.
In the front yard an older purple sand cherry (Prunus × cistena, Zones 2–8) and moss phlox (Phlox subulata, Zones 3–9) provide color. Putting in the walkway out to the front sidewalk gave me an excuse to turn half my front yard into flowerbeds. One day I’ll probably take over the left half and the sidewalk strip.
‘Rose Marvel’ salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Rose Marvel’, Zones 4–9), variegated sweet iris (Iris pallida ‘Variegata’, Zones 4–9), ‘Caradonna’ salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, Zones 4–9), lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina, Zones 4–10), and ‘Wine & Roses’ weigela (Weigela florida ‘Wine & Roses’, Zones 5–8) add color to the front yard.
A little later, Sweet Drift rose starts up and won’t stop until frost. The yarrow is ‘Pomegranate’ (Achillea millifolium ‘Pomegranate’, Zones 3–9).
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