Then the fun work began, planting and planting. First was the 8 new varying Maple trees planted around the perimeter of the property for future shade and privacy. Most of them will turn red in the Fall but we did get a few Silver ones for variety (though I think they turn red in the Fall too). Cathleen wanted color along the side of the house since we are on the corner and the side faces out to the main street and is the first thing you see when you approach our house. In went a dozen+ double knock out roses, they bloom 3 of the 4 seasons and they do look nice if I don't say so myself.
I located a hedge of burning bushes (they turn deep red in the Fall, lose all of their leaves in the Winter) at the back of the property plus dug up a new bed of the same surrounding the utilities in our front lawn (they are impossible to mow around and unsightly). When they grow, that yucky utility stuff will be hidden hopefully (at least during the Spring/Summer months).
I dug up another new bed the full length of the side of the house and added another hedge of yellowy "Emerald and Gold" Euonymus shrubs to hide the A/C units. I have more burning bushes slated for the side. The Boxwoods running at the base of the front of the house are not the right kind of petite well-formed Boxwoods that we would like in the front. These get big and unruly. I will eventually move them all (12 of them) to the side and replace them with a dozen double knock out rose bushes for an explosion of color in the front.
I put a hedge of Spring Azaleas plus some additional Lemon Cypresses in to contrast against the deep purple Barberry plants right out in the front bed. A few weeks back we planted a bunch of Mums of all different varieties plus Asters, Daisys, Pansies, etc. and two dwarf Japanse Maple trees and our larger Japanese Maple that we brought with us from GA (which we planted in the ground at our previous home in memory of Matthew). I've also moved existing plants and shrubs all over trying to get the right balance and color combination. These pictures that I'm posting are from a few days ago so much has even changed since then as far as location/placement of plants.
We opted for black mulch this year so all the beds were covered. Of course with new planting came newly turned up soil and therfore more mulching to be done (sigh). I have another few days worth of solid work out there and then I have to take time to clean the garage out entirely and get ready for Winter. I can't imagine it will ever end (thank goodness for pending inclement weather which will force my yard efforts to rest for a season).
