A New Planting Bed

You would think, after this many years of cramscaping, there wouldn't be anywhere else to squeeze in another bed.  Oh contraire.  Where there's a will, there's a way.

I had been looking at this spot for awhile now, thinking about how I could change it up to get more dirt.  So a couple days ago, I just went for it.  It's generally those whims that get things done around here.  In my case anyway.

The boxwood was planted in its own little island for a long time.  Probably since we added on to the back of the house in 2007, or at least shortly there after.  The area behind the island, up against the house, wasn't wide enough for walking, but it did make for a nice little spot to pile stuff.  Which is what generally would happen.  Empty pots, things I needed to carry to the front, plants for sharing, etc.  So yes, it was convenient, but in the end, it was sort of a waste of space.

I went through both my 2013 and 2014 garden Pinterest boards, and couldn't find a single photo to show what it looked like before.  Not sure how that's possible.  But you can get the gist.

The rocks were around the boxwood in an oval shape, with just enough room to stick in some Impatiens every year.

Pea gravel was in the path and around all the sides.

So I pulled all the border rocks and got to work raking out all the pea gravel.

Then I reused the border rocks, plus some I stole from other areas of the yard, to reshape the area into a bed.

I used good stuff from my compost bin to fill it all in.

Isn't fresh dirt pretty?

Then, it was time to plant.

I went shopping in the yard.  :)

Now, this isn't some dramatic "after", it is March after all, but I was able to find all sorts of things to fill up my new spot.

I moved a Meadow Rue, that's been in the same spot for YEARS, and has never done anything.

I'm hoping he likes his new home.

In addition to that, I put in a Hosta, a Fern, two different Heucheras, Lamium (I'm still on the fence about that plant), Columbine, Evening Primrose, and my Anemonopsis macrophylla that I got last year.  

The window boxes and hanging pot have Fuchsias in them that made it through the winter.

Yay!

Super exciting.

I've been in the yard all day long for the past three days.

The rain is back today, but it has been absolutely beautiful weather.

I'm doing my usual spring rearranging, and making mental notes of all my "must have" plants this year.

Ligularia, Cimicifuga, and Tierella have all been on the list for too long.

They need to happen this year.

My mom is passing on a white Hydrangea that I've made a spot for, too.

And I've already dug and shared a ton of perennials with people on our neighborhood gardeners' Facebook page.

I love this time of year.

Before I go, I have to gush over how awesome bloggers can be.

First of all, the amount of emails, comments, and Facebook messages I received about our Maddie girl was truly mind blowing.

You guys are kinda amazing.

Also, I got a card in the mail this week from Terry, who donated to Animal Aid in Maddie's memory.

Um, beyond awesome and so, so sweet.

But wait, there's more.

Nicole sent us this.

I die.

And that sucker is HEAVY!

I put it in the garden next to the Hellebore my girlfriend bought in her memory.

Overwhelmingly amazing.  Every last one of you.