Since our backyard garden plan (courtesy of Kim Kaulas Inc.!) requires some "hardscaping", I've been concentrating on other parts of the yard this spring. It's really tough to mow around our big parkway linden tree, so I've divided and transplanted a hosta and put in vinca, violas, and thyme around it. Less mowing, more pretty!

After 2 years of doing nothing, our wild strawberry (which has spread a lot) finally bloomed this year. Dunno whether it will set fruit or not, but my fingers are crossed.

I'm trying to make the sideyard be predominantly natives. This year, I added more wild ginger (Asarum canadense), as well as lovely smelling wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) and shootingstar (Dodecatheon meadia). The woodland sunflowers (Helianthus strumosus) have already come up on their own. Non-native dogwood and lilies of the valley round things out along with the ubiquitous hostas and ferns (the latter of which may be native).

July update: There has been construction! Not only do we have new siding....

...but we got our old concrete ripped up and replaced with new, including a new patio. We also had an old parking pad and a completely non-functional bit of concrete in the sideyard removed.

Alas, all the work done plus our current extreme drought have really done a number on most of the stuff I planted last year. I'm hoping that the native perennials return next spring, but I'm far from sure that they will.

However, I have managed to keep our newly planted shrubs alive. Along the back of the house, per Kim's plan, we've put in 3 oakleaf hydrangeas, 3 Annabelle hydrangeas, and a Koreanspice viburnum. At least temporarily, I made some substitutions in the corner shown above: regular (Polygonatum biflorum) and varigated (Polygonatum striatum) Solomon's Seal, Labrador violets (Viola labradorica), and a varigated Heuchera called "Snow Angel". Everything looks pretty new and rough right now, so it's another case of waiting to see how everything grows in next year.

August update: Check out our new pond!

October update: Don and his dad just built us two big gorgeous cedar trellises. I'll have all winter to figure out what to grow on them!

And yes, there are trees now: 3 Skyrocket junipers in the new bed along the north fence, and an Autumn Brilliance serviceberry across the sidewalk from them. The new arborvitaes at the eastern end of our lot can be seen on the pond page.