And then I did THIS!

So after I did all that cleanup in the front yard, I found myself at the garden center.  Of course.  I had a plan for a change: to buy three different evergreens to plant together in the bed by the street. Naturally, I ended up buying those three, plus two other shrubs, three extra junipers, and three perennials.  You'd be surprised what you can fit in a Volkswagen Beetle.

Upon arriving home, I realized that I would have to do some major renovation in order to make space for all my new pals.  In short, all the circled plants would either have to move or go.



Two of the first things I planted at the Little Blue House were these purple
coneflowers and these Shasta daisies. They've gone from two little
singletons to taking over the bed. They had to move.

 


Last year I thought I was a genius for moving and dividing a bunch of lilies and
yarrow. The bed filled out, yes, but it turned into a real mish-mash, with
everything pretty much overwhelmed by yarrow.  Note to all: never pay money
for yarrow. Come to my house and take some of mine.


So I got out my gloves and Forky and my little trowel, and I dug up all those guys. I confess: some paid with their lives to make my little landscape plan a reality. But I did manage to give away a bunch of lilies and yarrow and even a few peonies. I hate to throw out healthy plants, even if they are taking over the garden.

Then, it was time for the new guys to go in. And after nine hours of digging and planting and transplanting over two days, I ended up with this.



Closeup of new clematis: white, fragrant, and fall-blooming.

 



Daisies and coneflowers out, tickseed, stonecrop, and clematis in!

 


New barberry and relocated coneflowers and daisies.




The little red shrubby in the middle is new, replacing a spirea that is
most likely dead. In the background, three new junipers, two still waiting to go in the ground.




So many lilies, I had to relocate some way on the other side of the yard.





Lilies consolidated, yarrow moved and, um, reduced, and new plants!

 


The original plan was just this: the mugo pine, the goldenthread cypress, and the
juniper. I am so excited that I actually managed to follow through.




I am so happy with how this turned out. How much better will it look with mulch!




"In gratitude for your hard work, we have decided to bloom again!"




Proof of labor. Does everyone else end up this dirty?