Getting Ready!

Got the beds cleaned up!

Tim and Seza were tilling their new flower beds while I was cleaning up our front bed, so Tim offered to till. (And oh, yes -- that's Seza's pregnant belly in the background!)

Freshly tilled, the front bed is ready to go.


And here's what I came home with from the nursery!

This is an annual red salvia, which I've grown for several years to attract butterflies and add a pop of bright color, but this is a very distinctive cultivar.
The "Forest Fire" has more interesting foliage and stems (check out the contrast between the purple stems and the red blooms!) than the "regular" red salvia (like "Hot Salsa," which I grew last year). I had trouble deciding on this one: was it interesting or just weird? But I figured I'd give it a try and if I hate it, I'm sure someone will want it and I can add something else mid-season.


I love Dusty Miller, although I hadn't left any room for it in my nerdy garden plan. But when I found this "Silver Lace" cultivar, I had to get it. It's more deeply cut than any other Dusty Miller I've seen, giving it that delicate fine texture. And the gorgeous silver color of any Dusty Miller makes all the other foliage in your garden look even better.
Gotta do ageratum: gorgeous purple color (not sure why this cultivar is called "Fields Blue"), easy to care for, butterfly magnet.

And I need a whole flat of alyssum to edge all the beds. I went for "Snow Crystals" rather than "Snow Carpet" because it hits about six inches (versus three), so it will spill nicely over the edging bricks.

A spectacular perennial choice for foliage contrast (and a dark heuchera that can handle full sun!): Obsidian.
Finally, I decided I had to do more "Golden Jubilee" hyssop. It's a lovely smelling perennial herb with purple bottle-brush flowers that (surprise!) are a butterfly favorite. Plus, that fantastic chartreuse color is amazing next to the heuchera and Dusty Miller above.