Beginner Gardening: How often to water new perennial bed?, 1 by peony8

peony8 wrote:
Sorry, bark much is what I meant. I buy the really dark stuff so it looks like earth (I don't care for the red cedar look mingled with plants). I believe it comes from aspen. I do know no dyes are used.

I see what you mean about the weed seeds that get pooped out from on high or are carried on the wind. Um, no thanks! :)

I am adding an image of this newly-planted garden, which gives a better idea how far apart the plants are.

The large plants (mondarda, lupine, a single phlox, and iris) I bought at a local nursery because I have no self control around perennials and shrubs. The rest of the plants came from Bluestone Perennials' spring sale (mail order), and they are *tiny* (and some look a little worse for wear but they will rally).

Eventually, this entire garden bed should fill in so that I can't walk around inside it.

To be honest, I also want to mulch so dirt that dries on top of the bed isn't such an eyesore. The dark stuff you see is a light top dressing of compost, but that will be all until very late fall.