Help does anyone know of an evergreen ground cover that....

The tall Verbena is V. Bonariensis - it reseeds very well, but is easy to pull out. I grow as much as I can for the bees - they love it.

Thanks, Katye - I think I'd better write that down as I never - and I do mean never - seem to be able to remember it! That's how I feel about it as well - prolific, but easy to yank out if I don't want it. And the two years I've had a plant sale, it was a good seller, too. I love the way it sort of waves in the breeze.

Any time one of you want to get rid of the "tall Verbena - V. Bonariensis " I'd love to trade for some!! I need some easy reseeding stuff to help fill in my garden.
Pat

Pat, want me to try mailing some seedlings right now? We could at least give it a shot and no big loss if they don't make it, we can always try again! D-mail me your address, etc., and I'll send them off Monday or Tuesday.

Good morning all,
It is a glorious sunny morning here, I can't wait to get outside! I am going to unleash the dahlias today, I got the fence built! WOO HOO
I am going to post a few pictures to see what you all think...here goes
It is 30' long and will hold the majority of the dahlias. There are a few others planted in other areas that will have to stay in there cages...that is until I think of an easy way to make them a nicer cage.

Here is a different view, with some added flowers in the beds, alot of the ones you all suggested. What do you think is it a keeper? Notice I also put a hose holder up...I really needed that to keep from smashing and crashing into all the flowers, it used to hang on the fence. I know it is kind of an eyesore but if I didn't have it, the flowers would die...lol

Here is my resting place...I have put in a couple of hosta's, a coral bell, foxglove, and a variegated ajuga under this apple tree.

Here is the daylily bed with some added ground covers and other perennials...also instead of stepping blocks...I actually used some of the rocks I got at my friends...I need to go back and get a few more flat ones this weekend...lol

Here is my secret garden, the birds started this behind the greenhouse with the ferns and I decided to help them out and added some hosta's, a pot of ivy, my potted stick baby japanese maples and a fuschia. It will eventually fill up and be a lush shady green area.

Last but not least here are some more of the rocks I planted...lol
Off to go water, we are on an every 3 day water schedule here and if you miss your day you have to wait another 3 days or face a fine if caught....Have a wonderful day all you lovely people!
Carla

Hi Cocoa - how lovely to get up and get to see your gardens... just lovely, you've done a fabulous job ! Those dahlias are getting big, please post again when they are blooming like mad against their new fence. I love your area to rest by the apple tree.... personally, the hose doesn't look bad in the picture, I was too busy looking at the plants, and as the plants get bigger, the hose will disappear.

GREAT JOB, have a great day in the sun !! and thanks, now I feel the need to go dig something up :)

Oooh, nicely done! Looks great!

I don't think the hose looks that bad, either. It's neat and tidy and where you need it-can't beat that!

I'm with RTP, time to go dig! I'm still arranging and rearranging my plants trying to get the right look. Almost there! (RTP, btw, I was out sort of in your area last week. I decided a road trip to the giant Al's was in order. That place is HUGE!!)

cocoa, very nice job. You've really made a neat yard, front and back. On the H&G channel one of the landscapers used a large, squat glazed pot as a hose holder. I've been looking for one (or more) to put in the garden without much luck, so far. Presently all my hoses are hanging up like yours which I find more convenient, though not as decorative. Keep the pictures coming.
ps, great greenhouse

Carla, absolutely wonderful - you've done a fabulous job!!! I'm curious about your watering restriction - it hasn't been all that warm . . . what happens if it gets REALLY hot??

Well, I have to work from 11:00 - 2:30 or so, but I'll be outside as soon as I get home, that's a given!!!

susybell, I love Al's - it's too close for the wallet, tho - only a 15 minute drive to Sherwood lol.

I love the pot idea for the hose, too but if I spend the money on a beautiful pot, I want to plant in it!


yes, murmur good point ...Cocoa, is it common to be on restriction in June?

Hi RTP, I'm not sure if being probably an hour away is a good thing or a bad thing....Gotta make it worthwhile to drive that far, y'know... ;)

I'm surprised by the water restrictions, too. You're getting a lot more rain than I am. Is Marysville growing faster than it can add water supply or did they decide to make a permanent water restriction so it's consistent?

Wow it has been 2 weeks+ since I posted on here.

We here in Marysville have a water restriction beginning in June every year. According to the last two digits in your address is when you can water! We are allowed to water only every 3 days. In the extreme heat such as we have had the grass goes yellow very fast. I have a rain barrell and use water from that for tender or just planted plants as needed. If my rain barrell is going dry I just add water to it on water days, I also fill all 3 2 gallon watering cans and 2 five gallon bucket so I can water. So there are ways to help the small or newly planted plants.

Okay the changes.... My sister, brother in law and two of there friends arrived on June 30, we had a wonderful visit and I gardened and watered and we now have another person in my family interested in growing flowers. My sister just loved the gardens and took narrated video so she could go home and start some garden areas of her own. We took them to Leavenworth in the 106 degree heat, the people there told us it was the hottest day they had had so far...lol not what people from AZ want! We took them to Deception Pass, Anacortes, and LaConner. They took a trip to Stanley Park in Canada. They all left yesterday and boy is it quiet around here.

I have bloom in the greenhouse on my jalapeno and bell pepper plants. I have tomatoes on my cherry tomato plant, it is in the garden. I also have tomatoes on my Early Girl planted in the large tree pot.

I ordered, received and planted many salvias from Arkansas. I could not find the ones I wanted here so I went to Ebay. I purchased 3 times from the same person because the plants were so nice. I now have 6 hot lips, 3 red greggi's, a yellow sage, some purple/blue sages too. I also purchased baptisia, agastache, echinacea sundown and summer sky which I could not find in any of the nurseries here, a coral digitalis, a Silver sage, and a couple of brugmansias....lol....I am going crazy. I just received 21 new cultivars of tall bearded iris's yesterday I need to plant.

My dahlias are really growing and so are the glads. I have put some of my new blooms from the daylilies on that forum too. I am going to post some pictures today, these were taken a couple of days ago.

Thanks to all of you for your help with choices for the groundcovers, and for sharing pictures to help me decide what I would love to try in my gardens. I have had so much fun on this forum and feel I have made some good garden buddies!

Happy Gardening, Carla

Here is some of the pictures!

Murmur, I have decided I do want to find the tall verbena, the picture you posted looks marvelous. I can dig it if it goes in areas i do not want it in, I have an area where I have a hard time growing things I will try it there....going hunting again for that particular verbena...lol

Here is a picture of some of the dahlias and they seem to be loving there new freedom!

Here's some more....

Here is the new puppy my Sis brought me, she likes the garden too!

Here is another view....and now I am off to take more and closer pictures so you all can see the recommendations and there placement....again thanks to all of you, Carla

Carla, everything looks wonderful!!! (As does that darling puppy!)

I have lots of Tall Verbena I'd be happy to give you if we could figure an "easy" way to meet - we're not terribly far apart, but you probably don't come towards Mukilteo or Seattle very often? Or to Whidbey, for that matter. And I never seem to head north.

Carla - what is the name of the yellow salvia you bought? I've got a rock garden with yellow-blue-white & some purple; the Salvia would go nicely!
By the way, what's the Pup's name?

Hi Carla,

You've been working hard! It looks wonderful! I've got my eyes on Echinacea "Summer Sky" too! I also want "After Midnight", which I'm having trouble finding. I did find a 2gal Summer Sky today, but it's not coming home with me at $23.99!!! So I guess that will be on my list for next year. I did finally get Harvest Moon and the brand-new Raspberry Tart this year. I really like the shorter size of R. Tart, but it's not as bright as I thought it was going to be. Maybe it needs a year to really settle in.

Katye,
The yellow salvia is SALVIA MADRENSIS - FORSYTHIA SAGE, it grows from 5 to 10' tall. It is a very pale yellow and looks like it will fit in real well in my carefree garden...lol
Well as you probably know from previous posts I have a Rott named Ricky, a MinPin named Lucy and (drumroll please) now a Chihauhau named Desilu...lol...yes I am a little off.....

susybell,
I purchased a 4" pot of "Summer Sky" I know these grow quickly and would be glad to share next year. Have you seen "Sundown" it is also or appears to be a dark coral. I purchased a 4" pot also. I got these online from an Arkansas fellow who grows from seed. His plants are wonderful, very healthy and packaged so nicely.

Murmur,
I go to Edmonds quite often I have a lot of friends there still, I lived there for 10 years and I have to go visit. That is not to far from Mulkilteo. We should do a plant exchange or something like that in the early spring or even now if we can safely dig them. We could pick a park or a nursery parking lot and exchange some of our plants. I have many red dahlias, purple liatris, coral and white glads, white and purple old fashioned iris's and the list goes on and on....I am going to dig in the early spring to make room for other plants....lol I think we should start a list of haves and meet somewhere and do an in person exchange! And then go to lunch...lol I wonder if we could did safely on an overcast or rainy day....Lets try and figure out when and if we can meet this summer or should we wait until spring? I would love to bring you some of my extra plants...

I am so enjoying these past few days with all the new daylilies opening, I get up and cannot wait to grab the camera and get out to the garden to see what new suprises I have...what a wonderful way to start my day. It is so nice to be able to ask questions of other gardeners and to share experiences with each other. The internet has opened a whole new world for all of us!

Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge!
Carla

Here is a picture of one my favorite daylilies that has opened for me.....Savannah Art
I

Here is a picture of the daylily bed today!

Last picture for the night...I need to go to bed, tomorrow is water day again and it takes half of the day to do it right.....
Good Night All and Sweet Dreams....Carla

cocoa, you have been working, everything looks so beautiful ... love your new puppy !

I just had to add this picture, it was our beautiful sky yesterday. It made a nice canvas for the garden. Mother Nature at her best...lol

oh how pretty, great shot, the clouds look magnificent.

It's amazing it was 102 last week, and rainy the last two days; the plants are happy for the relief I think.

Carla, wonderful photo - I am such a lover of great cloud formations and that one is just glorious! I'm looking forward to meeting up with you one of these days (soon, I hope). In weather like this, we could dig up plants and have no problem!!!!

Thanks Murmur, I love the clouds in contrast like that. The blue is so blue when there are clouds like those. I have had a difficult few days here, this cold humidity really hurts.
Digging up plants now and I might drown...lol we have had some real downpours here. Have you had a lot of rain there too? It is really bad when the sand cannot soak it up and leaves it standing in the yard. My sister called Friday from the lake in Arizona taunting me, I told her she had nothing on me, I had a lake in the backyard...lol
Happy gardening, Carls

I was in Seattle (actually Lake Forest Park) overnight and the downpour was unbelievable!!! My DH says it didn't rain all that hard here, but from the looks of my plants, I think maybe he just didn't see it! We're only about 30 miles (plus the 4 miles ferry crossing) from where my brother lives, but our weather can be a bit different as we are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains. However, when it is a real rainstorm, it usually hits us as well.