Mid-Summer Annuals: Lemon Coral Sedum in Front - July 2021

Earlier this Summer, we planted a mixed border of Lemon Coral Sedum and Red Begonias in front of our boxwoods outside of our front porch.  The inspiration for this pairing was the entrance planting at the Morton Arboretum last year and after growing a variety of annuals in this bed, I thought I'd give the idea of creating a 'carpet' of the sedum a try.   I ended up planting 20 sedum and 24 begonias.  The ones in the inspiration photo are taller begonias than the ones I bought, so I've learned something.  If you go look at this post from when I planted these in early June (scroll all the way down for the initial planting photo), you'll see how this started.

Here, below, is how it is going right now.  

The sedum has created that carpet and knitted together really well.  It is spreading out upwards - towards the begonias and creeping just a little bit towards the edge.  I'm really happy with the sedum.  The Begonias are doing really well, too.  Nice red flowers and maroon foliage.  They're just not the 'tall ones' that I thought I was getting when I bought them.  They're fine.  Just not exactly what I was going for with this pairing.  

I'd do the sedum again, but I'm thinking I should have planted it closer to the edge or have planted something else in front of it.

I've had this very plant - Lemon Coral Sedum - overwinter in our containers and this past Winter in our beds.  I have it in a few spots and it keeps coming back.  That makes me think I have a decision to make out front - do I leave it in?  Rip it out?  Let it overwinter and see what we have in the Spring?  

Here's a before/after comparison between July 20th (top) and June 12th (bottom) below.  The colors are really starting to pop.