Why I Oughta...

In the Fall of 2023, I (also) planted a pair of small Baby Blue Spruce trees in the (then) newly expanded IB2DWs bed.  They were both in five-gallon containers and were small trees that were 50%-off at the end-of-year sale.    $50 for the pair .  Looking back, that's pretty good.   When I planted these, I talked about how they are dwarf trees - hence the name 'Baby Blue'.  That means they are very slow-growing and add just a few inches per year.   This will be the third full growing season (Planted in Fall 2023, so 2024, 2025 and now 2026), but I'd certainly declare these as 'slow-to-grow'.   Below are a couple of photos showing the current state of these two trees.   First up, is the tree planted further West (closer to the house).  This one is less-perfectly-pyramidal in shape.  It almost looks like it is leaning over to the right.  And...that might be the case, because of the growing canopy of the growin...

Another day, another Spring growth on evergreen post in the garden diary.  This time, it is a similar trio of Green Velvet Boxwoods, but these are planted a year earlier, in June 2022 .  These shrubs started as TINY (TINY!) evergreen shrubs planted in a cluster IB2DWs, under the flowering pear tree along the north property line.    Take a quick look here to see how small they were when they went in the ground . Now in their fifth growing season ('22, '23, '24, '25 and now '26), they've taken a more globe-shape and have nicely rounded crowns.   See below for the current view of these three: Back when I put them in, I mentioned wanting 'structure' and 'Winter interest' in this bed.  We're starting to see those dynamics come to life.  

Yesterday, I posted a couple of photos showing the purple (or are they red?) cones on our Weeping Norway Spruce trees that are planted in the IB2DWs bed in our front yard.  Those trees went in the ground in Fall of 2023.  But, so did a few other conifers in that same "Fall Planting" cycle.  One of those conifer trees that also went in the ground in October 2023 was a small, ball-and-burlap Montrose Charm White Spruce tree .  It was a pretty small tree in Fall of 2023.  And, a little mal-shaped.  Today, in its third full growing season, it has taken on a more traditional profile and shape as an upright, narrow conifer tree.   It has also put on some mass and height.   Below is a look at the current view of the tree - showing the full conifer from ground to tip: But, something else is happening this Spring.  Something that didn't happen in previous years.  That's the green cones have burst from the tips of this tree and are putt...

I planted a pair of small Weeping Norway Spruce trees IB2DWs in the Fall of 2023 and that experience has changed how I think about Fall Planting in general.  I've planted a ton of trees on our property, but these late-season conifers have been some of the most enjoyable to watch grow.  Not just because the Fall Planting allowed them to get established, but because of how they provide structure and four-season interest in a long, linear bed that sits between two driveways (hence the IB2DWs name).   That means that this is their third (full) growing season (2024, 2025 and now 2026).  In each of the first two Springs, we saw some red cones emerge on the trees and that has been a real treat. Here is a post from Spring 2024 showing the red (or purple?) cones .  And, here is a post from early May 2025 (a little under a year ago from today) showing those same red/purple cones.   Back in February, when there was snow-cover on the ground, I posted a phot...

After a few years of lackluster peony growth, last Spring I finally saw some positive improvement in the flower output of the two colonies that are dotted around our garden.  I've moved the peonies into those two colonies based on sun conditions.  The first one is in the IB2DWs bed where I have a couple of plants.  And the second is in the "kitchen curved bed" in the back where I have three more.   Below are some photos showing the red tips emerging from the mulch.  These photos are from April 6th.   I've done similar "Peonies are Back" posts over the years.  Here is that post from April 2025 - one year ago .   Last year, I cut and preserved the blooms at the "marshmallow stage" and had peony flowers for Nat's birthday in July .  I'll do that again this year.  

Yesterday, I posted a photo of some tulip foliage that has begun to peek thru the mulch layer in the IB2DWs bed (down by the sidewalk) and talked about how tulips are (despite the dwindling numbers) are a happy sign of Spring in our garden.  Today, posting a photo showing another sign of the coming Spring.  This also features some red-tinted color, but is not another tulip.   Back in Fall of 2023, I planted a few Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum' around the garden including two small pint-sized containers down by the sidewalk IB2Dws.  I've long described the section of our garden closest to the sidewalk as "hard to grow" because of the poor soil conditions (lots of gravel from the driveway, as well as dry conditions with even more gravel due to one of the drywells dug out there).  And, I planted a few things that never took down there.  Until, I moved on to trying sedums.   They came back in their first Spring and I was pleasantly surprised...

Planted in the Fall of 2023, a pair of (still) small Weeping Norway Spruce trees are standing in the long, narrow (and hard-to-grow) IB2DWs bed that runs between our driveway and our neighbor to the north.  They were the first successful conifers that I have grown from small trees and I attribute that Fall Planting to their success.   They've had two full growing seasons (2024 and 2025) and over those two years, they've both put on some new growth at the top (growing taller) and the limbs have gone a little bit longer (and weeping, curving or 'pendulat'ing').     The first Spring, they put out this tiny red/pink cones .  A nice treat.  And, they've also taught me something about how conifers grow.  Like decidious trees, they 'set buds'.  But, the buds are different.  They're these little brown clusters that appear at the tips of the existing limbs and branches.  They're signs of where the upcoming season's growth is going to c...

The 'fall colors' don't stop with the reds and oranges and yellows.  Down IB2DWs (extended) near the sidewalk is the (now) two-year-old ( Planted in October 2023 ) Purple Smokebush/Smoke Tree.  This tree (shrub?) has been no-fuss since it went in the ground and has put on some size in the two growing seasons.  I've watered it in a limited way, but the neighbor's sprinkler system likely saturates the ground where the Smoke Bush's roots draw from around the canopy.   Did we get any of those ' smoke-like airy seed clusters ' to emerge on the tips of this tree this season? No. No...we did not.   But, we *are* getting a small purple, pink and maroon 'fall show' as the foliage changes color.  Below, is a look at the current state of the leaves on this tree that is down by our sidewalk: When I planted this , I wanted to add some texture and color contrast to the 'expanded' conifer garden that I was planting along the property line IB2DWs.  I h...

We have two Wizard of Oz Dahlia plants in the front yard.  One IB2DWs and the other in the back of the Island Bed in the middle of the front yard.  Despite the one IB2DWs starting off much stronger, it has peter'ed out with tiny blooms that are (mostly) white.  The Island Bed Wizard of Oz Dahlia, on the other hand, is LOADED with pink ball dahlia blooms.  That, the bees are loving.  If you look closely at the photo below, you'll see bees all over the center of these dahlia blooms: The quality of the soil is very different in these two spots:  the Island bed is rich and full of compost and biosolids.  The IB2DWs bed is always 'hard to grow', full of clay and shallow with just a few inches of soil before you get to gravel.  

Planted two years ago in a #FallPlanting sprint of October 2023 , the small upright Montrose Charm Spruce tree has put out some cones on the upper tips of the tree.   The photo below shows the cones, but doesn't show the rest of the tree, but when I look back at the planting photo, I can say that the tree has put on some new growth in the two years since it was put in.   Looking back at the tree in October 2023, the tree had a thin middle with a growing crown.  Today, the tree has shot up and out, but retained it's upright/narrow habit.  

The dahlias have only been outside, planted in the beds, for about five weeks.  They went in the ground the first week in June.  Here's a post showing the containers of tubers that I started indoors in late April .  This year, I've expanded the varieties of Dahlias that we have in the garden by a big number.  Last year, I grew (exclusively) Melina Fluer dahlias and they were great.  So great, in fact, that I went down this "dahlia expansion" path for 2025.  One of the new varieties that we're growing is named Wizard of Oz.  I planted one of these down IB2DWs (near the sidewalk) and the other one languished in the container.  Until just this past week, when I finally stuck it in the front yard .   Wizard of Oz is a pink pompon dahlia. White Flower Farm says that Wizard of Oz ..."features honeycombed, fully double blossoms in a lovely shade of pastel pink. These 2–3″ pompoms make enchanting additions to late summer gardens and flower bou...

Having done a similar post last year and in 2022, I thought it was a good time to revisit the "State of the Original IB2DWs bed".  That's the original bed in between two driveways.  Here is the post and photos from 2022 .  And, here is the post and photos from last year .  Looking back at 2022 - three years ago - a lot has changed.  Everything was immature, but 'bones' were there.  The All Gold Hakonechloa grasses, the Karl Foerster Grasses in back and a couple of Serendipity Alliums.  All were present. But by 2024, they were joined by other things . Including the (gasp!) Creeping Jenny Groundcover. And other perennials including Cat's Pajamas Nepeta, some Elijah Blue Fescue clumps, a red sedums, a couple of Agastache Blue Fortune , a Prairie Dropseed, some Peonies, a couple of conifers, some boxwoods, a Cardoon and a couple of trees. The Cardoon ran for two years and hasn't come back. But, I've also added a few things.  Including a trio of L...

I saw this sign at Roy Diblik's Northwind Perennial Farm on the benches for a Lavender that is named Lavandula x Intermedia 'Phenomenal'.  Or...Phenomenal Lavender.  The description says:  "This is what all of us have been waiting for.  This lavendar will live through our heat and humidity, our cold winters.  It can grow everywhere."  Sounded like it was worth a shot, right?  Lavender is hard-to-grow and (from what I've read) likes to grow in hard-to-grow conditions.  Full Sun.  Low organic material.  Good drainage.   I have just the place.  My 'hard to grow' area down by the sidewalk.  It gets full sun and has some gravel in the soil.  And, is right next to the sidewalk, so it gets hot.   I bought a quart that had a small Lavender plant in it and got busy planting it down IB2DWs, down by the sidewalk:

This four-plant Oklahoma Salmon Zinnia just jumped right off the nursery tables at The Growing Place on my last visit.  It was tall, full of blooms and the colors were just in my wheel-house:  salmon, peachy.  See below for the as-bought state of this colorful cut-flower annual: Floret describes the Oklahoma Salmon Zinnia in a way that made me want to buy even more : This gorgeous novelty is one of the most prolifically blooming zinnias I’ve ever grown. Its petite, double blooms are a warm mix of salmon and peach and combine well with anything. Long, strong stems and small flower size make them a winning summer crop and wonderful bouquet addition. After bringing it home (only one, because that's all they had), I wanted those 'prolific blooms', so I knew that I had to cut it back.  Or...pinch it back - as some people say. This has four stems that were shooting way-up.  I counted up three full-sets of leaves and lop'd off the tops.  Below is a before-and-afte...

I'm not drawn (normally) to pinks in the garden.  Or reds.  But, blues and purples?  They seem to jump off the nursery table when I see them.  At least, recently.    See the photo at the top of this post?  Little purple flowers on a trailing habit annual?  Yes, please.    That is Verbena x Lascar 'Black Velvet'.  And, I bought three of them.  What are they?  From this listing on Magic Valley Gardens : Verbena ‘Lascar™ Black Velvet’ adds rich, velvety drama to your garden with clusters of deep magenta-purple blooms that stand out beautifully against bright green foliage. This early-flowering variety features a mounded to trailing habit, making it perfect for mixed containers, hanging baskets, and sunny borders. With medium vigor and excellent weather tolerance, it delivers consistent color throughout the season. A favorite for gardeners seeking bold color and reliable, low-maintenance performance in summer plantings. Flower...

A couple weeks ago, I read this post on Martha Stewart's blog titled: Staking the Herbaceous Peonies - and realized that we're coming up quickly on peony season in our garden.  Martha uses (of course she does) stakes that she designed herself and has a huge number of peonies on her property.  We, well...don't.   Over the years, we've ended up with five peony plants.  Two in front (IB2DWs) and three in the back (Kitchen curved bed).  After the first five-or-six years in our new garden, we finally had our first *real* peony season back in 2023 .  Why did we finally get blooms?  Because I moved the peony plants we had on-hand from the back of the yard to closer to the sun/patio.  And, I moved a couple up to the front yard where they get full sun.  Last year (2024), we had even more peonies.  Here's a post showing a full vase of Sarah Bernhardt pink peonies that I cut from one of the plants .   However, due to their small-siz...

I haven't planted tulip bulbs in years, but I still have clusters of them in a few spots around the garden.  I've learned over time that tulips need to be interplanted with other things - to sort-of camouflage the foliage as it sticks around and (eventually) dies back.  Once the blooms are gone, bulb foliage NEEDS to stick around to collect energy for the bulb, but it usually looks ratty.   Because of that, I've held off on bulbs for a few Falls, but this year I should put it back my list.  Why am I thinking that?  Because the Spring 'hello' this little cluster of tulips are giving right at the edge of our driveway.  These, below, are IB2DWs, down by the sidewalk.     With all the Springs where we've had tulips, I've never gone out and cut them for a countertop arrangement.  Until this year.  Here, below, is my first Spring-time arrangement featuring tulips and daffodils.    The daffodils are the 'inherited' ones in o...

I started my new garden with Summer Beauty Alliums.  They're really great.  Since then, I've found something I like a tiny-bit better:  Serendipity Alliums.  They bloom later in the year.  And for longer .   (Turns out, there's a third variety - Millenium - that sort-of fits in between these two .) Over the years, I've grown and divided both Summer Beauty and Serendipity and placed them around the garden.  Each of the past few Falls, I've divided the Serendipity clumps.  Starting with two, I now have five .  All IB2DWs.   Now, I'm drawn towards the Serendipity due to the bloom time and length, I still have a bunch of Summer Beauties in the garden.  And, guess what?  They're early Spring stars.  A bunch of my garden hasn't woken-up yet.  Hostas are in the ground.  Peonies are just little red tips.  Astilbes and ferns are showing their first few shoots.   But allium clumps?  Their gree...

Sedum groundcover is something that I've added over the past few years - some of it works, some of it is a work-in-project.  In walking around the beds this weekend, I noticed the pair of Sedum kamtschaticum 'Variegatum' that I planted in Fall 2023 are doing the best of all of the groundcovers.  These are IB2DWs, down by the sidewalk.  You can see them in this post from a year ago .   They're tucked in near some legacy tulips - that you can see both of below.  Tulips on the right - just foliage.  And, right down the middle of the photo, there are two clumps of sedum that are putting on Spring growth: These put on small yellow flowers in mid-Summer.  Here's a photo from June 2024 showing the flowers .    One of the big changes here is the expansion of this bed in the past 12ish months.  These were, when planted, adjacent to lawn.  Now, they're surrounded by mulch.   Groundcover continues to be something I'm going to fo...

Planted in the Fall of 2023 , a pair of Silver Mount Artemisia are emerging for Spring 2025 in the IB2DWs bed right next to the driveway.  This pair of silver-foliage perennials can be seen in this Summer 2024 post about some Zinnias .  They're called 'mound', but I think a better name would be 'cloud'.   Silver foliage is a recent garden trend, with more plants being hybridtized to be white/silver.  These Artemisias stand out in the IB2DWs bed.  According to most sources on the Web, Fall is the best time to divided Artemisia - so if these have a good growing season - these will go on my '2025 Fall Dividing Candidates' list. See below for the greenish-silver tips emerging for Spring: