Gardening in Virginia is not

for the faint hearted.  It takes effort to protect plants

from the heat and deer. 

Bird netting and stakes are necessities. 

But the results

are worth it.

Pollen count is

is high here and my bees are enjoying it. Crocus are blooming in the yard and I have one more section of fence to put up to protect the front garden from the dogs. (Bella tends to unplant what I plant)

As I do not have any interesting photos at the moment I am post more of S1's. Enjoy.

Some New Plants for the Garden

Heuchera - Marmalade (coral bells)
full sun to part shade
10 in high - 18 inches wide
liked by hummingbirds
can stand up to inclement weather
perennial

Helleborus x hybridus
Flowers late winter and early spring in a rainbow of colors.
Likes shade
Plants form clumps of 12 in to 24 in in a few years.
Height averages 12"

Barrenwort
Part shade to shade
drought tolerant
white blooms in spring
leaves will turn a deep shade of crimson in the fall.
6-8 inches high

The Beauty of October

These plants are behind the back deck in an area that I have tried to cultivate and make cute in a magazine kind of style. It didn't work, largely because I'm a planter and then a forgetter. Anything that can thrive on neglect is tailor made for me.

The Cosmos came from the Vermont Wildflower farm.

The directions are incredibly simple and easy to follow. Basically get weeds out of an area so that you have a clean patch of dirt, sprinkle seed, and water sometimes - if it is dry. We don't water much and somehow they still thrive.

The Zinnia seed also came bulk - I believe from WalMart. That I bought in the spring. Spring and Fall are the times to plant seed from the Wildflower farm.