today in the yard

first clematis bloom!

Lilac is not far behind

I am starting to plant things around it, because I really hate mowing this wedge of the front yard- small corner off to the side of the driveway. So far I have stonecrop sedums behind it against that wall that drops off, and against the house are the daylilies with patch of vinca spreading around them. Eventually I will put some low groundcover around the stepping stones and remove all the grass here.

Now behind the lilac on one side I've put the black-and-blue salvia. It wasn't doing well in the mailbox spot. Too much full sun all day I think. Some leaves starting to look scorched and it was often drooping. It will get shade in this new spot for at least half the day.

Front side of the lilac I've put the 'autumn joy' sedum. I divided it into several plants- not sure if they're spaced out enough but I can always dig and spread again in fall or next spring.

I had once again forgotten that I have a few asiatic lilies in this corner! because last year I accidentally mowed over them and didn't see the plant again all year. I'm glad they survived that. With grass reduced enough in this corner I won't be hitting it with the mower again but trimming by hand (scissors) nearby, so it won't have that kind of mishap again.

I kind of like how it looks with the vinca growing in around it.

Down along the other edge of the side yard, the row of gladiolas are coming up. There's a few on the end of the row smaller and grouped closely- I wonder if those plants grew from seed that fell? Look younger. Cool. Behind them the sweet peas in corner are coming in thick and strong- I didn't even sow any of my saved seed for those, all came up on their own. I'd like to build some kind of support so they are displayed better instead of tangling around each other...