I still haven't put my Gunnera in the ground. I want to make sure it is in a moist spot, so I plan to dig a hole and line it with black plastic. Not looking forward to that, the soil in the back yard is so rocky! The soil in the front is so much easier to dig in, I actually changed my mind about some of the plants I was going to put in the back, and planted them in the front this weekend.
I bought this Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' at Lowe's a couple of weeks ago, on sale for less than $2. I bought four, and planted three of them in the back last week, but I had one more, so it went in the front.
I tried growing Scabiosa a couple of times when we lived in Massachusetts, but it never came back for me after the harsh winter. I'm hoping it will return here, since the winters are milder.
I also bought some Dianthus 'Fire Star' at Lowe's for the same price, and planted three of them in the front bed (after picking several slugs off the base of them). Note to self: Throw out more SLUGGO!
The big chore for the weekend was cutting down and digging out that sun rose that I decided I didn't like. It left a big hole, I guess I just need to get down to the nursery and buy something to fill in. I like the idea of a Daphne (Catherine's suggestion, thanks!), although they do scare me a bit, I've heard they are finicky. I'm thinking of putting in some Heaths and/or Heathers, which are nice and low-growing, and evergreen too. And I just might do hardy Geraniums too, I have a bunch of tiny seedlings that I sowed this Spring that I am growing on in pots. Why just one plant when many more will do!? Maybe I'll just plant them all and let them figure out for themselves who likes this spot the most.
I did lots of other little odds and ends around the garden this weekend too. Pruned and planted the Forsythia 'Fiesta' in that front foundation bed. Planted some Agastache, Hostas, and columbines that I got online from a sale at Santa Rosa Nursery. Weeded, weeded, weeded and then watered (stuff is already dry, how can that be?) Potted up some pepper plants, since I have no more room in the raised veggie beds (I have 14 tomato plants growing there, don't ask me why two people need 14 tomato plants). Planted some herbs -- French Tarragon, Lemon Thyme and English Thyme. I bet that Lemon Thyme will taste yummy on some fish.
I still have more to do. I really should put more finished compost mixed with peat moss on the potato plants. One of them is starting to flower.
Trim last year's old blossoms off the Vitex.
Fertilize the trees and shrubs I planted (I should have done this over a month ago when I first planted them).
Mix and water the compost in the bin.
Either pot up or plant out the Dahlia seedlings I have.
Plant out the last few little cups of seedlings, or pot them up and grow them on till Fall. So many still have no true leaves, like the Campanula rotundifolia and the Mimulus cardinalis.
Oh, chives, basil and lavender seedlings have to go out in the herb area of the raised beds.
It's never done, is it?