Shrubbery!

So funny to have 2 out of 7 "followers" named Shanna. What are the chances?!

So, climate change has dished out the latest, coldest spring ever. We finally got a day over 18°C and it went to 25°C!! Skipped all of my favorite temperatures in between. Bahhh! Butt the daffodils did last forever in the coolness.

This was my second Saturday of planting. We still had 3 nights of freezing temps this week, so I had to wait until the forecast was all on the positive side for the deciduous. I planted 16 shrubs over Friday eve (I worked until I couldn't see the shrubs) and continued on Saturday for 6 hours until my husband discovered me slumped under a tree, complaining of nausea (heat stroke?). I told him that I couldn't imagine doing this for a living and he said "umm. . . professional landscapers take breaks and eat lunch?" Oh, ya. Right. Then he came back with a full water bottle and 2 aspirin (haha - he knew I was gonna feel it later), and finished spreading the cedar mulch and put the tools away. He takes such good care of me. . . Can't wait to see how it looks in a few years. I planted 3 groups of 3 Skyrocket Junipers for continuity (they grow to 12' tall, and 2' wide), 1 grouping in each of the 3 areas that I was working in. So from the front street, you'll be able to see them all at the same time. In total, we planted 20 shrubs, 1 new perennial and transplanted 5 perennials (everybody helped).

BEFORE:

AFTER. . . I don't recommend edging in the dark. . . The closest shrub is variegated dogwood, then sandcherry, peegee hydrangea, sandcherry, monstrous mock orange (it's ALIVE!), false spirea, and finally double flowering plum with the 3 junipers behind it.

BEFORE:
DURING:
THUS FAR. I need to purchase one more grass. The mounding juniper is at full height but it will spread out 6 feet to disguise the sidewalk on the right without blocking the basement window.

BEFORE:
AFTER. A special "you're S-U-P-E-R" goes out to 11-year-old G who came up to me just as I was staring at this third and final area with 7 shrubs left to plant, and said "can I dig a REALLY big hole?" I looked at him and said "You can dig SEVEN!". I set the timer for 30 minutes and he and his brother exuberantly dug 5 holes and my DH did the last 2 while our awesome neighbour entertained us with rocket balloons and squirt guns for the kids (true story). And I'm excited about the cluster of potentillas on the left; they have flowers throughout the summer, and 1 has yellow, one is called "mango tango" and gets yellow flowers with orange centers, and the last one is called "red ace" and gets a range of yellow to red flowers. Hidden in the back is a "chocolate satin" ninebark. It's new but it's a combo of the diablo ninebark (almost black leaves) and nana ninebark (making it more compact and less black). It will have clusters of white flowers and I read a recommendation to plant it in a shaded area so that the flowers look like they are floating. CAN'T WAIT to see that! O.K. I'm done.