Same Bed, Different Occupants

Dear Garden Diary,

Call me avant garde. I don't care. 

I insist on having different occupants in my bed...  interesting and definitely gorgeous ones who change regularly.

Independent ones who come and go without me having to worry about them are the best! I love the low maintenance variety!!

But I also do enjoy a few faithful old Joes- predictable, reliable, dependable. I can always count on them to please me through the years. 

Truth be told, variety is the spice of life.

I fully encourage everyone to try it.

Same Garden Bed, Different Occupants 

So today, I'm featuring just ONE of my garden beds and showcasing how it changes every couple of weeks with the right perennial plantings. Remember how I said I love low maintenance ;)

This is my SOUTH facing garden bed. We put up a beautiful lattice fence as a backdrop to this bed and changed the bed from a straight one to one with gentle curves so that the eye flows and the garden slowly reveals itself.

April/ May 2019 (Early Spring)

LHS- My bed in April: filled with a mix of showy tulip bulbs.
RHS- The same bed in May when purple allium bulbs are in bloom. 

Look at the changes within just one month in Spring! From multi-color tulips to puple globular alliums. All these bulbs need to be planted the year before in October/ November for them to bloom the following Spring.

I planted a purple Sandleaf cherry (Prunus cistena) - RHS to punctuate all the greens with a shrub that delivers a different color through the year. He's one of my faithful old Joes. He's a little fellow right now but watch how he develops over the years. 

May 2021  (Late Spring)

Two years later, look how how my Purple Sandleaf Cherry has taken off. He's a strapping young lad now. Carrying his own in this garden bed with his showy red leaves in Spring. 

Spring Delight
Purple alliums and Purple Sandleaf Cherry are bouncing around in my spring bed.

 

Keep an eye on the green shrub behind him. He's my Limelight Hydrangea. Watch him transform and take center stage as the season progresses.

July 2021  (Summer)

Ay caramba!! Two months later, Limelight hydrangea is in full bloom filling up the summer garden bed! He's not called 'Limelight' for no good reason. 

Summer Harmony
Limelight hydrangea and Blackeyed Susans compliment each other in bed.

Can you see my lattice fence? Neither can I.

Lemon Lace and Sweet Autumn Clematis have scrambled up the fence and taken the bed to new heights. Watch the clematis when she flowers in Fall!

Black-Eyed Susans are in the foreground. These lovely ladies are biennials which mean they only last for 2 years. This is their second year, so they won't be around next year. 

Not to worry. Replacements are always handy and lurking just below the soil. Watch who I replace Susan with next year. 

September 2022 (Late Summer)

Here we are in late summer the following year. Limelight hydrangeas have turned from lovely white to lime green.

Look at the Sweet Autumn Clematis blooming in white billows off the top of the fence. Show off!!

Late Summer Orgy
Party time in this bed with an adventurous Golden Rod competing with Limelight and Sweet Autumn Clematis to be on top.

And I've allowed Golden Rods to grow up in place of the Black-Eyed Susans from last year. Last year, I didn't let the Golden Rods grow. I just cut them all down so that the Black Eyed Susans could bloom. This year, I let the Golden Rods grow up in all their glory. Here they are competing with Limelight Hydrangea for the limelight.

October 2022 (Early Fall)

And here's a close up of my dependable Limelight Hydrangea turning from lime green to delicate shades of pink- blushing for good reason. Things have been rather hectic in bed this year.

And in the far ground, my purple asters are blooming in billowing puffs signaling the end of a good time.

Early Fall Bliss
Old Faithful Hydrangea leans back and enjoys some peace as the bed starts to calm down in early Fall.

November 2024 (Late Fall)

And finally, here's an aerial view of the same garden bed after the party's over in Late Fall. 

What a glorious mess of beautiful colors! Now the changing leaf color take center stage from the flowers of earlier in the year.

Late Fall 
Beautiful leaf fall blankets everything like a lovely bedspread. 

January (Winter)

Just for kicks, I've included a picture of what this bed looks like in winter after a good snow storm.

I leave all the dried plants up for winter interest so that the snow has something to cling to and give height to the garden bed. Otherwise it would be terribly boring if I had cut the bed down flat.

Winter
Not tonight, honey.  Forget about it.
This bed is not going to see any action for the next few months.

So what do you think of my ever changing bed? 

Didn't I tell you different bed partners are fun. They're also not as difficult to manage as you'd think. All it takes is a little forethought and planning... and some imagination.

Give it a try.

To see more of my garden, click on the "My Perennial Garden" label below.