Lots of changes this Spring: Part 1 - HotTub Bed

I think the best way for me to keep track of all the different areas is to name each section.  This way I can keep track of what is where.  This is especially helpful in the Spring when things are starting to poke through and I'm not sure what they are.  I swear - either I can't grow Shasta Daisies, or I pull them up EVERY year thinking they are a weed.  Plant makers would do the trick too, but I have not found any that are affordable, are not an eye sore AND that will hold up to sun, rain and snow.  This is, after all, the Midwest!!  If anyone has helpful suggestions on plant markers, I'm all ears!

I've promised myself to document the transitions of my beds month by month.  This is so I will remember where I put things, how long they take to grow, when they bloom and - the most rewarding - how far I've come.  I get frustrated, edgy and despondent because I think things aren't growing, until I look back and realize from whence we started.  That's the whole purpose of this blog!  Anyone else as impatient as me?  I bet there are.  It doesn't help that all the gardens on the Houzz and Pinterest App are well established and gorgeous.  Mine will be…..someday.

THE HOTTUB BED:
This is the bed that is edged by evergreens for the privacy when soaking in the tub.  I'm not sure what way it faces because it's West, South and North.  It receives lots of wind coming from South. So, front of the house faces East, back of the house (where the bed is) faces east.  Evergreens are on North side, Hot tub is on the South side.  I think that is all anyone would need to know…..right?

So, just to remember….this is August 2013

Since the above photo was taken we poured a larger concrete patio and added a hot tub (Oct 2013). 

Soon after the patio was poured I rushed out and bought the last 6 Emerald Green Arborvitae's the nursery had.  I must admit they were the runts of the litter, but I was confident in my two green thumbs, plus they were 1/2 off, so I took them home for a rehab project.

And then... the coldest, longest and harshest winter that the state has ever documented.  

I lost all of them.  

 Here they are in the beginning of March 2014

I spent some time looking out my window growling at these evergreens for NOT being evergreen.  I spent a lot of money and have sooooo much more to go, I was really put back by this.  I did have a guarantee from the nursery that the plants would live for 1 year, but since the trees were 1/2 off, I would only be given 3 to replace the 6 I bought.

And then, my brother-in-law called and said Menards had Arborvitae's on sale AND they came with a rebate.  WOOT!  WOOT!  I batted my eyes at my husband and we went out at 8:00 in the evening, in the rain and loaded 6 wet, muddy, 5 ft trees into my SUV.  It made me giddy!  The best part was the cost was less than half of what I spent the year before, so my setback was not nearly as bad!  

Thank you brother-in-law!

Thank you hubby!

This is April 28, 2014.  They are so….GREEN!

This is the other view.  Since then we went back and bought then planted 2 more to finish out the arc of the privacy hedge (that really won't be private for like 8 years)

After a few warm weekends and a lot of man hours my vision leaps from my head into my backyard.

May 9, 2013

May 30, 2013

May 30, 2013