Around the Birdbath Garden

Today I went out and took a few quick photos of the birdbath garden. It’s come along way from it’s beginning three and a half years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday, all young and small, with barely a plant in the garden. It’s amazing how quickly they grow up!

Here’s a look at the birdbath garden now. Please excuse my shadow – the sun still refuses to move to the right spot when I ask it to. The main feature is the butterfly bush which dominates the scene with a profusion of purple blooms. Close up you’ll see an ‘Oranges and Lemons’ gaillardia. To the back and right you can find a 2 ‘Powis Castle’ artemisias and a Diablo ninebark. If you get a chance to buy either of those three plants you should do it without even thinking about it.

I like the way this pathway has turned out. All the stone for this stepping stone pathway was imported last year. I say imported and it makes it sound very fancy (like it’s some sort of fancy Olive oil) but really it was just imported from a few miles south (I suppose I technically could say that it was imported all the way from Columbia). Tennessee is rich with stone perfect for stepping stones and dry stack walls but it’s a mixed blessing since the more stone you have usually means the less awesome your soil is. I have a lot of pretty good soil which makes me a lucky gardener, but I have to become an importer to get neat things like stepping stones for pathways or border stones.

The pathway splits the gardens. To the right is the birdbath garden and the left is our deck garden. In the center of the pathway is an arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum ‘Morton’ ) of which I’m a big fan. If you don’t have a viburnum in your yard go right now and get one them plant it! OK, I’ll give you a few days to do it but it must be done! (You can’t go wrong with these viburnums: Arrowwood viburnums – a native to the U.S. with blue berries the bird love, or a Burkwood viburnum – which smells even better than honeysuckle in the spring – or at least it’s a close second!)

Here’s the butterfly bush again looking pretty. The bloom stalks are just beginning to bloom and this bush will be covered in color in a day or two.

I bought this Asiatic lily last year on a discount rack. It looks pretty good don’t you think? I was actually expecting it to be orange! I must have put that one somewhere else.

I had to share this long shot of the yard. The garden shed is way in the back and the vegetable garden to the right. I’m thrilled with the lawn at the moment. The rainy weather has allowed the cool season fescue to stay green despite temperatures that have been very hot. The fence on the left side of the vegetable garden has several perennials that should start blooming before too long. Mondarda, ‘Black and Blue’ salvia, butterfly bushes, and several others call this spot home (as well as several weeds). One of these days I’ll get that fence taken down and a nice wooden picket fence put up. If you know anyone who can add a few hours in the day please let me know!