Imagination Boost

After posting about the roses, I took a look at the pics and realized how uninspiring those twelve little pots look. Hard to imagine what they'll be, you say? Need a mental picture? So here, culled from flickr, are images of the roses that will be blooming from these first twelve plants next summer:

"Abraham Darby" English shrub rose

"Graham Stuart Thomas" English shrub rose

"Darlow's Enigma" Hybrid musk rose

"Madame Hardy" Damask rose

"Madame Alfred Carriere" Noisette rose

"Konigin von Danemark" Alba rose

"La Reine Victoria" Bourbon rose

"Apothecary Rose" Gallica rose

"Wise Portia" English shrub rose

"Reine des Violettes" Hybrid perpetual rose

"Angel Face" Grandiflora rose

"Gertrude Jekyll" English shrub rose
A Special Thanks to all the flickr members who by taking these pictures allowed me, someone that hasn't gardened in YEARS, to plan out her dream garden with stunning visuals.

The Real Work Begins

Gosh folks, sorry to leave you hanging for so long! We've been spending the past weeks getting settled in our new home & neighborhood, dealing with the obligatory plumbing/electrical problems that always surface when moving into a new place, and unexpectedly commencing homeschool a la kindergarten. Busy, busy, busy! But now that we've settled into somewhat of a daily pattern it's time to bust out the tools and start work in earnest on what really needs to be done here in the Nuclear Bungalow.

Since we in the Rockies are rapidly closing on "frost date", I'm starting with that exterior job closest to my heart, planting the roses(cheers!). In preparation for the planting I get to do FUN things like tilling/composting the site, removing cat pee bushes(yes I know that's not what they're called), and knocking down the world's ugliest brick planter. Which has already broken one sledge handle. Hopefully the mason's chisel will work a little better, but there is a strong possibility that I will be planting around the thing for now.

So here are a few pics of what my front yard has looked like up to this point:

And this is what's going in the ground today:

Also, if I can find a "Green Gage"plum and "Blenheim" apricot locally that aren't budget-breaking these babies will be in rings around the trunks, in the island part of our yard:

Rough Landscape Plan

Here's what I've come up with so far. Of course, all this will be relative to the lot and house dimensions, which may be slightly different than depicted here. I know that some of the writing may be hard to read, so I'll try to clear things up with a list of the major plants that are going in. The pavers are only representative right now, still haven't decided between brick and pre-cast stone. One is more aesthetically pleasing, the other easier for kid traffic. And the drive will eventually be repaved with concrete, pigmented and scored to mimic slate tile. Also, we are considering switching out the teepee in the Kid's Garden for a wooden play/potting structure at Costco. The thing is ready to assemble and only costs $300, plus G is begging pretty heavily. I am so happy to have another plant lover that I will probably cave!

Front yard view

Rear yard view

-Rose Garden (inspired by Prairie Rose House!)

2 "Austrian Copper", rambling species; 1 "Eden", climbing tea; 1 "Sombreuil", climbing tea; 1 "Abraham Darby", English shrub; 1 "Queen Nefertiti", English shrub; 1 "Graham Stuart Thomas", English shrub; 1 "Golden Celebration", English shrub; 1 "Gertrude Jeckyll", English shrub; 1 "La Reine Victoria", Rambling bourbon; 1 "Mary Rose", English shrub; 1 "Angel Face", hybrid tea; 1 "Apothecary Rose", Gallic; 1 "Reine des Violettes", bourbon; 1 "William Shakespeare 2000", English shrub; 1 "Wise Portia", English shrub; 1 "Mme Alfred Carriere", noisette; 1 "Mme Hardy", damask; 1 "Darlow's Enigma", musk; 1 "Desiree Parmentier", gallic.

-Fruit trees in front

1 "Green Gage", European plum; 1 "Wilson Delicious", apricot.

-Fruit trees in rear

1 "Wolf River", apple; 1 "Lodi", apple; 1 "WhiteGold", cherry; 1 "Royalton", cherry; 1 "FlavorCrest", peach; 1 "O'Henry", peach.

-Ornamental trees/shrubs in Kid's Garden

1 "Autumn Gold", gingko biloba; 1 "Nicholsonii", Japanese maple; 1 "Blue Atlas", weeping cedar (not shown); 1 "Primrose", lilac; 1 common lilac.

-"Possible" hedge along drive ( I feel a little mean about planting something that will definitely spread to the other side of the fence, but I also want some privacy)

2 "Adelaide Dunbar", lilacs; 2 "Mme Lemoine", lilacs; 2 "Charles Joly", lilacs; 2 "President Grevy", lilacs.