Can’t find much to do out in the mush today so I am going to obsess over the bed in the picture above. This bed is at the end of our gravel driveway (about 100 feet long) so we see it each time we pull into the garage. I dug out this bed in the Fall and planted at that same time.

Flanking the mini path on each side are Ilex Meserveae ‘Blue Princess’. Off photo I planted a ‘Blue Prince’ so hopefully he will act in his studly way and give me some berries on the ‘princesses’. This bed has an eastern exposure so it gets mostly full sun but it is protected by the house from the winds from the west.

In front of the Ilex are two Barberry ‘Crimson Pygmy’. Honestly, I am not the biggest fan of these but can’t bring myself to ditch them and they do offer a nice contrast to the Ilex. Consider yourself on a short lease Mr and Mrs Barberry.

Up against the house is an Arborvitae ‘Rheingold’ which I spoke of in a prior post. The winter color was “eh” but will give it a season to feel it out.

On the far end of the path are two Boxwood ‘Green Velvet’ that were a late Fall planting in order to save them from dying in the containers they were in. Still unsure of these as well (sense a pattern with me?)but will wait it out.

There are a bunch of Leucojum Aestivum bulbs planted in the bed as well and I am still awaiting them to peek out. They will supposedly survive the wet winter clay soil so I am psyched to see the results on these.

Still trying to determine what else I want to add to this bed. Considering a mix of perennials and annuals as I would love to make this a high impact area as visitors approach the house. Also want to keep winter/fall interest in mind (hence the hollies with the berries).

Would love your feedback om plant choices and would also love your feedback on the possibility of adding an arbor here? It is a very wide open area so it may be dwarfed by the vastness (have no idea if that sentence just made sense).

Thank for reading again. Looking forward to a week in the 60’s.