Gardening 12 for the 12th

I am a Photoshopaphobe, so I am including my 12 pictures in no such fancy formatting. Just 12. Bam bam bam (x4).
This is one of the only times of year that I feel like my house has some curb appeal and is cute on it's own. Don't get me wrong- my house has a lot of curb potential, and I have the ideas for it, I just lack the 'strength and opposeable thumbs' -I mean- time and money to carry them out. Hence, it is blue.

But when the azaleas are in full bloom, I love it! My huge forsythia and dozens of daffodils just quit about a week ago. They do a trade off each year. Yellow debuts, then moves out and makes way for pink. I am so excited this year because some of my hard work from last year is paying off in the form of perennials! I thought I has effectively killed most of them off, but I am seeing so many returns! A few are evergreen, so they've been around the whole time, like a few Coral Bells and Lavender. But among my little pets breaking ground from last year include 6 Hostas, 2 Lady's Mantle, an Anemone, a Columbine, Astible, Ghost Ferns, more Coral Bells, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some of my Lantana which may or may not be perennial here, based on how the winter goes. Everything in these beds grow up between Vinca Vine, and Monkey Grass on the borders.

Snot-face tatterdemalion Fiona, making a grab for the camera.

Grass Cam. Or Weed Cam as the case may be...

Some of my tender daffodils that I transplanted and yet they somehow came up through all that tough clay soil.

To most people this probably looks like a bunch of undistinguishable green, but- it includes two Astibles that came back from last year, a new Yarrow and Gailardia (Blanket Flower) that I planted, and hopefully a Shasta Daisy coming up soon, also from last year- all among our Day Lilies, which are also to come.

More come backs! Two different Coral Bells and a Columbine.

A Blue Moon Hosta coming back from last year! It looks so promising- these guys can get up to 4 feet wide!

Another (chartreuse!) Coral Bells from last year.

Our little mailbox bed that looks a little haphazard now, but will all come together when it all grows in. Including: African Daisies, Black-eyed Susan, something called 'Bucket of Gold', Creeping Jenny, Phlox, 2 Lantanas, 2 different kinds of Lavender,and Iceplant. Looking forward to seeing that collage come together, in mostly purples and yellows.

The End.
This yard has a long ways to go. The back needs a lot of work, I have plans for some shady side beds, not to mention the task of growing a lawn that is more grass than weeds. I am trying to take care of the plants I have now (including some seeds I am cultivating) and not get ahead of myself like I want to do. I don't have the money or the time to go to town. Or the skills. Next year I am hoping to be able to tackle more when Fiona is older and easier to accompany me. Plus there's always the promise of lottery winnings to fund the garden makeover. Next year I really want to finally do a vegetable garden! My little successes have done a lot to build my gardening confidence since I really have no idea what I'm doing. I did read about a dozen gardening books and field at least as many calls to Shell and Hannah for advice last year, so evidently some of it paid off. Now if I can just remember to keep it all watered this summer...

Edited to add: Dammit. Apparently it's the 13th.