Master Gardner Update

So my front garden/foundation gardens remain mulched but not planted...

I went to Gerten's on Sunday to pick up some shrubs since they were having a sale and I had an idea of what I wanted. Bryan had to work so I went with my can do attitude, a one month old, and a two and a half year old.

If you are currently wondering what I was thinking - I have no idea.  I honestly have no clue what made me think I could load up 4 shrubs on a cart plus a car seat and heard Emily around.  I guess I just really wanted shrubs.

We roamed in between the boxwoods, the dwarf blue spruces, the blue chip juniper, and a few others.  I couldn't make up my mind.  Bryan had set a budget, and I had to decide if I wanted to go with the blue spruces (the ones I really wanted) but the high end of things - I would only be able to get 2 max, or something like the blue chip juniper (which I really am not a fan of - have no clue why- but I could come home with 4).  then I started to look around and more options came into play and I had no one to bounce my ideas off of.

Then a call went out to Grandma Mimi.   She is not a good person to call when trying to stay on budget, but a great person to call when you need someone to say go with what you love...

So, long story short, I chickened out.

I really didn't want to come home and have Bryan hate what I chose, or be angry that I went over budget.  But I did pick up these cuties:

Yeah buy one get one free deal!  So I got 4 and when I got home I of course wanted more - gah.  But there was no way in hell I was going back with my entourage.... no no no learned my lesson there, even though Emily was half way decent :)

And so these little guys made their way into my little garden in the back:

 Now, i know what you are thinking - I stole these images off the internet - but No!!!  The master gardener strikes again!!! That hydrangea tree was a steal last year at the end of season sale... my husband wasn't quite sure if it has survived the winter at the beginning of spring... but it lives and lives well!  Same goes for the hydrangea bush - my $1 bush from the same sale!!! Whoot Whoot!  I am on fire.  That hosta was part of the hosta haul my husband scored in June.  I am just excited to see what it looks like next year once they all have another year to expand and grow - the hostas need a little love since they were attacked by killer slugs (boo).

But I do have to admit,  my Liatris which was suppose to look like this:

 

Actually looks like this:

Bryan is pretty sure that my bulbs are growing to China - since I wasn't sure which way was up or down on the bulbs. Whoops.  Maybe they will self correct next season?! Maybe?

But to make myself feel better here is another growing success:

This is my accidental pumpkin/squash? patch.  Yup.  We threw last years pumpkins in the back - and this is the repercussions... My mom, being the Debbie Downer on the whole situation said the pumpkins might not be ready for this season. Well Mom, that is not looking at the bright side of life is it?  Maybe I will have a great center piece for my non existent kitchen table for Thanksgiving!

Anyways, thought I would catch everyone up on my gardening adventures.

Oh. P.S. We named the cat.  Todd with a double D.
He has a little fox face, and one of our (Bryan and I) favorite movies is Fox and the Hound.  Todd is the name of the fox.  We are just to clever for our own good.