Alan's Front Yard May 22

My friend Alan has a well-established garden around his home and every year he adds flowers for color. I asked if he would allow me to plant this year to further my gardening experience and he consented. Last year he planted geraniums, alyssum, wax begonias and roses in the front yard and impatiens in the back. The garden gets some sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon. I found an interesting assortment of plants that I thought would compliment his garden and on May 22^nd I started planting. It poured rain all day and the weatherman reported 1.87 in. of rain for the area. I discovered you can successfully garden in the rain as long as you’re dressed for it.

Alan's front yard as seen from the street. The house is raised up from the street with a fantastic porch one of my favorite places to hang out in the summer. His dog Cooper (lower right corner) helped me out that day.

His yard is well established. These two raised beds in front will need some work, but that will come later. You can see it is dry now, but the rain will come.

A retaining wall holds up this side of the yard next to the driveway. Alan planted geraniums, alyssum and wax begonia here last season. I added four vinca to drape over the wall.

This variegated vinca is next to a red wax begonia. The vinca will have a purple flower.

This vinca will have a white flower. Its neighbors are a geranium to the left and a red wax begonia to the right and below.

We'll check back to see if the vinca drapes over this retaining wall.

Steps leading up to the house. At the top were two empty pots.

A view of the front yard from the steps.

Up by the lattice, that fronts the porch, I planted two 'Hot Lips' salvia.

Closer to the steps I planted a 'False Goats Beard' white astilbe, a native perennial of the Northwest, with a white  and deep purple calla lily behind it.

I removed this empty pot at the top of the stairs and placed it on the front porch.

In the center of the pot is a purple coleus 'Persian Shield' with two impatiens and a tradescantia 'Purple Heart'.

A second empty pot at the top of the stairs next to a black lamp and the grey steps going up to the porch is a perfect home for...

...this oxalis.

Looking down from the porch onto the front yard.

The salvia should grow tall enough to see over the shrubs from the front walk. In the bottom right of the photo is one of the roses Alan planted last season. It will be a competition to see who gets taller. The salvia should also attract humming birds to watch from the porch with a glass of wine!

Next time we'll tour Alan's amazing backyard and see what comes to grow there!