Before But No After

It has finally happened to me.  I have had a week here or so with the blogging blues.  I can't think of anything funny, entertaining, or even intelligible to say.   I even have the planting blues.   I went to the nursery on Saturday and didn't come home with a thing.  Nothing.  And really, I still have a lot of space to put things if I find something I like. 

I did weed half the front plot of wild onions.   So there was a tiny bit of forward action, but in comparison to the previous 4 weeks, I have hit the gloom.   I didn't even have to water anything because its been raining for the past couple of days.    I can now see why bloggers ferret away a few blogs.  For just such times as these, when you can't be bothered to be the slightest bit creative and haven't even put the dishes away or put the laundry in the dryer.

What I do have are some photos of plants that are in their 'before' stage and who will have their matching 'afters' later on in the year.    These will have to suffice for today.

I have planted a couple of the Endless Summer series of hydrangeas, which I plan on taking a few pictures of along the way, as it seems that many people have varying results with these.   The first of these is a Forever Pink, here pictured, March 28th.

The second is a Blushing Bride.  It seems to be a few weeks behind the Forever Pink, which actually has some flower buds forming.

Most of these hostas, which were sent to me by accident (and therefore free), are going to live with my Mom in Virginia where they will live hopefully long and happy lives, but two are going to have to tough it out and see if it can make it through the summer sizzle.   I know I'm already going to have to move them, but I'm leaving that for some time when the blues are gone.   There is a likelihood that the after pictures of these will be melted husks, but Compost in My Shoe, who lives close, apparent has some which have lived for years, so ya never know!  They made it from bareroot to here in about 3 weeks though, so they are sure liking it right now.

This is a Persian Shield (strobilanthes dyerianus), I have two of these as well.  Right now they are about 6 inches tall and 3 inches wide.  And recovering from the part sun area which I had originally planted them in.  They looked spectacular with the blue snowstorm bacopa (sutera hybrid), but that was the only thing they had going for them as a couple.

Here's my pitiful looking Butterfly Bush (unknown varietal).   He might be in too much shade, so I could be moving him too.  All this stuff about moving is making me exhausted just typing about it.

I have three coneflower plants, and will probably add another.   "Merlot" and "Kim's Kneehigh" are looking like they are having a bit of transplant shock.

Here's the before of the carjacker, Lady Banks.  I am not worried about her. Tomorrow I am going to get the little pegs drilled into the fence so I can get 'trained' as best I can.

I have dozens more where these came from so one of these days, later this summer, I'll do the real show.   Lets end with this picture, some African bush daisy's who look pretty much perfect.  Even as a before.