Yarrow and Catmint: I know that Yarrow looks best in drifts, but I like things to look crowded, even unruly. The flowers in the background window box are verbena, marigolds, and nasturtiums (which haven’t yet bloomed)

Black-Eyed Susans and Irises: The Irises in the front are done flowering; the biggest surprise has been the Persicaria along the steps, which is so prolific as to be almost invasive

Monarda, Ferns, and Weigela: This doesn’t look like much now (late May), but the Monarda will (hopefully) produce red blooms in a few weeks, which should tie nicely to the Wine and Roses Weigela in the background

Honeysuckle: This has grown surprisingly well on a trellis behind the house which hardly gets any sun

Rudbeckia: Yes, this looks like a pile of weeds, but these Black-Eyed Susans, which I grew from seed last year, are about to bloom non-stop for the summer

Maybe they still look like weeds. . . .

Ferns and Hosta: I planted these Sum and Substance Hosta along the back walk last season; they’ve grown four times in size (probably because they get so much morning sun)

Hardy Geranium and Hosta: This perennial Geranium, Rozanne, is an exceptional plant. It blooms continuously from May through August, and needs only partial sun to thrive. Too bad it is so expensive, and you can’t grow it from seed.

Coneflower

Willow (my dog, not the shrub). I had to include her, since she spends so much time with me in the garden

For some reason these Nasturtiums remind me of a Klee painting

Hollyhocks: these really enhance the English country garden look which I’ve been struggling to achieve

Cosmos (and my dilapidated shed in the background)

This is Serapis, not Willow (her brother of sorts)